Work-from-home parents worry about career opportunities

While the pandemic has been helpful in expanding the working choices for parents, a study has shown that more than one-third of working parents are worried that choosing to work from home will negatively impact their career journey. 

This is one of the key findings from a report published by Bright Horizons, who surveyed over 2,000 working parents earlier this year.

Despite the fact that more than half of the respondents (58%) said that the work-from-home option has been a source of fulfilment and relief, 42% of the respondents worry that bringing up any complaints or challenges about working from home will result in a return to working on site again. Working dads, meanwhile, are also feeling a greater stigma prioritising family over work. 

Much of the anxiety revolves around the lack of communication between management and employees of the support around personal obligations during remote work, explained Stephen Kramer, CEO of Bright Horizons.

With around 41% of hybrid or remote working parents feeling the need to hide their personal obligations from the workplace, Kramer suggested that not many leaders or managers are explicitly supportive of people who make use of these employee benefits and promote them in a “really positive way” so that their employees are able to use them without fear.

READ MORE: Six opportunities to make new parents feel welcome back at work

To work around this, Kramer suggested that workplaces can provide better caregiving solutions, like child-care stipends, to help employees get to the office on their own terms, reported CNBC.com.