The desire for work/life balance is skyrocketing. For working parents, child care provides the flexibility, support, and convenience that many crave. Not to mention, it benefits employers in the long run, too - from recruitment to retention and beyond.

At Solutions at Work LIVE 2016, Bright Horizons President Stephen Kramer sat down with Monica Casado, an employee at JM Family, and her daughter, Lauren. JM Family offers employer-sponsored child care on-site, and Stephen and Monica discussed its benefits.

How did you decide on employer-sponsored child care?

"That was the best decision we made and probably the easiest decision, because of the fact that the company offered such a great solution to parents that have to find a great work/life balance. Good child care is so hard to find...and Bright Horizons was a no-brainer decision."

What makes it great?

"We're very satisfied with the curriculum. The center itself is beautiful, it's safe, the teachers are amazing Lauren has been there since she was two years old and she has grown immensely."

Watch:

The benefits of an on-site center:

For Monica, the on-site center at JM Family makes a huge difference because since she no longer has to take her daughter to a center that isn't in the same direction as her office. It also brings her peace of mind, knowing that Lauren is right down the street.

She has the flexibility to come into the center at any time of the day to see how Lauren's doing and participate in a lot of the activities that they offer for families.

"I'm so fortunate," Monica says.

And it doesn't just benefit her.

The on-site center has made a big difference in work/life balance for both Monica and her husband, and has eliminated much of the stress related to driving Lauren to child care, dropping her off, and making sure to pick her up by a certain time at an inconvenient location.

Her advice for HR professionals regarding whether to offer employer-sponsored child care on site:

"If you're not already doing so, it's something you may want to consider because it's such a wonderful benefit. I would think that you would even probably see more of a desire for employees to stay loyal to the organization."

Her final word:

"It offers so many benefits, not only to the parent but also to the child. I feel a lot more comfortable that when Lauren becomes of school age, she'll have an easier transition into kindergarten because she's learning so much now."