Supporting working parents: 3 practical steps employers can take

Key takeaways:

• 80% of those facing high stress levels reported difficulty concentrating at work[1].
• Open conversations and tailored support can help employers better understand and respond to the needs of working parents throughout the year.
• Creating a family-friendly culture could be beneficial for both employees and the business.

Whether it’s the daily school run, after-school clubs, childcare arrangements or household chores, supporting working parents means recognising that juggling family responsibilities alongside work isn't always easy.

According to research, over a quarter (29%) of working parents are experiencing very high levels of stress[1]. The same report found that 80% of those facing high stress levels reported difficulty concentrating on work[1].

A growing number of parents are also having to grapple with deteriorating mental health in their children.

In fact, recent polling from Vitality found that 27% of children have missed school in the past year due to anxiety, stress, low mood or feelings of overwhelm [2]; parents of under 18s say they now worry about their children’s mental health at least twice a week on average[2].

Why working parents need support

For Luke McClaran, Group Chief People Officer at Vitality, the challenges facing working parents can all too often show up in the workplace, making it an issue employers must be mindful of. “If someone who you are responsible for is struggling, then as a parent you might struggle too,” he says.

“This could have an impact on how you show up at work, how resilient you feel and how able you are to respond to challenges,” he adds.

Resources to support children and young people’s mental health

As the schools head back, it can be a challenging time for children and young people’s mental health. To help support parents and caregivers, Vitality has created two guides in collaboration with Mindler:

• Building positive routines: support your child’s wellbeing with routines that encourage structure, confidence, and healthy habits
• Core emotions: helping young people understand their emotions can help build confidence and resilience

The business benefits of supporting working parents

According to the Office for National Statistics, in April to June 2021 75.6% of mothers with dependent children, and 92.1% of fathers with dependent children, were in work in the UK[3].

For employers, there is a real opportunity to support this cohort of the workforce to help them navigate some of the challenges they are facing.

Data from Vitality’s Britain’s Healthiest Workplace Report found that, in 2023, the average UK employee lost the equivalent of 49.7 days of productive time – due to absenteeism and presenteeism[4].

Therefore, offering support to employees to help ease the burden of the challenges they’re facing can only be a good thing, not just for working parents, but for the business too.

How can employers support working parents in the workplace?

From open conversations to flexibility arrangements and signposting the benefits available, we share three ways that employers can support working parents below.

1. Start with conversations

No two families are the same so it’s important to remember that the same solution might not work for everyone.

Some working parents may need more permanent flexible working arrangements while others might need temporary support during the school holidays, exam periods or certain challenging family situations.

"If someone who you are responsible for is struggling then as a parent you might struggle too"

Luke McClaran, Group Chief People Officer, Vitality

For Luke, it’s important to understand the challenges employees are faced with, and this starts with clear communication and a culture that enables colleagues to feel comfortable speaking up.

“The starting point is to have a conversation with employees to understand their individual needs,” he explains.

Ensuring that line managers are trained and have the right tools, knowledge, and skills to support their direct reports is a crucial part of this.

“It’s important your employees know that you are there for them, and that they can speak up and ask for help,” Luke adds.

When an employee feels able to raise and discuss challenges early on, employers may be better placed to identify solutions that can help before issues start to escalate.

2. Offer flexibility for parents where possible

Encouraging open conversations is one thing but offering flexible working and/or hybrid working arrangements where possible could also support working parents to balance personal and professional responsibilities.

“Flexibility doesn’t mean the same thing to everyone,” Luke explains, adding that it’s “important for managers to be able to have open conversations with their direct reports to help understand the challenges they are facing.”

Hybrid or remote working might not work for every role or family situation but, for some, it could give employees time back in their day by reducing the commute and making it easier to manage school pick-ups and childcare.

In fact, research has found that 89% of working parents said that access to flexible working has or would have a positive effect on their wellbeing[5].

“Promoting short-term changes to working hours, for example during the school holidays, can help to provide a bit more flexibility and ease the burden a bit,” Luke adds.

3. Signpost available support

Employee assistance programmes, enhanced leave policies and health and wellbeing benefits and resources can also help to support working parents, as well as other employee cohorts within the business.

However, offering support is just one part of the puzzle; it’s crucial for employers to regularly communicate benefits, using internal hubs, email updates and intranets to help spread the word.

With Vitality’s Britain’s Healthiest Workplace report finding that, on average, employees are aware of 70% of the interventions but use 25% of the interventions offered to them[4], it’s crucial for employers to remind workforces of what’s available to them.

With Vitality, members have options to access Headspace, Wysa and Talking Therapies with our partners, as well as the dedicated children’s mental health pathway – for children and teens aged five up to 18 included on the plan.

Through the Vitality Programme, members can also get access to rewards and discounts when they get active – which can help with the cost of family days out during the holidays or over the weekend.

Whether it’s cinema tickets, trips to PizzaExpress or money off Merlin Attractions, there are a range of rewards to choose from.

How does supporting working parents benefit employers?

When working parents go to the office or sit down at their desks, they’re unlikely to leave their personal responsibilities and worries at the door. Employers are uniquely placed to offer support that enables them to thrive at work.

Whether it’s encouraging open conversations, exploring flexible and hybrid working arrangements or offering health and wellbeing benefits, organisations can strive to create workplaces that support working parents and also help employees to navigate the challenges they're facing too.

At the same time, caring responsibilities, personal circumstances and responsibilities can take many forms so these principles can also be useful in supporting employees across the wider workforce.

[1] Modern Families Index UK Report 2025, Bright Horizons, 2025

[2] Research was conducted for Vitality by Opinium among 2,000 UK adults in April 2026

[3] Families and the labour market, UK: 2021, Office for National Statistics, Gov.uk, July 2022

[4] 10 years of Britain’s Healthiest Workplace: the changing face of the UK at work, Vitality, 2025

[5] Mental health growing concern for working parents, says poll, Bright Horizons