New Research by Bright Horizons Shows Remote or Hybrid Work Schedules Have Unexpected Roadblocks
15 Maio 2023 - 5:30PM
Business Wire
Working parents are turning to employers for
support as many deal with feelings of isolation and loneliness
Working parents are struggling despite flexibility in work
location, according to the ninth-annual Modern Family Index (MFI),
commissioned by Bright Horizons (NYSE:BFAM) and conducted by The
Harris Poll. The research reveals that even though more than half
of working parents (58%) say the increased flexibility in their
schedules are a source of fulfillment and relief, those working in
remote or hybrid setting feel isolated, only talking to the people
in their household, and some employees going days without setting
foot outside the house (47% and 41%, respectively).
Challenges of Hybrid and Remote Work
Gen Z and Millennial parents are the most profoundly affected by
the challenges of being a working parent in the hybrid and remote
era. While they’re more likely to appreciate the autonomy and
freedom of remote and hybrid work, they simultaneously experience
more of the drawbacks. They’re more likely to grapple with
isolation than their older counterparts, going days without going
outside while remote working (49% Gen Z/Millennials vs. 31% Gen
X/Baby Boomer) and are more likely to go without speaking to anyone
beyond their household (53% Gen Z/Millennials vs. 40% Gen X/Baby
Boomer).
As working parents strive to balance work and personal tasks,
two in five hybrid or fully remote working parents (41%) say they
at least sometimes feel like they need to hide their personal
obligations from others in their workplace. Parents are likely
hiding their burden because they likely have no guidance on how to
manage fully remote and hybrid work and being a working parent at
the same time. While remote work is permitted, many of those
working in a hybrid environment are concerned about the impact
it’ll have on their careers. A third (35%) feel the arrangement
negatively impacts their careers when they choose to work from
home, and 42% of those working remotely or in a hybrid environment
worry to bring up any complaints related to working from home as
they fear speaking about it could result in a return to working in
person.
“The Modern Family Index research confirms that many working
parents are struggling personally and professionally. While they
have embraced a more flexible work environment, it has come with
unintended consequences that are impacting their mental health and
their ability to manage life’s responsibilities,” stated Stephen
Kramer, CEO of Bright Horizons. “The moment is now for employers to
step in to fill these voids. This includes clearly defined benefit
programs, mental and professional support services, as well as
access to quality child and adult care. Giving this kind of
assistance to working parents allows them to be more productive and
bring more of themselves to work each day.”
Working without a child care safety net
A lasting takeaway from lockdown is that working from home does
not negate the need for child care. Extreme child care shortages
have left 40% of parents saying they don’t have access to the child
care they need, with 41% citing cost as a barrier. And it’s leaving
a mark, especially since 50% of these parents agree their
productivity at work suffers when they are stressed about child
care, and 77% feel that having child care support is important to
how productively they work. Nearly half (48%) say that arranging
child care feels itself like a full-time job. Perhaps that explains
why emergency child care (30%), and regular every day child care
(29%) rank among the top five benefits employees say would make
them much more likely to stay with a company/organization.
Working parents are turning to their employers for support.
Nearly half (49%) wish their employers would do more to help,
including offering to help pay for child care (43%). Other specific
requests include:
- 34% want their employer to provide emergency child care
benefits
- 32% want their employer to offer on-site child care
- 30% want their employer to offer FSA for childcare
expenses
To download the full Ninth Annual Bright Horizons Modern Family
Index report, click here.
About the Bright Horizons Modern Family Index
The research was conducted online in the U.S. by The Harris Poll
on behalf of Bright Horizons among 2005 adults aged 18 and over who
are employed with children under 18. The survey was conducted from
February 23rd – March 6th, 2023. Data are weighted where necessary
by age by gender, race/ethnicity, region, education, marital
status, household size, employment status, household income, and
propensity to be online to bring them in line with their actual
proportions in the population.
Respondents for this survey were selected from among those who
have agreed to participate in our surveys. The sampling precision
of Harris online polls is measured by using a Bayesian credible
interval. For this study, the sample data is accurate to within +
3.0 percentage points using a 95% confidence level. This credible
interval will be wider among subsets of the surveyed population of
interest. All sample surveys and polls, whether or not they use
probability sampling, are subject to other multiple sources of
error which are most often not possible to quantify or estimate,
including, but not limited to coverage error, error associated with
nonresponse, error associated with question wording and response
options, and post-survey weighting and adjustments.
About Bright Horizons Family Solutions Inc.
Bright Horizons® is a leading global provider of high-quality
early education and child care, back-up care, and workforce
education services. For 35 years, we have partnered with employers
to support workforces by providing services that help working
families and employees thrive personally and professionally. Bright
Horizons operates approximately 1,100 early education and child
care centers in the United States, the United Kingdom, the
Netherlands, Australia and India, and serves more than 1,400 of the
world’s leading employers. Bright Horizons’ early education and
child care centers, back-up child and elder care, and workforce
education programs help employees succeed at each life and career
stage. For more information, go to www.brighthorizons.com.
View source
version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230515005826/en/
Laura McDowell Laura.McDowell@brighthorizons.com
Bright Horizons Family S... (NYSE:BFAM)
Gráfico Histórico do Ativo
De Mai 2024 até Jun 2024
Bright Horizons Family S... (NYSE:BFAM)
Gráfico Histórico do Ativo
De Jun 2023 até Jun 2024