How to Help Employees Balance Work & Parenting

Welcoming a new baby into the world is a remarkable, life-changing event for your employees. However, it also brings a unique set of challenges, especially when it comes to balancing professional duties with the demands of parenthood. 

As an employer, the way you support your staff as they transition back into the world of work can have a huge impact on their wellbeing, job satisfaction, and long-term loyalty to your company. Here’s how you can help team members thrive both in their careers and at home. 

1. Acknowledge the challenges 

Returning to work after having a baby can be daunting, but for most, it’s a necessity in order to keep providing for their families. In the UK, 70% of mothers and 92% of fathers with dependent children are in employment, many of which will face significant challenges, such as: 

• Work-life balance. Juggling work commitments – such as meetings, events, and deadlines – with family responsibilities can be overwhelming. It leaves little time for self-care and indulging in personal projects or hobbies that add to overall happiness. Flexible working arrangements can help with this difficult balancing act.  

• Childcare costs. Returning to work often means having to pay for childcare, and the high costs can put a real financial strain on your employees. In the UK, the average cost is £242 per week for a full-time nursery place. Employers can support staff by offering  onsite childcare services, or the ability to work from home.  

• Parental guilt. Going back to work and pursuing career goals can cause a huge amount of parental guilt. Many people don’t like the thought of spending hours away from their baby, in fear it might impact their emotional wellbeing and development. That’s why an understanding, supportive work environment is crucial to help alleviate some of this pressure. 

• Sleep deprivation. Almost two thirds of parents with babies under a year old, say their baby sleeps for less than four hours at a time, which can have a significant impact on how they function. They could make more mistakes, or feel more emotional and sensitive. Encourage new parents in the workplace to take regular breaks, and offer advanced support if they work in a role where their health and safety could be compromised as a result of drowsiness. 

• Career progression. The number of female managers drops by 32% after having a baby, and 44% are forced into lesser-skilled admin roles. This means many new mothers are on a lower income than they were before, and it can take more than 10 years for their careers to recover. Employers need to ensure they have an inclusive approach when it comes to career development and progression plans.  

• Lack of inclusion and employer support. Research by the Fawcett Society and Totaljobs, found that over a quarter of working mothers’ careers stall after having a baby, compared to 21% of working fathers. You can address this by ensuring new parents aren’t excluded from big projects or networking opportunities, and that they receive the same level of recognition for their work. 

85% of women leave the full-time workforce within 3 years of having their first child, and 19% leave work completely because businesses aren’t offering the flexibility needed.” – Careers After Babies 

2. Implement flexible working arrangements

Flexible working is top of the list when it comes to the support people want from their employers, however only 31% have access to flexible arrangements. From being able to do the nursery drop-offs and pick-ups, to attending emergency doctors appointments, flexible working is a game changer for new parents, but it’s also good for business. Here’s what you need to know. 

• It’s a legal right. In the UK, employees returning from maternity leave have the legal right to request flexible working, as long as they’ve been with the company for at least 26 weeks. Options include reduced hours, compressing the work week, working from home, or staggered hours to fit around childcare needs. As an employer, you can only reject the request if you have a permitted business reason. 

• It has many benefits. Flexible working has many benefits for employers. 

• Increased productivity. New parents can manage their workload more effectively with flexible working, which helps to increase productivity. 

• Reduced absenteeism. If new parents can work from home or work different hours, they’re less likely to take time off. Whether that’s for their own health, or the health of the baby. They can also freely attend doctors appointments without the stress of running late or being reprimanded, which helps with overall job satisfaction.  

• Improved retention. Offering flexibility as a benefit helps to retain (and attract) talent, which is especially important for employers given the cost of recruitment.  

• Better job satisfaction. Having more freedom and authority over balancing work and home life can boost morale, and cultivate a happier workforce. This in turn helps with productivity levels and the quality of work produced. 

• Lower costs. Companies who offer flexible working and working from home can lower their overheads as they don’t need as much office space. 

• How employees can make a request. Make sure your employees are aware of the process of making a flexible working request. They should start with an informal discussion with their line manager to let them know they’ll be making a statutory flexible working request. Their formal request needs to be in writing, including the date, a clear statement that it’s a statutory request, the type of flexibility they want and the changes to their working pattern, their desired start date for the changes, and whether they’ve made a similar request before. They should also clearly explain that they’re making the request due to childcare responsibilities.  
• Negotiate and be fair. Depending on the nature of the business and the employee’s role, sometimes the initial flexible working request isn’t always feasible. However, you should remain open minded and try to come to a middle ground that benefits both parties. By showing willingness to discuss and accommodate their needs, you can help build loyalty, trust, and mutual respect. 

“38% of women state they feel uncomfortable approaching their line manager about flexible working.”  

3. Create a supportive environment 

Make sure your employees feel understood, valued, and supported as they transition back to work after having a baby.  

• Create a personalised approach. Ask new parents how they’d like to be reintroduced to the workplace in a way that feels safe for them and at their own pace.  

• Establish peer support groups. Having a parent group within the business can allow employees to connect with people who know what they’re going through. They can share experiences, offer guidance, and advocate for parental support within the business. 

• Encourage breaks. New parents face significant sleep challenges, especially in the first year. Encourage them to take breaks so they can return to their job feeling more invigorated and ready to work. Stepping away from the desk or popping outside for fresh air can mitigate the risk of mistakes and prevent burnout. 

• Have an open door policy. From asking about flexible working, to talking about the challenges they’re facing at work as a new parent, it’s important employees feel they can discuss their needs with managers. You can do this by creating an open, welcoming culture where employees feel seen and heard. Schedule regular catch ups with new mums and dads to check in and see how they’re doing. It doesn’t need to be formal – just a casual chat over a cup of tea demonstrates you’re an employer that cares. 

• Be inclusive. Research shows 41% of mothers felt isolated or disconnected from their colleagues after returning to work from parental leave. Make sure new parents are kept in the loop while they’re off through Keeping In Touch (KIT) days, email updates, or virtual calls, and get them up to speed with new projects in the weeks leading up to their return. Also, ensure new parents aren’t excluded from meetings, events, or even after-work socials. It’s important they feel a sense of belonging, and that their presence in the team is valued.   

• Be sensitive. Employers should be sensitive when it comes to fertility issues, miscarriage, and baby loss. This includes having an empathetic policy for bereavement leave, being mindful around questions related to having children, and offering flexibility as employees try to navigate their difficult journeys. 

4. Promote mental health & wellbeing 

With around 1 in 5 women developing mental health issues during pregnancy or within the first year of their baby being born, mental wellbeing should be a top priority for employers. 

• Implement a mental health policy. This will outline what your company’s approach is to employee mental health, the support you’ll provide, and how employees can access it. This policy should be more than just a document though – it should undermine how you operate as a business, and the values should be lived and breathed by your employees. 

• Offer mental health resources. Along with access to information and guidance, you can also provide advanced mental health support, such as counselling services, mental health first aiders, and allowing employees to take mental health days. 

• Encourage self-care. New mums and dads can often forget to take care of themselves, but they need to stay happy and healthy to thrive both at home and work. Gym membership discounts, free yoga sessions, and subscriptions to wellness apps are amazing perks to offer. You could also promote healthy habits by having meetings outside, providing healthy snacks, and encouraging everyone to take 15 minutes out of each day to practise mindfulness.  

Provide manager training. Equip your managers with the knowledge they need to recognise the signs of poor mental health, have better conversations with their team, and offer effective support. 

“Two-thirds of women don’t feel comfortable talking about their mental health in the workplace” – Deloitte 

Find out about Anya’s parenting support

5. Encourage boundary setting 

Clear boundaries are essential to achieve a healthy balance between work and family time. You don’t want work to overshadow your employee’s parenting responsibilities, but at the same time, you want to ensure they’re performing to a high standard and have the same opportunities as other colleagues.   

• Unplug from work. Encourage employees to finish work on time, and lead by example by not answering emails or calls outside of work hours. Scheduling breaks in the work calendar is also a good way to establish healthy boundaries in your team.  

• Offer alternative work spaces. While working from home is a godsend for parents, there might be times when they need a quiet space to get their head down. By offering access to shared workspaces, or the option to work from anywhere such as cafes, they can separate work from home life.  

• Respect boundaries. It can be difficult for employees to say no to managers if they’re asked to stay late, or work a different shift, but for new parents, these requests can be incredibly disruptive to their already hectic schedule. By respecting your employees’ boundaries, you help to protect their time and energy. This can have a positive impact on productivity and overall job satisfaction. 

6. Offer support during sickness and school holidays 

Babies and children are susceptible to catching all kinds of bugs, causing them to fall sick unexpectedly. This, along with multiple school holidays throughout the year, can disrupt your employees’ routines. By helping your employees navigate these events, you demonstrate empathy and understanding. When employees feel supported, they’re more likely to be motivated and engaged with their employer. 

• Be sympathetic. Having to concentrate at work while dealing with a sick child can be emotionally taxing. Be aware and understanding of the fact your employee might need to take urgent phone calls, or they might take several small breaks instead of one long lunch break.  

• Offer flexible working. Being able to work from home without any prior planning would enable employees to accommodate unexpected illness without reaching out for additional support. You could also discuss flexible start and finishing times so they can manage childcare arrangements without the added stress of running late. Remote working would also enable your staff to be at home during the school holidays, which not only saves them money in childcare, but it means their kids get to see more of mum and dad. 

• Support financially. Employers can offer  subsidiaries to help cover the cost of holiday clubs and activities. Partnering with local childcare providers and sports clubs to offer discounts could also be a good way to support parents while boosting your business’ profile. 

• Host family-friendly events and workshops. This is not only great for bonding and employee morale, but it takes the pressure off arranging childcare on given days. Holding virtual workshops for little ones also means parents can work while their child is occupied for a few hours.  

7. Help manage workloads 

Employees who are trying to strike the perfect balance of raising a baby while pursuing career goals may need help managing their workload. You can help by ensuring the right systems and strategies are in place and are actively encouraged. 

• Prioritisation. Reduce the risk of employees getting overwhelmed by encouraging them to only focus on high priority tasks. Line managers should ensure they’re not being invited to unnecessary meetings, and that jobs are labelled as either ‘urgent’, ‘important’, or ‘nice-to-have’. You want your team members to be in a position where they’re concentrating on the things that matter so that they can do the best job possible.  

• Planning. The last thing anybody wants is a last-minute task landing on their desk, but this can be extremely stressful for new parents. Frequent planning meetings are vital to ensure everyone knows what projects are on the horizon, and what tasks are due. It also allows managers to review workloads and ensure employees are working to a healthy capacity – which should never be 100%!  

• Delegation. Empower employees to delegate less important or smaller tasks to their colleagues who have capacity. This can only happen if you create a collaborative environment where everyone is working towards the same goal, and the act of delegation isn’t abused. 

8. Promote resources and benefits 

Many new parents might not be aware what help is available to them, so ensure they have all the information they need as they prepare to juggle work with raising a baby.  

• Government funded aid. There are a few financial support options available in the UK, such as child benefit, universal credit, working tax credit, free school meals, and Healthy Start vouchers.  

• Childcare options. The UK offers tax-free childcare schemes and vouchers to help cover the costs of nursery. 

Promote company benefits. Make sure employees are aware of what company benefits they can access before, during, and after having a child. This includes maternity and paternity pay, flexible working policies, wellbeing perks, support solutions, and any health cash plans or insurance.  

9. Offer a digital parenting support solution 

Anya is a health tech app that provides round-the-clock employee support, helping people navigate some of life’s most challenging times. From breastfeeding tools to expert parenting guidance, your team members can access specialist support at their fingertips. Check out how Anya could help your business support employees returning to work after having a baby.