The Banyan is one of India’s leading pre-schools and corporate day care brands offering customised day-care models for working parents from different industries as well as extended and flexible hours for shift-based sectors. In an exclusive interaction, Swati Jain, Director, The Banyan explains to Bhavya Bagga, Business Reporter (Corporate & Leadership), CXO Media & APAC Media how Social Emotional Learning is becoming essential as the foundation of early childhood education.
The Banyan has over two decades of experience in early childhood care and education. How has the role of corporate daycare evolved in India during this time, and what trends are you seeing emerge post-pandemic?
In the last two decades, we have seen corporate day-care in India evolve from being viewed as a perk to becoming a necessity for working parents. Earlier, very few organisations invested in childcare support, but today companies across sectors including PSUs, universities, government bodies, IT, aviation, and hospitality see it as critical for employee retention, productivity, and inclusion.
Post-pandemic, the demand has grown even stronger, with parents expecting flexibility, safety, transparency, and tech-enabled solutions like live CCTV access and AI-enabled classrooms. The trend is clear: corporates now view day-care as an essential part of creating family-friendly workplaces, and at The Banyan we are proud to be supporting this change across industries.
One of The Banyan’s core missions is to support working parents, especially mothers. Can you share specific ways your corporate partnerships have helped enhance gender diversity and retention in the workforce?
Our corporate day-care partnerships have helped working mothers stay and grow in the workforce in several ways. First, by providing on-site and near-site day-care, we make it easier for mothers to return after maternity leave without career breaks. Second, our flexible timings and extended hours support parents working shifts, especially in sectors like aviation and hospitality.
Third, our transparent systems with live CCTV and regular updates build trust, giving parents peace of mind while they focus on their jobs. Together, these measures have directly contributed to stronger retention and greater gender diversity across the organisations we support.
With growing awareness around Social Emotional Learning (SEL), how is The Banyan integrating SEL into its preschool curriculum, and why do you believe it’s essential in early childhood education today?
At The Banyan, we see Social Emotional Learning (SEL) as the foundation of early childhood education. In our preschools, SEL is woven into daily routines through play-based activities, group interactions, mindfulness exercises, and storytelling that help children recognize emotions, build empathy, and develop problem-solving skills. We also train our teachers to model positive behaviours and create nurturing classroom environments.
We believe SEL is essential today because learning alone is not enough children need resilience, emotional intelligence, and the ability to collaborate in order to thrive in the future. By starting early, we give them strong social and emotional roots that will support their lifelong learning and relationships.
Technology is playing a larger role in education. How is The Banyan leveraging innovation to improve its learning programs and daycare operations, and what future tech trends do you foresee shaping the industry?
At The Banyan, we have always believed that technology, when used wisely, can make early childhood education and day-care more transparent, efficient, and engaging. We use HRMS systems to streamline staff management and day-care apps that share daily updates with parents on their child’s growth, learning, and memorable moments. Attendance is tracked through punching machines, and real-time CCTV monitoring gives parents’ peace of mind.
In our classrooms, we are also introducing AI-based toys and learning tools that adapt to each child’s pace, making play more interactive and personalised. Looking ahead, we see technology continuing to shape the industry. For us, the future is about blending innovation with care ensuring that technology enhances safety, trust, and learning while keeping the warmth of human connection at the heart of everything we do.
As more Millennials and Gen Z professionals enter the workforce, how are their expectations reshaping demand for employer-supported childcare, and how is The Banyan adapting its offerings to meet these evolving needs?
Millennials and Gen Z parents place a much higher value on work-life balance, flexibility, and transparency, and this is reshaping the demand for employer-supported childcare. They expect not just safe day-care but also tech-enabled solutions like apps with daily updates, live CCTV, and personalised programs that support holistic development.
At The Banyan, we are adapting by offering customised day-care models for different industries, extended and flexible hours for shift-based sectors, and innovative learning tools including AI-enabled classrooms and AI-based toys. We have also strengthened our communication systems, so parents feel connected to their child’s day in real time. For younger generations of professionals, childcare is no longer a benefit it is an essential expectation, and we’re proud to be meeting that need across sectors like IT, aviation, hospitality, PSUs, universities, and government.”
