Balancing Work and Parenthood: The NEED for More Supportive Workplaces

Working parents are encountering significant challenges in balancing work and family responsibilities. A recent survey of 3,000 working parents has shed light on the issues they face and the support they require. This article examines the survey findings and discusses the importance of providing better support and flexible work options to working parents.

Lack of Managerial Support

One notable finding from the survey is that a negative reaction from managers often discourages working parents from seeking support. More than a quarter (27%) of respondents stated that they refrained from asking for assistance again due to their manager’s adverse response. This highlights the need for a supportive and empathetic managerial approach.

Demand for Flexible Work Options

The survey revealed that 39% of working mothers desire more flexible work options. However, only 31% currently have access to the working arrangements they need. This discrepancy emphasizes the importance of bridging the gap between demand and availability to better support working parents in achieving work-life balance.

Legislation for Flexible Working Requests

Recognizing the need for flexible work options, legislation granting employees the right to make two flexible working requests in any 12-month period has received royal assent. This progressive step is likely to be implemented in spring 2024, providing working parents with a legal framework to request the flexibility they require.

Career Advancement Challenges

While many working parents express a desire for more training and development opportunities (28%) and feel more ambitious after having a baby (44%), a substantial majority (79%) face barriers when trying to advance their careers. This underscores the importance of implementing measures to support career progression for working parents.

Impact on Job Responsibilities

Comparatively, the survey found that one in five working mothers experienced a reduction in job responsibilities after maternity leave, twice the number reported by returning fathers. Particularly concerning is the fact that women who took longer maternity leaves, with 26 weeks off, were most affected, with 37% experiencing a reduction of their job responsibilities.

Employer Support

In assessing employer support for working parents, the survey revealed that 85% of employers claim to have specific policies to assist parents during their return to work. These policies include flexible working arrangements, mental health support, and training opportunities. However, further analysis and implementation of these policies is necessary to ensure tangible support for working parents.

Recommendations for Employers

To create a supportive environment for working parents, the report recommends building a clear policy framework that acknowledges and addresses their needs. Employers should reevaluate their current policies, considering the provision of flexible working arrangements and support for career development. By embedding flexible working options into their culture, employers can facilitate a healthy work-life balance for their employees.

Government’s Role

In addition to employer efforts, the government has a crucial role to play in supporting working parents. By requiring employers to advertise the flexible work options available to job applicants, potential employees can have a clearer understanding of the opportunities for work-life balance. Furthermore, reforming childcare provision is essential to alleviate the burdens faced by working parents.

Working parents face significant challenges in juggling their professional and personal responsibilities. The survey findings underscore the urgent need for better support and flexible work options to ensure work-life balance. The responsibility lies not only with employers to create a supportive workplace culture but also with the government to implement policies that promote and facilitate flexible work arrangements. Ultimately, by providing the necessary support to working parents, we can foster a more inclusive and productive workforce for the future.

Explore more

Why Should Leaders Invest in Employee Career Growth?

In today’s fast-paced business landscape, a staggering statistic reveals the stakes of neglecting employee development: turnover costs the median S&P 500 company $480 million annually due to talent loss, underscoring a critical challenge for leaders. This immense financial burden highlights the urgent need to retain skilled individuals and maintain a competitive edge through strategic initiatives. Employee career growth, often overlooked

Making Time for Questions to Boost Workplace Curiosity

Introduction to Fostering Inquiry at Work Imagine a bustling office where deadlines loom large, meetings are packed with agendas, and every minute counts—yet no one dares to ask a clarifying question for fear of derailing the schedule. This scenario is all too common in modern workplaces, where the pressure to perform often overshadows the need for curiosity. Fostering an environment

Embedded Finance: From SaaS Promise to SME Practice

Imagine a small business owner managing daily operations through a single software platform, seamlessly handling not just inventory or customer relations but also payments, loans, and business accounts without ever stepping into a bank. This is the transformative vision of embedded finance, a trend that integrates financial services directly into vertical Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platforms, turning them into indispensable tools for

DevOps Tools: Gateways to Major Cyberattacks Exposed

In the rapidly evolving digital ecosystem, DevOps tools have emerged as indispensable assets for organizations aiming to streamline software development and IT operations with unmatched efficiency, making them critical to modern business success. Platforms like GitHub, Jira, and Confluence enable seamless collaboration, allowing teams to manage code, track projects, and document workflows at an accelerated pace. However, this very integration

Trend Analysis: Agentic DevOps in Digital Transformation

In an era where digital transformation remains a critical yet elusive goal for countless enterprises, the frustration of stalled progress is palpable— over 70% of initiatives fail to meet expectations, costing billions annually in wasted resources and missed opportunities. This staggering reality underscores a persistent struggle to modernize IT infrastructure amid soaring costs and sluggish timelines. As companies grapple with