By: Catherine Cunningham
Carleen Haylett, the founder and CEO of Enriched HQ, established the company based on her own personal journey as a single mother working as an enterprise technology professional for 25 years. Faced with the challenge of arranging enrichment programs for her son outside of school hours, Carleen realized the inadequacy of existing options. Over the years, she found herself navigating a complex maze of care arrangements, including nannies, babysitters, and extracurricular activities, which left her feeling overwhelmed and uncertain.
Prior to founding EnrichedHQ, Carleen faced challenges with obtaining childcare assistance from her employer, forcing her to depart from corporate America. Carleen’s decision is a reflection of a wider growing trend for working parents. In a 2023 study conducted by Care.com, 91% of respondents said they or their spouse/partner had to make at least one major change to their work, life, or finances by doing things such as taking on another job or reducing work hours in order to afford childcare. Families across the country face this financial burden related to childcare, referred to as the "mommy tax", especially as they seek alternative arrangements for older children.
Filling the Gap in Childcare
Drawing on her extensive background in enterprise technology, Carleen recognized the need for a solution to this problem that many working parents were facing resulting in the founding of Enriched HQ, a revolutionary program bringing access to life skills-building programs for youth to parents.
Enriched HQ functions as a marketplace offering life skills-building programs tailored for children in fifth grade and above. This age group is specifically targeted because many children with working parents have surpassed the age eligibility for daycare programs, leaving parents with limited childcare alternatives. The platform offers interactive sessions covering topics such as financial literacy, entrepreneurship, specialized STEM education, social-emotional development, and more.
EnrichedHQ goes through a stringent curation process carefully selecting activity providers through a thorough vetting process to ensure quality and reduce inconvenience for parents. Additionally, Enriched HQ stresses the importance of offering a variety of program formats, including multi-session options and on-demand sessions, to accommodate different preferences and provide flexibility for families.
Childcare as a Benefit
EnrichedHQ extends these programs as voluntary benefits to employees by collaborating with corporations complementing traditional childcare benefits. By providing support for employees with children of all ages, Enriched HQ aims to alleviate the burden on working parents and foster a more inclusive workplace environment. Enriched HQ's accessibility extends beyond corporate programs, making its resources available to anyone seeking educational opportunities for their children. This inclusive approach aligns with the company's mission to support all parents and families in accessing quality educational experiences.
When incorporated as a voluntary benefit for employees, EnrichedHQ does a lot of work to ensure that employees are aware of their services and how their services can be a benefit to them. Collaborating with HR, talent acquisition, benefits, and diversity and equity departments enables seamless promotion through internal channels such as newsletters and intranet portals. Engagement initiatives, like lunch and learns and exclusive content sessions, are tailored to reach family support groups within the company. By closely partnering with benefits providers, employees are kept informed and can effortlessly access desired programs for their children, underscoring employers' dedication to fostering work-life balance and personal growth support.
Through Enriched HQ, the platform adapts its approach to suit each client's financial needs. Some common methods include offering employees a discount on activities as part of corporate engagement, implementing loyalty and referral programs for activity credits, and providing additional discounts to cover remaining costs. Some companies utilize learning management funds for children's programs, while others pre-purchase activity credits for employees. This flexibility ensures that the program can be customized to fit the preferences of each company that EnrichedHQ works with. They also emphasize the platform's value to independent brokers and agents, leveraging their expertise in enterprise technology and insurance to provide insights into market dynamics.
Enriched HQ stands as a testament to Carleen Haylett's visionary approach in addressing the challenges faced by working parents in providing enhancing experiences for their children. By targeting children in fifth grade and above, Enriched HQ fills a critical gap in childcare alternatives, particularly for families with working parents. The platform's collaboration with corporations and its commitment to inclusivity ensure that valuable resources are available to all, regardless of financial means. This comprehensive approach not only supports parents in balancing work and family life but also empowers children to thrive in today's world. Enriched HQ's impact extends beyond individual families, contributing to a more inclusive and supportive workplace culture while fostering personal and professional growth for all.
We are proud to feature Enriched HQ on the Granite List.
