Leadership Notes: Child care challenges impacting OKC workforce, September Forum seeks solutions

Happy September everyone! It’s hard to believe the summer break is over. With all the activities and time spent with friends, it seems like summer just flew by. Now that the kids are back in school, parents can get back to the normal routine.

I’ve been a working mom for a long time now, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. My family and work are my biggest passions. My husband and I are blessed to have the best of both worlds because we have child care. For more and more parents, child care is either not readily available or it’s too expensive. They have no choice but for one parent to leave the workforce and care for their child.

The child care issue is a serious hurdle throughout our country and in Oklahoma City right now. It’s keeping a significant number of people out of the workforce. Getting over that hurdle is essential to meeting the needs of employers and maintaining our current momentum of impressive growth.

This is a challenge we will explore in detail at this month’s Chamber Forum. We’ll share the results of our child care survey, take a deep dive into the issue and possible solutions. I hope you can join us at the event for this important discussion.

Meeting the needs of working parents is a win-win for your business and Oklahoma City. A family-friendly workplace contributes to employee retention, productivity and overall company culture. By working together, we can find solutions for businesses, families and our communities.