Working parents are looking for help beyond flexible work arrangements, study finds

Although most parents welcome remote and hybrid work arrangements, many also are experiencing the tradeoffs – and they are looking to their employers for support.

Nearly 6 in 10 said increased flexibility in their schedules is a source of fulfillment and relief, according to the ninth annual Modern Family Index survey from Bright Horizons. However, these benefits often come at a cost. They often feel isolated, talking only to people in their household, and some go days without leaving their house.

“The Modern Family Index research confirms that many working parents are struggling personally and professionally,” said Stephen Kramer, CEO of Bright Horizons. “While they have embraced a more flexible work environment, it has come with unintended consequences that are impacting their mental health and their ability to manage life’s responsibilities.”

Gen Z and Millennial parents are the most profoundly affected by the challenges of being a working parent in the hybrid and remote era. Although they are more likely to appreciate the autonomy and freedom of remote and hybrid work, they simultaneously experience more of the drawbacks.

One-third believe the arrangement negatively affects their careers when they choose to work from home. Forty-two percent of those working remotely or in a hybrid environment hesitate to bring up any complaints related to working from home, because they fear speaking about it could result in a return to working in person.

A lasting takeaway from the lockdown is that working from home does not negate the need for child care. Extreme child care shortages have left 40% of parents saying they don’t have access to the child care they need, with 41% citing cost as a barrier. And it’s leaving a mark, especially because half of these parents agree their productivity at work suffers when they are stressed about child care, and more than three-fourths say that having child care support is important to how productively they work.

Working parents are turning to their employers for support. Nearly half wish their employers would do more to help, including offering to help pay for child care (43%). Other specific requests include:

• More than one-third want their employer to provide emergency child care benefits.
• Nearly 1 in 3 want their employer to offer on-site child care.
• Thirty percent want their employer to offer flexible savings accounts for childcare expenses.

Related: Disappearing benefits: subsidized child care, financial wellness, tuition assistance

“The moment is now for employers to step in to fill these voids,” Kramer said. “This includes clearly defined benefit programs, mental and professional support services and access to quality child and adult care. Giving this kind of assistance to working parents allows them to be more productive and bring more of themselves to work each day.”