International Women’s Day (8 March) and the upcoming UK deadlines for Gender Pay Gap reporting (30 March for most public sector employers and 4 April for private sector employers) presents an opportunity to note how far employers have come in supporting their female workforce. They are also a reminder of the ways in which they still need to address imbalances, especially as the continuing return to office transition threatens to impact women more than men.
Bright Horizons’ latest Modern Families Index 2025 (MFI) reported that one-third of UK working parents and carers are already very stressed. Data from many sources shows how this issue disproportionately affects women.
- According to the MFI, more than half of women (53%) report carrying the mental load of parenting in their household, compared to just 27% of men.
These findings are put into wider context through other research such as:
- The latest Census reveals that 59% of unpaid carers are female, highlighting the continuing unequal burden of caregiving.
- TUC analysis found that women are seven times more likely than men to be out of the workforce due to their caring responsibilities.
For employers, the case for supporting all employees is already clear. When employees have access to reliable support, they are less stressed, more engaged, and more productive and more likely to stay in the workforce.
The good news is that these supports can also help bridge the disparity of impact on women of caring responsibilities by providing them inclusive and practical support. This International Women’s Day, employers should take proactive steps to recognise, understand, and empower those juggling work and caregiving.
1. Introduce Back-Up Care
According to the 2025 MFI, there has been a marked drop (11%) in parents and carers finding their employers supportive year-on-year. Forward-thinking employers can buck this trend by offering inclusive back-up care.
Why it works: Whether caring for a child or an adult, if a regular care arrangement breaks down, having a reliable and trusted alternative enables caregivers to work and maintain their work commitments. The MFI found that 32% of working mothers say they would like help with childcare costs to help make it easier to attend the office/workplace.
As a leading provider of family solutions for employers, Bright Horizons has a range of inclusive back-up care services designed to meet the needs of all working caregivers, whether through childcare, adult or eldercare.
“It is a practical benefit: allowing me not to miss out on work. It’s also an important mental health benefit: allowing for peace of mind, not feeling like I’m being penalised just because I have caring responsibilities.”
Back-Up Adult and Eldercare user
2. Make Caring Part of your Culture
In the battle for talent, retention plays a big role. It’s important that carers in your workforce feel able to have open conversations about their personal responsibilities whilst at work. This requires businesses to train their leaders on how to have better, more effective dialogue with their teams.
While employers and HR can create checklists and processes to help managers work through practical supports for carers, it’s worth checking that they are inclusive and cater to all different types of carers as 19% of parents were also carers. In addition, encourage the formation of employee forums, networking or resource groups – these help nurture a sense of belonging and shared understanding and help businesses retain top talent.
3. Speak to an Expert
The MFI shows us stress levels are high amongst working parents and carers, meaning employers and employees alike can benefit from access to high-quality guidance.
Access to personalised support on a wide range of caregiving challenges is invaluable for working carers. For example, Bright Horizons’ Speak to an Expert service allows carers to connect with coaches who have in-depth knowledge in specific areas of caregiving. It provides practical guidance and offers emotional support by creating a safe space for carers to discuss their challenges and source trusted advice. Helping navigate challenges at home is conducive to greater employee satisfaction and productivity at work.
4. Think Flexibly
Depending on the business sector, job role and employee’s circumstances, flexibility can come in different forms. Notwithstanding the return to office trend, there are many ways employers may want to consider supporting flexible working – from hybrid, flexi-time, or compressed hours to care supports such as nursery partnerships and back up care to enable flexibility at short notice.
For many working caregivers, flexibility helps them accommodate their work and home commitments. The 2025 MFI revealed:
- 25% of working mothers who took time off with short term childcare needs take unpaid time off.
And offering elements of flexibility that work within your organisation’s structure is not without its benefits to employers.
- Nearly 8 in 10 (79%) working carers consider their adult care needs before accepting a job or promotion.
By demonstrating their support for working carers’ needs, employers can significantly improve their attraction and retention prospects and become an employer of choice.
A workforce that is given the tools to manage personal responsibilities is also one that can be agile and adapt to the needs of the business – creating a mutually beneficial and future-proofed approach to productivity and engagement.
Find out more
If you’re an employer and would like to discover more about Bright Horizons’ Work + Family Solutions, let us talk you through the wide range of services we offer and how they can help your business and your people. Give us a call on 0345 241 5309 or email [email protected]. Find out more by visiting Bright Horizons’ Work + Family Solutions at. https://solutions.brighthorizons.co.uk/
