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Parent workers
Working parents experience unique stressors that lead to burnout while balancing careers and childcare; however, flexible workplace policies and open communication can improve their mental health and job performance.
Persona
In today’s fast-paced corporate environment, understanding the interplay between strategic leadership, organizational culture, and employee mental health and well-being is critical. As part of an ongoing research program, Economist Impact, with support from Lyra Health, aims to help HR leaders gain a deeper understanding of employee mental health and the effectiveness of employer-led mental health programs.
This effort recognizes that the workforce is not a monolith; it comprises diverse individuals leading vastly different lives and interacting with work in different ways. With this understanding, we aim to assess how the mental health of employees from different demographic groups is shaped by their unique workplace experiences. By combining our own insights with input from expert interviewees and a workshop with senior HR professionals, we identify specific challenges and offer practical solutions for HR departments and company leaders in the United States (US) and beyond. This profile highlights the experiences of working parents.1
We would like to thank the following individuals for generously contributing their time and insights:
Amber Bam Cabral, Inclusion Strategist and Founder, Cabral Co.
Daisy Auger-Dominguez, Chief People Officer and Advisor, Auger-Domínguez Ventures, and Member, Harvard Business Review Advisory Council
Maurice Tuiasosopo Bell, Senior Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) & People Analytics, Lattice
Stacy Gardner, Global HR Business Partner, Healthcare, North America, EMD Serono, Inc.
Kirsty Devine, Head, US HR & Global Projects, Financial Times
Ruchika T Malhotra, Author, Founder and CEO, Candour LLC
Marina Vassilev, Vice President, Total Rewards & Performance, North America, Schneider Electric
The findings and views expressed in this report do not necessarily reflect the views of the sponsor. Economist Impact bears sole responsibility for the contents of this report. While every effort has been taken to verify the accuracy of this information, Economist Impact cannot accept any responsibility or liability for reliance by any person on this report or any of the information, opinions, or conclusions set out within.
This research was led by Kati Chilikova. The research team consisted of Luiza Navarro, Divya Sharma Nag, Valentina Vos, and Roshni Saleem Chagan. The report was authored by Paul Tucker, and copy edited by Maria Ronald. Latifat Okara oversaw and directed the research program.
Working parents represent a significant proportion of the roughly 170m people that make up the US workforce.2 Among the 32.6m US families with children aged 18 years and under in 2023, 30m (92%) had at least one parent actively working.3 Working parents in the US frequently face unique stressors and mental health challenges when trying to balance their career demands with child-rearing responsibilities, often leading to parental burnout and increased stress levels.4 According to an Advisory issued in 2024 by the US Surgeon General, 33% of parents reported high levels of stress in the past month, compared to 20% of other adults, with employment playing a key role.5 Prolonged stress can have harmful impacts on the mental health of parents and the well-being of their children.6
Working parents
Labor force participation differs greatly between male and female parents—74% of mothers, with children under the age of 18, were in the professional workforce in 2023, as compared with 93% of fathers.7 Not only are men more likely to work, they are more likely to work longer hours—96% of male parents work full-time, as compared with 80% of working female parents.8 This may be partially due to the fact that women earn less than men—working mothers earn the equivalent of 69% of fathers’ weekly earnings.9 Women also report making job decisions based on childcare considerations, and more working mothers (up to 40%) than working dads (15%) say that having children limits their career progression.10,11
There are also differences in terms of child age. Mothers of younger children are less likely to participate in the labor force than mothers with older children; on the other hand, fathers with children under the age of 6 are marginally more likely to participate in the labor force than those whose youngest child is aged 6 to 17.12
of mothers, with children under the age of 18, were in the professional workforce in 2023
74%
Figure 1. Full-time weekly median earnings of men and women by presence and age of youngest child, 202413,14
Working parents in the US face a wide array of challenges that impact their mental health. At the top of the list, according to a 2022 survey, is inadequate pay. Other notable issues include poor management, toxic workplace culture, inflexible or extended work hours, and limited opportunities for professional growth.15 Meanwhile, more than a quarter (27%) of working parents have reported that being a working mother or father makes it harder for them to advance in their job or career.16
Although there is considerable overlap, mothers and fathers find that different factors impact them to varying degrees—for example, mothers report that their mental health is significantly impacted by inadequate pay, toxic work culture, and interpersonal conflict; fathers, on the other hand, cite greater distress linked to workplace politics and lack of autonomy.17
The mental health touchpoints facing working parents
"The workload is not being equitably shared [by parents], and I don’t think the ways that [employers] are trying to encourage that are effective yet.”
Amber Bam Cabral
Inclusion Strategist and Founder of Cabral Co.
There is notable intersectionality in mental health challenges faced by working parents. The most apparent difference in this regard is gender. Not only do working mothers earn less, and find it harder to progress in their careers, they frequently lack adequate workplace and social support, as well as the resources needed to effectively balance work demands with caregiving responsibilities and family planning; this gender difference is particularly pronounced for those in lower socioeconomic brackets.18 Women are more likely than men to say that being a working parent has made it harder for them to balance their parenting responsibilities.19 Participants in a workshop we convened for this project pointed to sleep deprivation (especially among parents of young children) and job expectations such as work travel requirements as factors adding to work strain. Workshop participants also told us that the post-pandemic return to the office has particularly affected the work-life balance of working parents, especially mothers. “The workload is not being equitably shared [by parents], and I don’t think the ways that [employers] are trying to encourage that are effective yet,” says Amber Bam Cabral, an Inclusion Strategist and Founder of Cabral Co., an inclusivity-focused leadership and communications firm.
Race and ethnicity also influence the mental health challenges faced by working parents. For example, 29% more parents identifying as people of color (POC) cite toxic work culture as a factor compared to white parents, while 32% more white parents, as compared to POC parents, cite inadequate pay as a concern.20
Another important factor is the influence of children’s well-being on parents’ health. Among working parents, over half report feeling that the demands of addressing their child’s mental health hinders their ability to work.21 Despite 85% of working parents acknowledging the importance of discussing their children's mental health with their employer, fewer than 25% have actually spoken to managers, HR or colleagues about these challenges.22 Workshop participants told us that working parents grapple with guilt over not spending enough time with their children and also experience anxiety about missed work obligations when attending their kids' activities, resulting in feelings of personal and professional inadequacy. “Work is a whole job and childcare is a whole job, and this is where you see parents struggle trying to give their all to two full-time jobs,” says Maurice Tuiasosopo Bell, Senior Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) and People Analytics at Lattice, an HR and worker performance platform.
of working parents acknowledging the importance of discussing their children’s mental health with their employer
85%
To make things harder for working parents, rising costs and lack of availability of childcare pose a major challenge in terms of both mental health and economics, costing the US economy an estimated US$122bn annually in lost earnings, productivity, and revenue; employer-sponsored childcare benefits can provide returns of up to 425% of their cost.23,24
A workplace culture that acknowledges and values the dual responsibilities of working parents is crucial for fostering individual well-being and organizational productivity. The 2024 US Surgeon General Advisory on parental mental health names employers (alongside government entities, schools, community organizations, friends and family, and healthcare providers, among others) as crucial stakeholders. It advises employers to:
Solutions: flexibility, understanding, support services
1
expand policies and programs that support the well-being of parents and caregivers in the workplace (such as offering paid parental and medical leave, flexible work schedules, and community or onsite childcare access);
2
implement training for managers on stress management and work-life balance;
3
provide access to comprehensive high-quality mental healthcare.25
Not only would these recommendations help to improve overall employee mental health, evidence shows that it is both financially and strategically advantageous for employers to do so.26 In addition, offering support networks for working parents, such as parenting groups and tailored mental health resources, can help to improve overall well-being.
Flexible working arrangements and parental leave are crucial to promote shared caregiving and family bonding time, while simultaneously ensuring that parents are able to meet their work objectives. For fathers, extended paternity leave and better childcare benefits are linked to lower anxiety levels during the first year of parenthood.27 One employer at the forefront of this kind of flexibility is Schneider Electric, a French multinational company (MNC), which offers a “Recharge Break” program that allows employees to take 6-12 weeks of sabbatical time, supported by their contributions and a partial company match. This program is especially advantageous for working parents who need flexibility during pivotal life stages, with a significant number of participants being women in their 40s looking for meaningful time off as their children near high school or college. 28
Considering the size, diversity, and evolving nature of the working parent demographic, employers need to understand the challenges faced across various family structures (including non-nuclear households, same-sex couples, those with young and older children, and the “sandwich generation” of adults who care for both aging parents and young children), within families from different racial and socioeconomic backgrounds, as well as across generational cohorts. Support programs must address modern family dynamics. Only by addressing these differences, can they ensure that interventions are inclusive and effective for all parents.29 Managers and leaders play a crucial role in showing empathy and understanding toward working parents. Employers can help by providing training opportunities to deepen leaders’ awareness of the diverse needs of working parents, while also encouraging them to foreground their own personal responsibilities, thereby reinforcing the idea that prioritizing life outside of work is essential.
Overall, stigma presents significant barriers to parents seeking assistance. Workplace policies that support working parents in addressing their children’s mental health issues and those that encourage open communication about these matters could greatly benefit both the mental health and job performance of parents. Providing flexible, holistic support for working parents not only safeguards the well-being of current employees it also enhances the organization’s appeal as an employer.30,31
References
1. Similar to the general workforce, this group of employees is diverse and includes individuals with a broad range of identities and experiences. Consequently, the information presented may not apply to everyone who identifies with this group.
2. World Bank. Labor force, total – United States.[Internet]. Washington [DC]: World Bank Group;2024. Available from: https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.TLF.TOTL.IN?locations=US.
3. BLS. Employment characteristics of families – 2023.[Internet]. Washington [DC]: Bureau of Labor Statistics;2024. Available from: https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/famee.pdf.
4. Pew Research Center. On pay gap, Millennial women near parity – for now. Chapter 5: balancing work and family.[Internet]. Washington [DC]: Pew Research Center;2013. Available from: https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2013/12/11/chapter-5-balancing-work-and-family/.
5. Office of the U.S. Surgeon General. Parents under pressure: the U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory on the mental health & well-being of parents.[Internet]. Washington [DC]: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services;2024. Available from: https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/parents-under-pressure.pdf.
6. Ibid
7. BLS. Employment characteristics of families – 2023.[Internet]. Washington [DC]: Bureau of Labor Statistics;2024. Available from: https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/famee.pdf.
8. Ibid.
9. USAFacts Team. How many moms are in the labor force?.[Internet]. Bellevue [WA]: USAFacts;[last updated 29 December 2023]. Available from: https://usafacts.org/articles/how-many-mothers-are-in-the-labor-force/#:~:text=In%202022%2C%20median%20wely%20earnings,compared%20with%20%24908%20for%20women.
10. AAUW. Fast facts: mothers in the workforce.[Internet]. Washington [DC]: American Association of University Women;[last updated 4 May 2020]. Available from: https://www.aauw.org/resources/article/fast-facts-working-moms/.
11. Pew Research Center. On pay gap, Millennial women near parity – for now. Chapter 5: balancing work and family.[Internet]. Washington [DC]: Pew Research Center;2013. Available from: https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2013/12/11/chapter-5-balancing-work-and-family/.
12. USAFacts Team. How many moms are in the labor force?.[Internet]. Bellevue [WA]: USAFacts;[last updated 29 December 2023]. Available from: https://usafacts.org/articles/how-many-mothers-are-in-the-labor-force/#:~:text=In%202022%2C%20median%20wely%20earnings,compared%20with%20%24908%20for%20women.
13. U.S. Department of Labor, Women’s Bureau. Full-time weekly median earnings of men and women by presence and age of youngest child.[Internet]. Washington [DC]: U.S. Department of Labor;[last updated March 2024]. Available from: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/wb/data/mothers-families/median-weekly-earnings-child.
14. Children include biological children, step-children, or adopted children. This graphic is representative of co-residential children only.
15. Eatough E. The mental health needs of working parents are more nuanced than employers may realize.[Internet]. Austin [TX]: BetterUP;[last updated 6 March 2024]. Available from: https://www.betterup.com/blog/mental-health-needs-of-working-parents.
16. Pew Research Center. On pay gap, Millennial women near parity – for now. Chapter 5: balancing work and family.[Internet]. Washington [DC]: Pew Research Center;2013. Available from: https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2013/12/11/chapter-5-balancing-work-and-family/.
17. Eatough E. The mental health needs of working parents are more nuanced than employers may realize.[Internet]. Austin [TX]: BetterUP;[last updated 6 March 2024]. Available from: https://www.betterup.com/blog/mental-health-needs-of-working-parents.
18. Syron L, Rosemberg MAS, Flynn MA, Sivén J, Steege A, Tamers SL. The role of demographics in the future of work.[Internet]. Washington [DC]: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services;[last updated 20 October 2021]. Available from: Available from: https://blogs.cdc.gov/niosh-science-blog/2021/10/20/demographics-fow/.
19. Pew Research Center. On pay gap, Millennial women near parity – for now. Chapter 5: balancing work and family.[Internet]. Washington [DC]: Pew Research Center;2013. Available from: https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2013/12/11/chapter-5-balancing-work-and-family/.
20. Eatough E. The mental health needs of working parents are more nuanced than employers may realize.[Internet]. Austin [TX]: BetterUP;[last updated 6 March 2024]. Available from: https://www.betterup.com/blog/mental-health-needs-of-working-parents.
21. Prudential. How children’s mental health affects working parents.[Internet]. West Des Moines [IA]: Businessolver;[last updated 4 January 2024]. Available from: https://www.businessolver.com/blog/how-childrens-mental-health-affects-working-parents/.
22. Ibid.
23. Bishop S. $122 billion: the growing, annual cost of the infant-toddler child care crisis [Internet]. Washington [DC]: ReadyNation – Council for a Strong America;2023. Available from: https://strongnation.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/1598/05d917e2-9618-4648-a0ee-1b35d17e2a4d.pdf?1674854626&inline;%20filename=%22$122%20Billion:%20The%20Growing,%20Annual%20Cost%20of%20the%20Infant-Toddler%20Child%20Care%20Crisis.pdf%22.
24. Kos E, Clark K, De Santis N, Joseph T. Childcare benefits more than pay for themselves at US companies.[Internet]. Boston [MA]: Boston Consulting Group;[last updated 26 March 2024]. Available from: https://www.bcg.com/publications/2024/childcare-benefits-pay-for-themselves-at-us-companies.
25. Office of the U.S. Surgeon General. Parents under pressure: the U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory on the mental health & well-being of parents.[Internet]. Washington [DC]: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services;2024. Available from: https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/parents-under-pressure.pdf.
26. Herron A. How child care benefits for employees can enhance well-being (and benefit employers, too).[Internet]. Portland [OR]: WebMD Health Services;[last updated 26 October 2023]. Available from: https://www.webmdhealthservices.com/blog/how-child-care-benefits-for-employees-can-enhance-well-being-and-benefit-employers-too/.
27. Perry-Jenkins M, Smith JZ, Wadsworth LP, Halpern HP. Workplace policies and mental health among working-class, new parents. Community Work Fam. 2017;20(2):226-249.
28. Blaylock C. Recharge break: my plan for Schneider Electric’s new benefit. Schneider Electric.[Internet]. Boston [MA]: Schneider Electric; [last updated 18 October 2021]. Available from: https://blog.se.com/life-at-schneider-electric/2021/10/18/recharge-break-new-benefit/.
29. Perry-Jenkins M, Smith JZ, Wadsworth LP, Halpern HP. Workplace policies and mental health among working-class, new parents. Community Work Fam. 2017;20(2):226-249.
30. THINK Capital Blue Cross. In the family: how youth mental health impacts the adult workforce.[Internet]. Harrisurg [PA]: TheBurg;[last updated 16 April 2024]. Available from: https://theburgnews.com/sports-health/in-the-family-how-youth-mental-health-impacts-the-adult-workforce.
31. Herron A. How child care benefits for employees can enhance well-being (and benefit employers, too).[Internet]. Portland [OR]: WebMD Health Services;[last updated 26 October 2023]. Available from: https://www.webmdhealthservices.com/blog/how-child-care-benefits-for-employees-can-enhance-well-being-and-benefit-employers-too/.
