12 proven ways to support working parents and boost employee retention

According to labor statistics, 74% of mothers and 93% of fathers with children under 18 are working parents.

Having to balance work with raising children can be challenging for many employees. Aside from the practicalities of managing time and responsibilities, there are also emotional and financial pressures which working parents face. 48% of parents say that most days their stress is completely overwhelming and 66% of parents report feeling consumed by money worries.

When companies support working parents, outcomes are improved for everyone. Businesses experience higher levels of innovation, better employer branding and increased employee retention and productivity. When working mothers are encouraged to maintain and develop their careers, disposable family income can be increased, which in turn contributes to higher tax revenues and lower benefit spending. Parental working conditions, such as flexible hours and feeling valued, can even enhance their children's development.

HR leaders play a crucial role in creating supportive environments for working parents by implementing policies and initiatives that promote work-life balance and flexibility. By fostering a culture of empathy and inclusivity, HR leaders help to reduce the stress and challenges associated with balancing work and family responsibilities. They also advocate for fair treatment and career development for parents, ensuring that parenthood doesn't become a barrier to professional growth. In this article, we explore how to support working parents effectively with comprehensive policies and family-friendly benefits.

Understand the unique challenges working parents face

Balancing a career and family life comes with a range of unique challenges that can impact not only the well-being of working parents but also their professional growth and company performance.

Emotional, financial, and time pressures

Working parents often juggle multiple roles, from hectic work schedules at work to managing school commitments, household chores, and children's activities. The average employment hours for parents have increased to an average of 33 hours a week, which on top of other responsibilities, results in increased stress, burnout, and a sense of being overwhelmed. It's an invisible burden that disproportionately affects working mothers, who often take on the majority of household and caregiving duties and are eight times more likely than men to look after sick children or manage their schedules.

Outside managing schedules, the cost of raising a child today is higher than ever, with significant expenses in areas like childcare, healthcare, and education. 55% of parents admit going into debt to pay for child-related expenses. On top of that, inflation and rising living costs add to financial pressures, making it challenging for families to save or invest. These strains can lead to heightened anxiety and decreased employee engagement and job satisfaction.

These pressures don't just affect employees; they also impact companies. Stressed and financially strained employees may experience reduced productivity, increased absenteeism, and higher turnover rates.

Career progression concerns

Many working parents, particularly mothers, fear that taking time off for parental leave or working reduced hours will hinder their career advancement. They may worry about being overlooked for promotions, missing out on high-profile projects, or falling behind their peers.

Overall, three in 10 employees say being a parent has made it harder for them to advance at work, with mothers twice as likely as fathers to feel this way. Dubbed the 'motherhood penalty', mothers make 63 cents for every dollar paid to fathers and are more likely than men to scale back or leave work entirely due to parental responsibilities.

For companies, these career concerns translate into lost talent, reduced diversity, and potential gaps in leadership. Organizations that support parents can not only improve employee retention but also benefit from a more dynamic talent pool.

Flexible work policies that benefit working parents

For many working parents, flexible working hours and alternative models of working can make all the difference, affording them the autonomy to balance home life with work responsibilities. Flexible working arrangements can take many formats but allow working parents to be there for school drop offs and parent-teacher conferences without worrying about the harm focusing on their families may be doing to their careers.

Remote work options and hybrid models

Offering remote work or hybrid working opportunities allows working parents to better manage their professional and personal responsibilities, reducing stress and improving work-life balance. For example, this flexibility can help parents save on commuting time and childcare costs, making it easier to attend to family needs.

Further, research indicates that 83% of employees feel they are more productive when working remotely, with 60% of HR directors agreeing. Hybrid working improves job satisfaction and reduces quit rates by a third.

Flexible schedules and compressed workweeks

Flexible work arrangements such as flextime, compressed hours, and annualized hours, where employees are contracted for a set number of working hours every year rather than a weekly or monthly figure, empower working parents to align their work hours with evolving family needs. For example, parents would have the ability to work shorter days during school holidays or have a day off at short notice should their usual child care arrangements fall through.

Many large companies have seen success when adopting flexible work schedules. Kraft Foods, for instance, allows workers to swap shifts, take single-day vacations, and request job-sharing arrangements through their Fast Adapts program with a survey showing improved employee satisfaction.

First Tennessee Bank removed company-wide attendance policies, giving employees and managers in individual branches the autonomy to determine their schedules. In the five years after the policy changes, 60% of employees used some sort of flexibility, the bank saved over $3 million in turnover costs and the bank's customer retention was 9% above the industry average.

Enhanced family leave policies

Family leave policies support working parents by offering parents paid or unpaid leave at different times throughout a child's life. While parental leave is crucial for new parents, it can also make a huge difference to many parents when situations, such as child illness or moving schools, arise.

Paid parental leave for all parents

Comprehensive paid parental leave policies that include both mothers and fathers are essential for fostering an inclusive and supportive work environment. These policies ensure that all parents have the opportunity to bond with their new children without the financial pressure of unpaid leave. Paid parental leave is also linked to positive maternal health, decreased infant mortality and a substantial reduction in the risk of preterm, high risk and C-section deliveries. The impact on the business is also strong:, One study found that paid parental leave translated into a 70% increase in employee productivity and an 80% increase in morale.

Replacing an employee can cost three to four times their annual salary but providing 12 weeks of paid leave can reduce turnover by up to 69%. When family benefits are used as a recruitment tool, paid parental leave is seen as important for attracting top talent by 90% of employers.

Gradual return-to-work programs

31% of mothers found it harder than they expected to return to work. Phased return-to-work programs help parents transition back into their roles after parental leave by allowing them to ease into their previous schedules while potentially still managing postpartum health implications.

A phased return might include part-time hours, reduced workloads, or remote work options during the initial weeks back at work.

Many companies have successfully rolled out return-to-work programs that support employees' career aspirations after becoming parents. For example, Accenture’s 16-week paid returnship offers reentry support and training while Boeing provides a 12-week return flight program that helps parents and caregivers return to their careers after an extended absence.

Access to affordable and high-quality childcare

The cost of childcare is crippling for many working families. Data shows that U.S. couples who both earn an average wage in full-time jobs and have two young children need to spend 20% of their disposable household income on child care. For single parents, this climbs to 37%.

Partnering with local daycare providers or offering on-site childcare

Employer-supported childcare, whether through partnerships with local daycare providers or on-site facilities, offers significant benefits to both employees and companies. It provides parents with reliable, convenient, and high-quality childcare, reducing the stress and time constraints associated with managing childcare commitments.

When businesses provide childcare for employees, research has shown that employee absenteeism reduces by 30% and turnover falls by up to 60%.

For example, Patagonia has offered on-site child care since 1983, resulting in a 100% retention rate of mothers returning from maternity leave. Such support can help attract top talent and foster long-term employee commitment.

Financial assistance or subsidies for childcare expenses

Offering financial assistance for childcare, such as vouchers, stipends, or discounted rates, can make a substantial difference in easing the financial burden on working parents.

Organizations like Bright Horizons and Care.com offer employer-sponsored childcare support that have been shown to increase job satisfaction and loyalty.

Family-focused benefits that address all stages of parenthood

To offer family friendly benefits that are truly inclusive, they need to extend beyond maternity and the short period of time after birth. Instead, they need to encompass the numerous ways to parenthood and different family set-ups by covering preconception and support for family members.

Family planning and fertility benefits

The demand for fertility and family-building benefits is growing, as more employees seek assistance with conception, adoption, or surrogacy. 57% of employees have taken or might take a new job because the role offers better reproductive and family benefits, and 18% say that they either quit their job or drastically change their work responsibilities due to the toll of fertility treatment on their personal life.

Maven Clinic offers comprehensive support for employees, providing access to preconception and fertility specialists, mental health resources, and adoption assistance. 25% of Maven members achieve pregnancy with IVF/IUI and 96% of our Fertility & Family Building members are more loyal to their employer.

Resources for parents of children

Providing support for parents goes beyond the early stages of family life. Ongoing resources for parents, such as access to pediatric care, educational resources, and parental coaching, can make a significant difference.

Maven Clinic, for instance, offers tailored programs that provide support to working parents at every stage with on-demand access to newborn care specialists, behavioral psychologists and special education advocates.

Supporting employees with family resources leads to higher employee engagement and reduced absenteeism, especially when they have the convenience of virtual appointments during office hours.

Mental health support and well-being programs

The mental health of working parents is in decline as a result of time demands, children's health and safety challenges, parental isolation and loneliness, cultural pressures and financial strain. 33% of working parents reported high levels of stress in the last month and over 20 million have struggled with their mental health. This has a negative impact on working parents' lives, both in the office and at home, with 65% reporting burnout.

Counseling

Accessible emotional health support, including counseling services, is crucial for helping working parents manage the stress and challenges of balancing work and family life. Offering confidential counseling can help reduce anxiety, prevent burnout, and improve overall well-being. 33% of Maven members report being better able to manage their depression/anxiety.

Stress management and resilience-building workshops

Additional mental and emotional health support can equip parents with tools to handle everyday challenges more effectively. These programs, which may include mindfulness training, time management strategies, and relaxation techniques, have been shown to reduce stress by up to 28% and enhance increase in focus and productivity by 20% by a Harvard Business Review study.

Build a supportive and inclusive workplace culture

On average, employees spend a third of their lives at work—which is why it is so important that businesses don't just focus on their benefits package. They also need to make sure that they are offering support in the office and making the workplace an inclusive place to be.

Encourage open dialogue around work-life balance

Creating a culture where parents feel safe discussing their work-life balance challenges is vital for fostering inclusivity. Encouraging open dialogue through regular check-ins, anonymous surveys, or dedicated forums can help identify areas where employees need support.

Leadership buy-in is key—when leaders model healthy work-life balance and show empathy toward employees' needs, it sets a positive tone for the entire organization. This transparency builds trust and can significantly boost employee morale and engagement.

Establish Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) for working parents

An Employee Resource Group provides support groups and an established network through which working parents can connect, share experiences, and access mentorship. These groups create a sense of community and offer valuable resources, from workshops on parenting strategies to career development opportunities. 66% of employees feel that ERGS help build a strong community feeling in the workplace while other insights indicate that they improve retention, engagement and overall employee morale.

To set up effective ERGs, companies should ensure diversity within the groups, promote active leadership involvement, and regularly assess their impact.

Employers can create wellness with Maven

Supporting working parents is not just a compassionate choice—it's a strategic business move. Comprehensive family leave policies, flexible work arrangements, access to high-quality childcare, and fertility and family-building benefits not only address the unique challenges faced by working parents but also drive employee satisfaction, retention, and diversity.

By implementing unique benefits that cater to the working parent, prioritizing emotional health, and fostering a culture of inclusivity, companies can unlock higher productivity, reduced turnover, and a more engaged workforce.

For HR leaders, now is the perfect opportunity to reassess their current offerings and adopt innovative initiatives that prioritize the well-being of working parents and their children.

What steps can your organization take to better support your working parents? Employers can start by booking a demo with Maven to see how our innovative platform puts accessible healthcare at the forefront to align the needs of working parents with business goals.