How to Support Working Parents

The school holidays are nearly here and if you are anything like me, you are both excited for it, and dreading it 🫣 Not because we don't want to spend time with our children. But because we can't take the whole 6 weeks off work, summer clubs are bloody expensive and the kids will be bored by 12pm on their first day off 😫 If you are a line manager, this is where you can really help. The school holidays are about to test every working parent on your team but you can make those six weeks so much easier, and it takes intention more than budget. Here are six things any manager can do. 1️⃣ Start the conversation early. Do not wait to be asked. Check in about what the next six weeks look like and where someone might need cover. 2️⃣ Be flexible on when and where. Let people shift hours, work from home, or split the day around childcare. For most roles, what matters is the work, not the desk. 3️⃣ Judge output, not presence. With kids around, nobody needs their hours counted. Focus on what gets delivered, and trust people to deliver it. 4️⃣ Make sure flexing costs them nothing. It should never count against a review, a project or a reputation. 5️⃣ Make sure parents know their rights. Many do not know unpaid parental leave exists, up to 18 weeks per child, usable in the holidays. Point them to it, to the right to request flexible working, and to any enhanced policies you offer. 6️⃣ Model it, and be human. Take your own leave openly, practise Parenting Out Loud and be relaxed when a child appears on a call. When the manager makes it normal, the team believes it. Six weeks is a long time when you are juggling work and childcare. A manager who plans ahead and flexes makes all the difference. #TheJuggleIsReal #ParentingOutLoud #FlexibleWorking #WorkingParents

The parents who go quiet at work aren't disengaged. They're exhausted. There's a difference between a parent who doesn't care and one who has run out of capacity to keep proving they do. Most workplaces can't tell the two apart. After 25 years working with organisations on this, here are 10 things I actually look for when a workplace truly supports parents: 1. Parents talk about their kids without lowering their voice ↳ Psychological safety starts with the small moments. 2. Flexible working is trusted, not monitored ↳ Scrutiny tells parents exactly where they stand. 3. A returning parent gets a plan, not just a desk ↳ The first week back sets the tone for years. 4. Part-time doesn't mean invisible ↳ Reduced hours shouldn't mean reduced belonging. 5. Someone senior leaves for the school play and says so ↳ Culture travels from the top. Permission follows visibility. 6. The EAP isn't the only answer to a struggling parent ↳ Resources without relationship don't reach people in time. 7. Managers know the difference between asking and listening ↳ One is a meeting. The other is the reason people stay. 8. Parental leave returners still get progression conversations ↳ Ambition doesn't pause. The assumption that it does is the problem. 9. The wellbeing offer reaches fathers too ↳ Paternal stigma is still the most underaddressed gap I see. 10. Parents helped design the policies that affect them ↳ A room without lived experience writes the wrong policy every time. Save this if you lead a team, work in HR or DEI, or you're a working parent and want to know what good actually looks like. If you are a parent, what made the biggest difference to you? Would love to hear from dads. ♻️ Repost this so no one confuses policy with culture. 🔔 Follow Rachel Vecht for more on raising children, educating children, and making work work for parents.

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗜 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝘁 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 (not just says it does) Most companies claim to support working mothers. Then they schedule mandatory meetings at 6 PM. Reward those who respond to Slack at 10 PM. Quietly pass over mothers for promotions because they're "not as available." At Supersourcing, we designed our operations differently. Not as a perk. As infrastructure. Because I'm a working mother. I know exactly where traditional companies fail. And I refused to replicate that here. 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲:   - 𝗡𝗼 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝟱 𝗣𝗠. 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿. Because evenings are for family, rest, and life. If something needs discussion, we plan it during working hours. - 𝗙𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗳𝗶𝘅𝗲𝗱 𝟵 𝘁𝗼 𝟲. We only need overlap for collaboration. Outside that, you should be able to work around school pickups, appointments, and your own routine. - 𝗢𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱. We do not reward “who stayed online the longest.” We reward who delivered, who solved problems, and who moved work forward. - 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀. If someone says, “I have my kid’s school event,” it is not seen as an excuse. It is treated like any other important commitment. - 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗳𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗸𝗶𝗱𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗶𝗰𝗸. Kids fall sick without warning. So we adjust. No guilt. No pressure. You take care of home, and we plan work accordingly. - 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝘂𝘀𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲. Not “policy for documents.” Real leave that people feel safe to take, without fear that they will be sidelined later. - 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗰𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗮. We do not promote based on who is always online. We promote based on skills, ownership, outcomes, and how you help the team grow. It's not "women get special treatment." It's designing work that respects full humanity for everyone. It's not a favor. It's how sustainable companies operate. You can't claim to support working mothers while designing operations that punish them for parenting. Support isn't a policy. It's operational design. 💙 #WorkingMothers #CompanyCulture #BuildingWhileBeing #Leadership #Supersourcing #WorkLifeIntegration

𝗗𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝘁 𝟵 𝗔𝗠? (𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗪𝗲 𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁-𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗹𝘆 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲𝘀) Imagine starting your day with a toddler tantrum (or worse, a feverish child), juggling school drop-offs, and then rushing to work—only to banish all these thoughts so you can give 100% to your job. When someone becomes a parent, it’s not that they have less commitment to work; they simply have more responsibilities. If companies fail to support working parents, they risk losing valuable talent. 𝗦𝗼, 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝘂𝗽? ➡️ 𝗙𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗹𝗲𝘀: Not everyone needs to go fully remote, but the option to work from home during a child’s illness or exams can be a game-changer. ➡️ 𝗢𝗻-𝗦𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲: While it may be expensive, a basic crèche for young children drastically reduces emergency leaves and fosters loyalty. ➡️ 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗿𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲: A small break room for nursing mothers (with a comfy chair and fridge) goes a long way. No mother wants to pump breast milk in a washroom! ➡️ 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿𝘀: A manager’s attitude can make or break a parent’s day. Encourage flexibility and understanding—parent-employees will feel valued. Some startups shy away from hiring parents, claiming they need “100% commitment.” But in reality, parents (especially mothers!) are incredibly efficient. I once read: ❝𝗔 𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗮 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸’𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗶𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗱𝗮𝘆𝘀, 𝘀𝗼 𝘀𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗳𝘁𝗵 𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗸𝗶𝗱𝘀.❞ Having mom friends, I can say: it’s absolutely true. Now, it’s over to you: → If you’re a parent, have you ever wished for more empathy or support at work? → And if you’re a manager, do you go the extra mile to accommodate parent-employees? #worklifebalance #careergrowth #parentfriendlyworkplace

Last week I shared some thoughts about the reality of working through the school holidays and how it is all a bit shit. Even with teenagers, and even with a fair bit of flexibility, it’s still a juggle. And the response to the post really struck me. So many people shared similar stories of the stress, the logistics, and the sense of just trying to hold it all together. And no surprises, it was very heavily weighted to the female caregivers dealing with the majority of the crap. So I thought rather than just venting, I’d share some thoughts on how organisations might be able to reduce some of the stress: 1. Embrace genuine flexibility, not just flexible hours Let parents shift workloads across the fortnight, reduce non-essential meetings, or take blocks of time off without guilt. According to McKinsey, working parents are 70% more likely to stay with an employer that supports flexible work models during peak caregiving times. 2. Plan for holiday pressure in your resourcing models: School breaks aren’t a surprise. Treat them like other known capacity dips, stagger leave, adjust deadlines, or temporarily scale back expectations. Research from the UK’s Working Families charity shows that proactive workload planning is a key enabler of retention for working parents. 3. Normalise taking annual leave and actively promote this: When leaders model taking mid-year breaks to be with their families, it gives others permission too. Otherwise, we end up with ‘leave shaming” and burnout. 4. Consider offering school holiday programmes or subsidies It’s not easily achievable for every company, but consider offering school holiday care, on-site or subsidised. This can be a game-changer - especially for solo parents or those without family support nearby. 5. Just ask Not all support needs to be policy. Sometimes it’s as simple as checking in and saying: “What would help you get through these next two weeks?” This stuff matters. Not just for retention and performance, but for making work fit around life and not the other way around. I don’t think these suggestions will fix what is ultimately a broken system, but hoping someone might find a little inspiration to make life a little easier! Would love to hear any other ideas?

If you're serious about retaining and growing your working parent talent, childcare benefits aren't a nice-to-have; they're a strategic imperative. The reality for millions of employees right now is that the lack of affordable, reliable childcare is a massive barrier to productivity, career progression, and even simply showing up to work consistently. When parents, particularly mothers, struggle with childcare, it directly impacts their mental bandwidth, creates immense stress, and often forces them to step back from their careers or leave the workforce entirely. This means companies are losing experienced, valuable talent – and incurring significant replacement costs – not because of performance, but due to external life demands. By offering robust childcare support – whether it's on-site facilities, subsidies, stipends, or even robust dependent care FSAs – organizations are making a direct investment in their workforce. It signals an empathetic, human-centric culture that understands and supports the whole employee. This isn't just about retention; it's about enabling career growth, fostering greater diversity, and ultimately, ensuring your best talent can thrive without constantly battling an impossible work-life equation. Prioritize childcare, and watch your working parent talent flourish. #ChildcareBenefits #WorkingParents #EmployeeRetention #TalentStrategy #HRLeadership #FutureOfWork

No one talks about how lonely it is to come back from maternity leave. You leave to have a baby. You come back to 1,492 Slack messages and a calendar invite like nothing happened. No re-onboarding. No roadmap. Just you, quietly catching up in the dark while trying to remember how to human. We have onboarding for new hires. Offboarding for exits. Even training for contractors. But for parents returning from birth? Silence. Let’s fix it. Here’s what every company should offer for parents returning from leave: 👋 Reboarding Week 1: • 1:1 with manager to go over what changed • Updated org chart & project priorities • A "Return Roadmap" PDF so they’re not guessing • Re-intro post to the team (yes, like a new hire) 🧠 Emotional & Logistical Support: • Option to ease in: 3-day ramp week • Set up a “parent buddy” for weekly check-ins • Slack channel for working parents • Access to therapy or coaching if possible 🗓️ Workload Reset: • Clean calendar before return, don’t backload meetings • Give space to observe before jumping into strategy • Make re-entry goals collaborative, not performative 💡 Manager Training: Because most of them have no idea how to support a parent returning to work. Let’s fix that too. This isn’t coddling. This is retention strategy. This is how you keep high performers. This is how you show up for real when it matters. HR folks, People teams, CEOs: STEAL THIS PLAN. Better yet, implement it and tell LinkedIn you did. Working parents deserve more than a “Welcome back!” They deserve a re-launch. #WorkingParents #MaternityLeave #Onboarding #Reboarding #PeopleFirst #ParenthoodAtWork #caffeinencareers

What working parents really want for the holidays isn’t another gift. It’s not even another celebration. It’s support that actually makes their lives easier. Every December, organizations genuinely want to do something meaningful for working parents. And that care matters. But when support turns into more- more events, more programming, more “optional” things layered onto already full calendars- it can miss the mark. So when I ask working parents what would actually help right now, the answers are remarkably consistent. What your working parents really want for the holidays: • Flexibility with trust attached Not flexibility they have to justify. Not flexibility that quietly costs them credibility. Just trust. • Fewer friction points, not more events Less adding. More unburdening. Fewer meetings, clearer priorities, realistic timelines. • Managers who know how to support parents through transitions Parental leave. Return-to-office shifts. Caregiving seasons that don’t fit neatly into policies. • To be seen as high-value contributors Not as accommodation needs. Not as retention risks. But as leaders with depth, perspective, and long-term potential. • Connection with peers who actually get it This one often surprises organizations the most. In my work with companies, and in the broader research on working parents consistently say they don’t need more content, they need more community. (This is something Emily Klingbeil and I are seeing clearly in our research at Phoebe, too — that connection and facilitated groups, not just policy, are the differentiator.) Structured peer support reduces isolation, burnout, and attrition. And it changes how people show up at work. Supporting working parents in December isn’t about making work feel more festive. It’s about making it feel more humane. Because the best holiday “gift” isn’t something your employees take home. It’s support they can actually feel long after the decorations come down. What would meaningful support look like for the working parents on your team right now?

The National Vital Statics Report on U.S. birth trends has been released. This year has shown a decrease in overall birth rates, with significant patterns in age-specific fertility and prenatal care dynamics. Such insights not only shed light on public health strategies but also provide a crucial lens through which employers can enhance workplace policies. Key findings: -A decline in the general fertility rate and specific decreases across different age groups. -A notable reduction in early prenatal care and smoking during pregnancy. -Changes in delivery methods, including a slight increase in cesarean rates. -Stability in Medicaid as a primary source for delivery payments, indicating the ongoing importance of supportive healthcare policies. Employers play a pivotal role in supporting the workforce, especially expectant and new parents. Here are 10 strategic solutions that can be implemented to foster a supportive work environment: 1- Flexible Working Hours: Adapt work schedules to accommodate prenatal appointments and postpartum needs. 2- Remote Work Options: Provide options for telecommuting to help manage pregnancy-related fatigue and doctor's visits. 3- Extended Parental Leave: Offer more generous leave policies to support parental bonding and childcare. 4- Fertility Benefits: Enhance healthcare coverage to fertility care. 5- Onsite Childcare: Establish or subsidize childcare facilities at or near the workplace to ease the burden on working parents or increased daycare funds. 6- Employee Assistance Programs: Offer programs that provide counseling and support for prenatal and postnatal care. 7- Education and Training: Conduct workshops on family planning, prenatal health, and parenting to educate employees. 8- Support for Breastfeeding Mothers: Provide private, comfortable spaces for breastfeeding and allow breaks as needed. 9-Return-to-Work Programs: Create phased return-to-work options for new parents to ease the transition while maintaining career trajectories. 10- Wellness Programs: Implement programs focused on maternal health and stress management to support overall well-being. As we move forward, understanding and adapting to the evolving demographic trends will be key in crafting effective corporate policies that align with the needs of a diverse workforce. What is your organization doing to support families? List it in the comments ⬇️ #employeebenefits #parentalsupport

7 Ways Companies Can Support Working Parents (That Don’t Cost A Dime) 40% of the workforce is made up of parents. But companies often create cultures that limit the output of those employees. Here are 7 zero-cost ways companies can support working parents (and reap the rewards of higher productivity and better results): 1. Focus On Outcomes Over Hours Parents don’t have unlimited time, but they do know how to get things done. ✅ Action: Set goals based on output, not hours worked. Let parents prove their impact with results, not face time. 2. Set Real Work-Life Boundaries If employees are always "on," they’ll eventually burn out. ✅ Action: Normalize no messages or emails before 9am or after 5pm. 3. Introduce No Meeting Days It’s hard to get deep work done between back-to-back Zooms. ✅ Action: Designate one day per week with no meetings so parents can focus or catch up after a long night / weekend. 4. Be Aware Of Schedules Parents are often balancing multiple schedules. Pick up, drop off, sports practice, etc. ✅ Action: Ask your team to share their schedules and let colleagues know which times they'll be offline. 5. Celebrate Personal Wins There’s more to life than work. People feel appreciated when you take time to understand what's happening in their personal lives. ✅ Action: Shout out graduations, sports wins, recitals, and other family milestones in team meetings and Slack channels. 6. Respect PTO “Just a quick ping” can wait. ✅ Action: When someone’s on vacation, don’t contact them. No emails. No meeting invites. Let them unplug. 7. Lead By Example Company culture is shaped by what leaders do, not what they say. ✅ Action: Make sure execs follow these practices themselves, visibly and consistently, while encouraging employee to do the same. What did I miss? Drop your tip for supporting working parents below👇 —— ♻️ Repost to help other job seekers ➕ Follow Austin Belcak for more 🔵 Ready to land your dream job? Click here to learn more about how we help people land amazing jobs in ~3.5 months with a $44k raise: https://lnkd.in/gdysHr-r