Working parents have a lot on their minds between balancing work and family life. They often face the difficult choice between wanting to take on more at work and the disappointment at home when their job takes priority over family events. According to a new study by Bright Horizons, since they are fearful of career-impacting repercussions, they believe they still can’t be transparent about family responsibilities.
The report reveals that over half of working parents admit that they have needed to sneak out of work to take care of family commitments because they couldn’t be honest with their colleagues.
“We think as a society we are progressing in the workplace, but the data from the Modern Family Index tells a different story. It is clear that more progress is needed. Employers need to support working parents and create work environments in which all employees feel comfortable being honest and transparent about their family obligations,” says Bright Horizons Chief Human Resources Officer, Maribeth Bearfield. “There are some easy strategies employers can adopt to help alleviate stress, mental load, and burnout and improve workplace culture. Especially in a tight talent market, employers need to be doing as much as they can to attract and retain working parents.”
The study shows that employee burnout is at an all-time high. Employers may pay the price without a supportive work atmosphere that enables everyone to be successful in the workforce. According to the survey, employees will walk out the door if things don’t improve or they will risk facing burnout.
Bearfield said, “The collective impact of being stretched thin at work while facing continued disappointment at home is forcing parents to leave their jobs in search of workplaces that are more in tune with modern priorities. It is time for all employers to focus attention on the needs of their workforce or risk being left behind in the war for talent.”
—Jennifer Swartvagher
Featured photo: Photo by Ant Rozetsky on Unsplash
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