Picture this: it’s 10 am, you’re in back-to-back meetings, and you get a call from the school nurse — your kid has a fever. By midday, you’re rearranging deadlines, emailing the doctor, and prepping for a presentation with a child now home on the couch.

Sound familiar? Working parents everywhere live in this constant juggle, balancing the demands of their careers with the unpredictable needs of their families. From impromptu doctor’s appointments to last-minute work emergencies, the mental load never seems to ease — and burnout is lurking around every corner.

A constant juggling act

Burnout doesn’t hit like a wave; it’s more of a slow drip that accumulates over time. For working parents, this might mean fielding late-night work emails on top of planning a birthday party, making sure homework is done, and prepping for an important client meeting.

This constant juggling act takes its toll, and while the emotional and mental impact is clear for the parent, the impact shows up in the workplace too. Burnout leads to disengagement, lower productivity, and ultimately, higher turnover. It’s not just a “them” problem; it’s a “we” problem.

“Covering” culture

A 2023 study by Deloitte and the Meltzer Center at NYU Law found that many workers, including parents, hide parts of their identity to avoid being judged at work. The study showed that while 60% of workers reported “covering,” a staggering 68% of caregivers — including parents — admitted to hiding or downplaying their caregiving responsibilities.

Another study found that only 56% of working parents felt comfortable disclosing their caregiving role to their manager. Why? Because they worry it will negatively impact their career.

The fear of being passed over for promotions or judged as less committed to their work causes parents to keep quiet. Add to that the unconscious biases — like the “motherhood penalty,” where working mothers are often judged more harshly or overlooked for career growth — and you can see why parents may not speak up about what they really need.

How employers can help

Supporting working parents is an essential part of fostering a thriving workforce. Companies need to go beyond policy — it’s about creating a culture that promotes empathy and flexibility.

Simple steps like offering flexible work hours and ensuring managers actively encourage work-life fit can make a huge difference. When companies take these steps, they reduce burnout and create an environment where working parents — and, by extension, the entire workforce — can thrive.

Supporting parents boosts business

Let’s get real: supporting working parents isn’t just about being nice — it’s good for business. A study by Great Place to Work and Maven found that companies with robust support for working parents performed better across the board. These organisations saw:

• 5.5x higher revenue growth, driven by increased innovation
• 92% of working parents recommending their company as a great place to work
• 89% of working parents staying long-term, reducing costly turnover
• 92% of parents willing to go the extra mile, boosting engagement and productivity

Strategies to support working parents

Here are a few strategies employers can use to support working parents and combat burnout:

1. Flexible and remote work
   Offering flexible work arrangements—such as remote work, hybrid work, and flexible hours—can improve work-life. However, employers must ensure that managers actively support these policies, as parents may hesitate to request flexibility if they fear disapproval.
2. Paid parental leave
   Paid parental leave should be comprehensive, offering equal bonding time for all parents, including birth, non-birthing, and adoptive parents. Allow parents to use this leave flexibly, such as taking it intermittently or using a phased return to work.
3. Caregiver leave
   Expanding paid leave to include caregivers beyond new parents can help employees dealing with other family responsibilities, such as caring for a sick family member.
4. Coaching for employees and managers
   Coaching provides a personalised approach to support working parents, benefiting both them and their managers by addressing specific challenges in an interactive and actionable way. For working parents, it helps integrate career and family life, offering a safe space to voice concerns and explore solutions, whether during parental leave or later. Coaches help shift the mindset around stalled career trajectories due to caregiving, creating plans that align professional and personal goals. They also promote self-care, helping parents find time for rest and recovery, key to preventing burnout.
5. Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)
   Parent resource groups can foster a sense of community, offering parents a platform to share experiences, advice, and support. These groups can provide working parents with a space to connect with others who understand their challenges, helping them feel less isolated. To enhance the impact of ERGs, companies should allocate a budget that allows these groups to bring in outside facilitators, or host events focused on topics like mental health, work-life, and parenting strategies.

Building a culture of care

At the heart of supporting working parents is the need for a culture of care. Policies like flexible work or paid parental leave are vital, but without a supportive, empathetic workplace culture, these initiatives may not be fully embraced. A culture of care ensures that working parents feel valued not just as employees but as people with full lives outside of work.

Creating this culture means embedding empathy, flexibility, and psychological safety into the organisation’s DNA. It’s about more than offering policies; it’s about fostering an environment where working parents feel seen and supported—whether that’s through candid conversations with managers, resources like coaching and ERGs, or simply knowing that taking time for their families won’t be a career risk.

In the long run, investing in working parents isn’t just about reducing burnout—it’s about creating a workplace where everyone can thrive. When parents feel empowered to bring their whole selves to work, they’re more engaged, more loyal, and more willing to go the extra mile. And that’s good for everyone.