The school routine is in full swing again and chances are parents in your organization are already feeling overwhelmed. The American Psychological Association recently released some shocking statistics:
- 48% of parents say their stress is completely overwhelming most days;
- 60% say stress makes it hard for them to focus; and
- 62% say no one understands how stressed out they are.
The stressors of modern-day parenting prompted the U.S. Surgeon General to issue a formal advisory and call for “a fundamental shift in how we value and prioritize the mental health and well-being of parents.”
What’s so different about parenting now?
Parents are navigating a complex web of responsibilities and trends that have intensified in the past ten years:
- Social media and screen time. Grappling with social media’s influence on teen mental health (particularly girls) and limiting screen use requires extra time and energy.
- The childcare crisis. It’s estimated that 50% of Americans live in a childcare desert. Child care prices have grown by 26% in the last decade, averaging $1,000 per month.
- A youth mental health crisis. The Surgeon General has written extensively about this, citing a sharp increase in depression, anxiety and suicidal ideation among the nation’s youth.
- New health and safety concerns. From school violence to climate change to the rise in certain childhood diseases—there is a lot for parents to be worried about.
- Vanishing community and family support networks. The fragmenting of society and rise in loneliness have made the tough job of parenting even more isolating.
- Increased caregiving for aging parents and ‘boomerang’ kids. Parents nowadays are often managing their own parents’ care while still caring for young children. Older children are living at home longer, too.
And there are lingering effects of the pandemic on children’s learning, social skills, and mental health that require parents’ time and attention.
Why are the challenges of modern-day parenting a workplace issue?
As the Surgeon General says, the well-being of parents is directly linked to the well-being of their children. So when children are facing difficulties, parents may find it hard to bring their A-game to work.
In fact, studies show that parents helping a child with a mental health challenge spend about eight hours a week managing their child’s mental health needs. And, those caring for a child’s mental health are 2.8 times more likely to report diminished mental health themselves. They also may not show up to work. The Bureau of Labor Statistics just reported that the number of Americans absent from work to care for children returned to an all-time high in August 2024.
Stressed out parents also run the risk of developing burnout, as work and family demands leave little time to rest and recharge. Finally, parents who don’t feel supported at work may leave for jobs with more flexibility, increasing costly turnover. Some employees—and studies show this is mostly women—may leave the workforce entirely.
So how can employers support this critical segment of their employee population? Here are seven ways to help working parents:
- Invest in wellness programs and Employee Assistance Programs to help with stress management, work-life integration, and mental and physical well-being.
- Offer flexible work arrangements like remote work, flexible hours, compressed work weeks, or job sharing.
- Provide generous and equal parental leave for all parents—mothers, fathers and adoptive parents.
- Consider on-site childcare facilities, back-up childcare, or subsidies for childcare expenses.
- Educate managers on the challenges faced by working parents, how to recognize signs of stress, and how to support parents effectively.
- Encourage more open and honest conversations about the work of parenting in the workplace and ask leaders to be good role models of work-life integration.
- Create and support parenting Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) to listen and respond to the needs of parents.
The bottom line: The Surgeon General states that “caregivers need care, too.” But investing in support for working parents isn’t just a feel-good initiative—it’s a smart business decision resulting in:
- Increased employee loyalty and retention—especially among women, who still perform a disproportionate share of caregiving responsibilities;
- Enhanced reputation as an employer of choice; and
- Higher overall productivity and job satisfaction.
And it’s not just employees with children who benefit. Employers who recognize and address the unique challenges faced by working parents create a more supportive, productive, and profitable work environment for everyone.
Remember: As with any other benefits or programs you provide, parents need to know what’s available to them. The start of the school year is a great time to remind employees of all the ways you support working families. The O’Keefe Group can help. Contact us.
