How to support working parents and help them progress their careers

Supporting working parents isn't just about offering flexibility - it's about creating an inclusive culture where parenthood is not a barrier to career progression. A significant proportion of the workforce will become parents at some point in their careers, and forward-thinking organisations are recognising the importance of providing meaningful support that allows them to thrive both at home and at work. 

Today, many parents expect more than statutory policies or basic flexibility. They want clear, structured support that enables them to succeed in their roles, develop professionally and balance their responsibilities. For employers, this represents a clear opportunity to attract, retain and grow a diverse, loyal talent pool by adapting how they support parents in the workplace. 

Here, Sellick Partnership explores practical, impactful ways your organisation can support working parents - and why doing so benefits everyone. 

Understanding the barriers parents face at work

Historically, many working parents - particularly mothers - have had to choose between career progression and family responsibilities. The 'motherhood penalty' remains a real issue: 

• According to research released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) in 2025, having a first child leads to a 42% average reduction in a mother’s monthly earnings five years later - roughly £1,051 less per month.
• From the same research, it was found that the total earning loss over five years is on average £65,618 following the birth of a first child. 
• For a second child, the average loss over five years is £26,317; for a third child, £32,456. 

These figures come as a result of outdated systems and ideas that assume parenthood reduces ambition or capacity for leadership. Many parents report missing out on promotions or even leaving roles entirely due to lack of support. 

Addressing this starts with understanding the real-life challenges your employees face - and removing structural and cultural barriers wherever possible. 

Support all types of parents

Family structures are more diverse than ever. Single parents, adoptive parents, same-sex couples, and fathers all need access to parental support - yet policies and practices often solely focus on mothers. 

You can ensure your workplace support is inclusive  by: 

• Offering gender-neutral parental leave. 
• Acknowledging diverse parenting needs and working patterns.
• Actively encouraging fathers to take parental leave. 
• Making support available for adoptive and foster parents. 

There's no one-fits-all solution - every family is different, so listening to your people is key. 

Consult with your employees - and act on their needs

The best way to design effective support is by asking your working parents directly: 

• What barriers have they experienced? 
• What would help them manage work and home life better?
• What support was missing during their return from parental leave? 

Listening and responding shows employees their experiences matter - and often highlights issues you may not have considered. 

You might uncover ideas like: 

• Adjusting workloads post-return. 
• Providing return-to-work training. 
• Offering role models or mentoring. 
• Clarifying shared parental leave policies. 

Embrace flexible working arrangements

Flexible working is now a non-negotiable for many professionals - especially working parents who are likely to find this flexibility hugely beneficial. Employers that normalise flexibility attract more diverse talent and improve retention. 

Ways to embrace flexibility include:

• Offering flexible working hours, including staggered start and end times, compressed schedules, or working hours being split over more days.
• Providing more opportunities to work from home, as long as this does not interfere with the job role.
• Discussing the option of reduced workloads, non-working days, and reshuffled internal deadlines with staff who could benefit from this.
• Providing support and/or equipment to help them set up an effective out-of-office workstation in their home.
• Autonomy in setting schedules where possible. 

Taking these steps will help your business to accommodate the changing needs and expectations of new and existing talent.

Provide meaningful support during parental leave transitions 

Supporting new parents effectively during leave - and especially during their return - is essential to their confidence, retention and career progression. 

Best practices include: 

• Planning structured handovers before leave. 
• Asking each individual how much contact they want while away, 
• Providing phased return options or flexible re-onboarding. 
• Offering virtual training and check-ins during reintegration. 

At Sellick Partnership, our solution is to agree upfront what each expectant parent would like to be kept informed of while they are away, providing clarity and ensuring that staff remain in control of their own work-life balance.

Upon their return, providing training, catch-up and re-onboarding sessions can help to get employees back up to speed after their leave has ended, ensuring they are able to resume their careers with minimal disruption.

Go beyond the basics: offer additional practical support 

While flexibility is crucial, many organisations are also investing in direct support to make working life easier for parents. Examples include: 

• Childcare assistance (e.g. vouchers, third-party providers, onsite creches). 
• Enhanced parental leave beyond statutory requirements. 
• Additional pension contributions for part-time staff. 
• Access to wellbeing or coaching services for parents. 

Even small initiatives can make a big difference - particularly when they're clearly communicated and easily accessed. 

Create an open culture around personal support and mental wellbeing

The purpose of these policy changes is to create a culture within your organisation that feels welcoming and accommodating for working mothers and fathers. Actions speak louder than words in this regard - but it is important to remember that words still have an important part to play.

Across all of your company communications, you should try to let employees know that these support measures are open to anyone who needs them, with zero stigma attached. Beyond this, you can take small actions that make a big difference to how parenthood is perceived within the organisation, such as letting them know it is fine to take a few minutes out of a meeting if they need to look after their child, take a call from nursery/school, or leave the office and pick them up if they're unwell. 

You should also try to go the extra mile to ensure that working parents feel you are there to support them when they are having difficulties. Proactively foster open discussions about mental health and wellbeing, where staff are encouraged to confide in their managers if they are experiencing problems, and make an effort to direct individuals who need help to the appropriate channels for support, whether this is inside or outside the company.

By taking these steps, you will be able to create a workplace culture that goes beyond merely being accommodating or pragmatic and instead feels genuinely supportive of the needs of working families.

Embed cultural change around parenthood and progression

For real impact, policies must be backed by cultural change. That means: 

• Valuing the contributions of parents at every level. 
• Encouraging managers to talk openly about family responsibilities. 
• Celebrating parenting as a strength, not a limitation. 
• Promotion leaders who model healthy work-life boundaries. 

Support should be personalised wherever possible. One example is giving staff monthly personal development time, encouraging them to pursue growth in a way that fits their schedule. 

Encourage peer support and mentorship

Creating internal support networks can be just as powerful as policy changes. Consider: 

• Launching parent networks or communities. 
• Encouraging mentorship from senior leaders who are parents. 
• Facilitating informal coffee chats or support groups. 

These initiatives foster belonging, reduce isolation, and help parents navigate challenges with confidence. 

Recognise the strengths that parents bring

Parents often develop key business skills through parenting - such as:

• Prioritisation and time management. 
• Emotional intelligence and communication. 
• Problem-solving and resilience. 

Instead of penalising career breaks, organisations should actively recognise the value parents bring and support them to apply those strengths in senior roles. 

The business case for supporting parents

Creating a parent-friendly workplace isn’t just the right thing to do - it makes business sense. According to a 2020 Great Place to Work report:

• Companies that support working parents see higher innovation and retention.

• Employees are 20x more likely to stay if their personal needs are met.

• Parental support contributes to closing the gender pay gap.

It’s a clear win-win: empowered parents perform better, stay longer, and help you build a more diverse leadership pipeline.

Get in touch with Sellick Partnership

Supporting working parents requires more than ticking the policy box - it’s about embedding flexibility, fairness, and compassion into your culture.

By taking proactive, personalised steps to remove barriers and promote progression, your organisation can attract and retain top talent - while building a more inclusive, equitable future of work.

If you need help building a family-friendly recruitment strategy, get in touch with us today to find out how we can help you attract, support and retain diverse talent across your organisation.