It goes without saying that being a working parent isn’t easy. With the price of childcare rising and many employers backtracking on flexible working, it is becoming increasingly difficult for many to maintain the balance between their professional and personal lives.
Having a family often means missing out on career advancement opportunities, with 41% of working mums saying it has stopped them from being promoted. One in 10 mothers have had to quit their jobs due to childcare pressures, and research by Pregnant Then Screwed, working mums earned 43% less than fathers in 2023.
Overall, the picture is pretty bleak. According to the Modern Families Index (MFI) by Bright Horizons, a third of working parents struggle with high or extreme levels of stress.
New research suggests parents may also be missing out on opportunities to build valuable connections at work too. Vanessa Conzon, an assistant professor at Boston College's Carroll School of Management, and Ruthanne Huising, a professor of management and organisation at Emlyon Business School, found parents are being forced to ration their time at work — resulting in them missing out on opportunities for networking and career advancement.
Louise Webster, founder of Beyond the School Run, a platform connecting mothers with their skills and talents, says: “Parents often find themselves rationing their time due to two key factors: the demands and costs of childcare and the need to support their children, particularly during the early years."
“The impact of this can be significant,” she adds. “Parents who don’t have opportunities to connect with others — especially when working from home — may feel isolated or out of touch.”
Understandably, networking may be low on the list of priorities for parents. However, it can open up new avenues for progression, adds Jennifer Liston-Smith, head of thought leadership at Bright Horizons, which supports the needs of working parents.
“The research shows that working parents often miss out on activities that develop their skills and networks due to work or childcare commitments,” says Liston-Smith. “This can leave working parents feeling excluded from opportunities for career development, such as engaging with other teams within the business and accessing training.”
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How parents can network
Most working parents are time poor. Getting your work done and looking after your family leaves little time for yourself, let alone networking. But approaching it with a different mindset can help you find new ways to connect with people.
“Connect with other parents who may be seeking similar support. For example, organise shared playdates or childcare arrangements to free up time for professional engagements,” says Webster.
“Create your own opportunities,” she adds. “If you can’t find what you’re looking for through work, consider creating local groups or internal networks. Often, what you're seeking, others are too.”
Online groups on Facebook (META), LinkedIn and other platforms can be really helpful for building up your contacts. It takes very little time to send a quick message or write a post introducing yourself, your work and what you’re looking for — whether it’s advice, opportunities or just a support network.
“Look for opportunities to attend events remotely or in person, even briefly. Often, just a short appearance is enough to make valuable connections,” says Webster.
What employers can do to support parents
Working in an office can be a good way to connect with others. But, it’s important to remember that flexible working is the only way many parents can hold down jobs. So requiring people to physically work in an office to build relationships isn't constructive or practical if it means people have to quit.
“Employers can put structures in place to allow parents and carers to build networks and access support,” says Liston-Smith. “For example, offering training or team building sessions at a time that suits the team is one way to ensure everyone can benefit, and asking the team about their availability before diarising development sessions is key.
"This could mean running sessions more than once, but if it allows for more inclusivity, it's worth the additional investment.”
Scheduling parent-friendly events — ones that don’t always take place in the evening — are key. Employers could proactively seek out events for workers to attend remotely or in-person that take place during the day. And, Webster adds, working parents who can't attend every event should still be kept in the conversation, for example, with summaries or recordings.
Although some employers may baulk at workers leaving their desks for a few hours, it can pay off for businesses. Supporting parents provides many long-term benefits. Happier, healthier workers who feel valued are more likely to stay in a company, less likely to need sick leave, and more likely to be productive and creative.
“Online networking groups over Slack or Teams channels are another accessible way for working parents and carers to develop skills, connect and share experiences,” says Liston-Smith.
“The best support systems are developed using insights from the working parents and this kind of feedback can be sourced in several ways, whether it’s through anonymous surveys, focus groups or one-on-one meetings.”
