The upcoming deadlines in the UK for reporting Gender Pay Gap (30 March for public sector employers, and 4 April for employers in the private sector) provide an opportunity to reflect on how far employers have progressed when it comes to supporting their female employees. These deadlines are a reminder that employers still have a lot to do to correct imbalances.
Bright Horizons the latest Modern Families Index (MFI 2025) stated that one third of UK working parents are very stressed. Many sources show that this problem is disproportionately affecting women.
- MFI reports that more than half (53%) of women are responsible for the mental burden of parenting at home, as compared to only 27% of men.
Other research, such as:
- The latest Census shows that 59% (or a total of 1.4 million) of the unpaid caregivers are women, underscoring the continued unequal burden of caring for others.
- TUC research found that women were seven times more likely to be absent from the workforce than men due to caring responsibilities.
Employers know that they must support all their employees. Employees who have reliable support are less stressed, more engaged and productive, and they’re more likely to remain in the workplace.
These supports are also able to help women who have caring responsibilities overcome the disparity in impact by offering them practical and inclusive support. Employers should be proactive this International Women’s Day to recognize, understand and empower women who juggle work and caring responsibilities.
1. Introduce Back-up Care
The 2025 MFI shows that the number of parents and caregivers who find their employers supportive has decreased (11%) year on year. Employers who are forward-thinking can buck the trend by providing back-up childcare.
Why does it work? If a regular arrangement for care breaks down, caregivers can continue to work. MFI discovered that 32% working mothers would like to receive help with childcare expenses to make it easier for them to go to the office/workplace.
Bright Horizons is a leading provider for family solutions to employers. Bright Horizons offers a wide range of backup care services that are designed to meet all the needs of working caregivers.
It is also a mental health benefit, allowing for peace of mind and not feeling like I’m being penalised just because I have caring responsibilities. There’s a mental benefit as well: peace of mind and not feeling penalized for having caring responsibilities .”
Adult and Eldercare Back-up user
2. Making Caring a Part of Your Culture
Retention is a key factor in the fight for talent. You need to make sure that the carers within your team feel comfortable talking about their personal obligations at work. It is important that businesses train their leaders to be able to communicate more effectively with their team.
Employers and HR can develop checklists and processes that will help managers provide practical support to carers. However, they should ensure these are inclusive of all types of carers since 19% of parents also care for their children. Encourage the creation of employee forums and resource groups. These help foster a shared understanding, a feeling of belonging, and can help businesses retain their top talent.
3. Speak with an Expert
MFI data shows that stress levels among working parents and caregivers are high. This means both employers and employees can benefit from high-quality advice.
Caregivers who are working find it invaluable to have access to personalised help on a variety of challenges. Bright Horizons Speak to an Expert, for example, allows carers to speak with coaches that have extensive knowledge of specific caregiving areas. The service offers emotional and practical support to carers by providing a safe environment for them to share their concerns and seek trusted advice. It is beneficial to increase employee satisfaction and productivity by helping them navigate home challenges.
4. Think Flexible
Flexibility can take many forms depending on the industry, employee, and job. There are many ways to support flexible working, regardless of the trend towards returning to work. This includes hybrid, flexi time, compressed hours, and care supports like nursery partnerships or back-up care.
Flexibility is important for many caregivers who balance work and family commitments. The MFI 2025 revealed:
- 25% of mothers who take time off for short-term childcare need do so without being paid.
Employers can benefit from offering flexibility within the structure of their organisation.
- Nearly eight out of ten (79%) workers who provide care for adults consider these needs before accepting an offer or promotion.
Employers can improve their chances of attracting and retaining employees by demonstrating that they support the needs of working carers. They will also become employers of choice.
When employees are given the tools they need to take care of their personal responsibilities, they can also be flexible and adaptable to the needs and wants of the company. This creates a future-proofed and mutually beneficial approach to productivity.
Find out more
Call us on 0345 241 5309 or email u>a class=”__cf_email__” data-cfemail=”91f4fce1fdfee8f4e3f4ffe0e4f8e3e8d1f3e3f8f6f9e5f9fee3f8f6f9e5f9fee3f8ebfeffe2bff2fefc Call us on 0345 241 5305 or send an email to [email protected]. Visit Bright Horizons Work + Family Solutions to learn more. https://solutions.brighthorizons.co.uk/
