How companies can better support parents in the workplace
In the UK, there are approximately 13 million working parents that juggle their job responsibilities and childcare.
For some, balancing work and children becomes infeasible, resulting in skilled people leaving the workforce to focus on their families full-time.
This situation disproportionately affects women, who make up 84% of the 1.75 million people who give up work for this reason. The issue has been further perpetuated by spiralling childcare costs, a lack of parental leave and rigid working patterns.
Caregiving role disproportionality burdens women
Forward-thinking companies can change this by adopting family-friendly policies and supporting workers to thrive as parents and as employees. Such an approach leads to a happier, healthier and more productive workforce.
However, being a family-friendly workplace doesn’t just benefit working parents. When an organisation demonstrates that they support parents, there is better employee retention, increased gender equality and staff diversity. A family-focused culture also helps organisations build their reputation and attract top talent from a wider pool of candidates.
How can companies support working parents?
It's obvious that there are many benefits that can come from supporting parents in the workplace but to do this effectively, companies need to find out what their employees actually need and then deliver this. This could be achieved through a staff survey, for instance, or a fireside chat.
In the meantime, we delve into the importance of support working parents and how it leads to excellence in both career and family life, backed by compelling statistics.
Balancing work and family responsibilities
For many employees, balancing work and family responsibilities can be a daunting task. Juggling between professional commitments and parenting duties can lead to burnout and decreased job satisfaction. According to a survey by the Pew Research Center, 56% of working parents find it challenging to balance their responsibilities effectively, often leading to stress and reduced productivity in the workplace.
The power of support
When companies invest in supporting their working parents, they create an inclusive and supportive workplace culture. By offering family-friendly policies and programs, employers can demonstrate their commitment to employees' well-being and growth. A survey by Deloitte found that 77% of employees say that family-friendly benefits would be a significant factor in choosing an employer, highlighting the importance of such support in attracting top talent.
Flexible work arrangements
Offering flexible work arrangements is a game-changer for working parents. Whether it's allowing remote work, flexible hours, or job-sharing opportunities, these arrangements empower employees to manage their professional responsibilities while being present for their families. A study by FlexJobs found that 74% of working parents believe that flexible work options would help reduce their stress levels and improve overall work-life balance.
Equal parental leave
There is statutory parental leave for UK workers who are welcoming a new child into the family. However, the pay received whilst on leave (a basic rate of £156.66 per week) leaves many parents facing financial hardship or making the decision to return to work early, meaning they lose valuable bonding time with their child.
A survey by Maternity Action found that more than half of new mothers relied on credit cards or loans to get by and 96% worried about money during their maternity leave.
Workplaces can take steps to combat this issue and promote equality by giving employees parental leave that is above the statutory minimum, irrespective of their gender.
This isn't the case.
At present, the average maternity leave taken in the UK is 11 weeks.
In comparison, the average paternity leave taken is just 13 days.
Maternity leave is, of course, crucial – but when there are big differences in the allocation of parental leave, it reinforces the idea that women should take on increased domestic duties, exacerbating gender inequality and having a drastic effect on women’s income.
On average, women’s wages decrease by 4% with each child that they have.
Whilst men's wages, on the other hand, increase by 6%
By skimping on your paternity leave policies, you are actively telling the women in your company that their time and input is worth less than their male counterparts.Mental Health support
Compared with non-parents, employed parents are twice as likely to strongly agree that they are worn out at the end of the day. In addition, 3 in 4 working parents say they are suffering from stress and anxiety as a result of trying to balance work and family commitments.
Supporting employees' mental health is important regardless of whether they are parents or not but understanding the mental health issues that can arise from juggling work and childcare can help employers to provide tailored well-being support.Childcare assistance & support
Childcare responsibilities can be overwhelming for working parents, especially during busy workdays. By offering on-site childcare facilities or partnering with childcare services, companies can significantly alleviate the stress on parents. The American Economic Association reports that access to on-site childcare can lead to a 10-15% reduction in employee absenteeism, resulting in a more productive workforce.
Supporting parents in the workplace is an investment for companies to attract and retain the best talent. With the right support in place, employers empower their employees to excel in both their careers and family life.
The statistics speak for themselves, revealing that companies that prioritise employee well-being and parenthood support benefit from a more engaged, loyal, and productive workforce.
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Meet companiions. We offer in-person, on-demand support for working parents. With our handy and easy-to-use app, employees can find the right companiion for them, and book support as and when they need it. This could be anything from after-school care for their kids or running necessary errands so that they can spend valuable time with their family.
Oh, and we don't just support working parents. We're here to support every employee and their needs.
With companiions, employees have the flexibility to choose from a wide range of in-person, on-demand services all tailored to their unique needs:
Elderly care
Childcare
Everyday assistance
Mental health care
companiions empowers employees to harmonise their careers with life's demands, while helping companies tackle absenteeism, retention, sickness, and well-being.
We believe that with the right support, every employee can navigate life's complexities and thrive in their chosen paths 🙌
Get in touch to book a call with our team!
