As workers feel forced to choose between their family and their career, unmet caregiving needs are an increasing risk to organizational stability.
By Priya Krishnan
For millions of working parents, the pursuit of career success increasingly comes at the cost of family well-being. The latest findings from the Bright Horizons’ Modern Family Index (MFI) survey conducted by The Harris Poll revealed a troubling reality: 79% of working parents feel forced to choose between making sacrifices at home or in the workplace. This isn’t just a personal dilemma; it’s a systemic issue with far-reaching implications for workforce stability and economic growth.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, both parents are employed in 67% of married couples with children under 18. Yet, according to the MFI, despite this prevalence, 80% of working parents say the workforce still hasn’t adapted to reflect the caregiving needs of modern families. The unintended consequence of this is a growing number of parents are quietly struggling, often hiding their family responsibilities to avoid professional judgment. In fact, 62% admit they’re cautious about discussing their children at work, up sharply from 45% in early 2024.
Employees are reporting unprecedented levels of stress, and the clash between caregiving responsibilities and career demands is taking a measurable toll, from missed deadlines and absenteeism to elevated turnover rates. A poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that 38% of mothers of school-age children have missed work due to pickup and drop-off demands.
Unmet caregiving needs are an increasing risk to organizational stability. HR leaders are navigating a perfect storm: rising benefit costs, increasingly complex employee care demands, and growing expectations for flexible support.
Providing access and financial support for childcare is no longer a “nice-to-have” perk. It has evolved into a strategic business priority, directly tied to productivity, engagement, and retention. Among parents who rely on care, 94% say it’s essential to their success at work, and 78% report that the reliability of their childcare directly impacts their career trajectory. Without it, parents face missed workdays, reduced hours, and even stalled career advancement. More than half (58%) have considered stepping away from their careers entirely due to care access issues.
The financial consequences are equally stark. Sixty-one percent of working parents say a lack of childcare has affected their family’s financial stability. This isn’t just about missed paychecks. It’s about long-term security for their family, retirement planning, and the ability to invest in their children’s futures.
Recent data from the University of Kansas underscores the urgency: More than 400,000 women left the U.S. workforce in the first half of 2025 due to childcare challenges, the steepest decline in over 40 years for mothers of young children.
CHRO Jenny Gulseth of Allianz recently commented, “I think childcare can help support the career trajectories of both moms and dads, but especially for women in the workforce who bear a huge opportunity to find the childcare needs for their family. So, we want to continue to enable women in the workforce and women in leadership especially.”
Companies like Walmart, Toyota, Jackson Healthcare, and Podium to name a few have shown they understand the needs of working parents and offer crucial access to childcare and financial support for their working parent employees.
“We want our associates to feel supported, both at work and at home, because we know that when our workforce feels supported at home, they can come to work and be their full selves,” says Megan Klosterman, senior manager of childcare programs at Walmart. “In addition to an on-site childcare facility being the most requested amenity, we also listened to them talk about what was important to include in that amenity.”
Working parents who have access to these supports express how vital they are to keeping them in the workforce. Marina Sermershein, mom and manager of packaging engineering at doTerra says, “Well honestly, if I didn’t have this (childcare) option, I wouldn’t be able to work. I love my job, so in order to do my job, I need this kind of access. And with it, I’m able to come to work every day. Without it, I wouldn’t be able to work at this company or anywhere, because I don’t have other options available to me.”
Working parents are the backbone of our economy. If we want a thriving, sustainable workforce, employers must recognize that supporting their employees’ caregiving needs isn’t just a benefit, it’s a necessity. Organizations large and small have the opportunity to step in to provide that help. By investing in reliable childcare solutions, flexible work policies, and supportive cultures, they can empower parents to thrive both at home and in the workplace. This can lead to greater employee retention, stronger workplace morale, and a more resilient economy.
Priya Krishnan is chief digital and transformation officer of Bright Horizons.
