Working a full-time job with young kids is a challenging task. It’s also a tiring balancing act. You don’t fully understand the challenges and complexities of being a working parent until you are one. This is why many parents seek out employers who fully support working parents.
There are over 1.5 million couple families and one-parent families with children younger than 6 who work while raising kids. And there are even more working parents with older children. This makes up a big part of the workforce. However, the US Surgeon General says employers aren’t doing enough to support working parents. This is leading to potential mental and physical health issues.
As experts in executive search in Toronto, we’ve seen a spike in candidates (who are parents) seeking out employers who offer greater work-life balance. Below, we’ll look at the US Surgeon General’s findings and list 9 things employers can do to better support working parents.
US Surgeon General Report Findings
The U.S. Surgeon General recently issued a public health advisory about modern stresses on parents’ mental health.
The report found, “Over the past decade, parents have been consistently more likely to report experiencing high levels of stress compared to other adults. In 2023, 33% of parents reported high levels of stress in the past month compared to 20% of other adults.”
“…several studies in recent years have noted some new pressures. For example, there are more women working full-time, but women still consistently take on a larger share of unpaid household work, including chores and child care, finds Natalie Stechyson from CBC News.”
“At the same time, parents are spending more time with their children each day than previous generations, according to Pew Research,” she adds.
Parents feel stressed from many sources:
- Financial strain
- Social media and cultural pressure
- Time demands
- Children’s health and safety
These stresses can not only affect a parent’s performance at work and home, it can also increase the risk of mental health conditions.
“Parental mental health conditions can have far-reaching and profound implications for children, families as a whole, and for society, including increased health care costs and reduced economic productivity,” the Parents Under Pressure report finds.
What can employers do to better support working parents?
Supporting working parents is essential for fostering a productive and inclusive workplace. Employers can implement various policies and practices to help working parents balance their professional responsibilities with their family obligations.
The Surgeon General offers three key things employers can do to support parents:
- Expand policies and programs that support the well-being of parents and caregivers in the workplace
- Implement training for managers on stress management and work-life harmony
- Provide access to comprehensive and affordable high-quality mental health care
9 Additional ways employers can support working parents
Other things that employers could offer include:
- Flexible Work Arrangements
- Paid Parental Leave
- On-site or Subsidized Childcare
- Paid Family and Sick Leave
- Financial Assistance and Benefits
- Mental Health and Wellness Programs
- Family-Friendly Policies and Events
- Career Development for Parents
- Support for Parents of Children with Special Needs
Employers can support working parents through a combination of flexible work arrangements, generous leave policies, financial assistance, a supportive culture, and mental health and wellness programs. By prioritizing these factors, companies can help working parents balance their responsibilities and thrive both professionally and personally.
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