Between school drop-offs, work deadlines, back-to-back meetings, inset days, and the occasional forgotten football kit, I’ve learned that flexibility at work isn’t just a perk – it’s a necessity for parents like me.
Once the norm, the traditional five-day office commute has become a distant memory for many, with hybrid working opening doors to broader talent pools, better work-life balance, and increased productivity. But finding the right balance between office and home is far from one-size-fits-all, especially for those with young children.
And the stakes of getting it right have never been higher. Research commissioned by Vodafone shows that more than three quarters of parents experience burnout when returning to work after parental leave, with more than half feeling it in as little as one month. Having had three children pre-pandemic, I know firsthand the struggle – and the guilt – of leaving a young child at home while returning to a five-day office routine. The emotional and mental toll can be overwhelming, making it critical for workplaces to foster a supportive, flexible environment where parents can thrive both personally and professionally.
Looking into the economical and personal benefits of flexible working policies for parents, our study showed that if more UK businesses brought in workplace policies that catered to families, it could add over £10 billion to the UK economy in annual productivity gains. An eye-opening figure.
Family-friendly policies could also bring almost half a million UK parents currently out of employment back into the workforce. These parents aren’t lacking in ambition or skill – they’re highly capable, motivated and ready to contribute. But a rigid workplace makes it a difficult balance to strike because, too often, returning to work after parental leave feels like an impossible choice.
That’s why workplace initiatives like Vodafone’s 80/20 policy should be more than just a nice-to-have for companies and their staff across the UK. By offering a four-day week with full pay and benefits for the first six months back after parental leave, it’s designed to give parents time to settle into new routines at home while they reengage at work. We offer this because we know that flexible working works – for people, businesses and the economy.
In fact, 78% of parents who used flexible working policies said it improved their work-life balance, and 68% reported better mental wellbeing. For businesses, half of employees said flexible working policies supercharged their productivity. These aren't just numbers, however, they’re proof that when you support parents as a business, you don’t damage performance but improve it.
If businesses need more convincing, it’s worth noting that becoming a parent doesn’t detract from professional skills either – it sharpens them. Almost half of parents said they became better multitaskers after having a child, which is something I’m sure all parents will relate to. More than a third cited improved time management skills, with a further third saying that parenting had given them increased patience. Precisely the qualities that modern workplaces need.
I’ve seen this policy at play firsthand during my time at Vodafone. Derek, one of our Talent Acquisition Managers, told me that our flexible approach was a key reason for joining the company in the first place. It allowed him and his wife to balance childcare equally, and gave him the rare opportunity – as a dad – to bond with his child outside of the weekend by attending baby classes.
Rhiannon, a Service Manager and mum of two, used this policy after each of her maternity leaves. For her, it wasn’t just the flexibility that mattered – it was the culture that surrounded it. She talked about how important it was to openly see senior leaders blocking out time for school drop-offs or adjusting schedules to care for their families.
As both Derek and Rhiannon suggest, the benefits of this policy are clear and wide ranging. Unsurprisingly, we’ve seen lots of employees use this policy at Vodafone but, to make a real difference, we need other companies here in the UK to step up too. While our research found that 91% of parents would use policies like ours if offered, only a third had ever heard of them. That leaves a huge pool of untapped parental potential, sitting just out of reach for many organisations. With more awareness and engagement, think how many more parents flexibility like this could support.
Significantly, this gap is costing businesses too. Not just in terms of missed talent, but in retention. With parents lacking support, it’s no surprise that so many either exit the workforce or hold themselves back from applying for new roles. In fact, our polling showed that almost are doing the latter. This is what’s colloquially becoming known as the “parent penalty” – and it’s driving important, invaluable talent out of the workforce unnecessarily.
Equipped with all this knowledge, we’ve partnered with Peanut, the UK’s leading online community for mothers, to raise awareness and advocate for change. Together, we’re calling on UK employers to think more expansively – to support not just the return to work, but the long-term wellbeing, ambition and success of working parents.
After all, it’s one of the smartest decisions any business can make.
Nicki Lyons is chief corporate affairs & sustainability officer at Vodafone UK.
