Employers in Fiji are looking at ways to help workers who are parents of young children, the International Finance Corporation says.
School children in Fiji's capital, Suva. Photo: RNZ / Jamie Tahana
The corporation conducted a study in Fiji which shows companies lose tens of thousands of dollars every year in lost productivity when workers have poor access to childcare.
The corporation, which is part of the World Bank group, compiled its report based on information from a survey of workers and has made suggestions for what companies can do, which it says are being embraced.
Its private sector specialist for the Pacific, Sarah Twigg, said these included setting up a child care centre on, or near the worksite.
"And that certainly makes sense, and we have seen that work well for larger employers, who maybe have large workforces with young children," Ms Twigg said.
"But for others it might be things like parents' resource groups, where parents can come together, share information, problem solve, share information about baby sitters, things like that," she said.
"Greater flexibility (in work hours) was something many, many parents asked for."