REWARD INSIGHT
Kirstie Axtens, head of employer services at Working Families, looks at the findings of the 2017 Modern Families Index and the implications for employers It’s in the balance
T he Modern Families Index (http:// bit.ly/2m6gaI6), which was published by Working Families (www. workingfamilies.org.uk) and Bright Horizons in January, is the most comprehensive annual survey of how working families manage the balance between work and family life in the UK. The study provides a snapshot into the lives of working fathers and mothers across the UK. Employers who want to recruit and retain the best employees can learn a lot from the findings. Only one in five families says they have got the right balance between time (to spend with family) and money (earning or having enough income) to see their family thrive, with over a third saying they haven’t got enough time or money. The study reveals that modern fathers are now increasingly involved in childcare. There is a clear pattern emerging of fathers wanting to take an active part in childcare and of workplaces failing to adapt and support their aspirations. Fathers are considering stalling or side-lining their careers to find roles they can better combine with family life. A quarter of fathers who took part in the study drop their children at school or nursery every day; and just over a quarter (26%) collect them more than half the time. For nearly one fifth, their employer is, at best, unsympathetic about childcare, expecting no disruption to work. At worst, fathers say they wouldn’t even tell their employer they had childcare problems – for fear of being viewed negatively. Seven out of ten fathers who took part
in the survey work flexibly to fulfil their caring responsibilities. However, even for half of these fathers who work flexibly, this is not always a solution; flexible working can still mean long hours which results in stress. A third of fathers feel burnt out regularly, and one in five are doing extra hours in the evening or weekends all the time. Fathers told us they’re working extra hours because this is the only way to deal with their workload and that being seen to do long hours is important where they work. ...working extra hours because this is the only way to deal with their workload and that being seen to do long hours is important... The Index found that seven out of ten fathers would consider their childcare needs before taking a new job or a promotion. Nearly half of working fathers (47%) want to downshift into a less stressful job because they can’t balance the demands of work and family life; and over a third would be willing to take a pay cut to achieve a better work life balance. Employers need to be aware that fathers will be less engaged if they are not supported with their family commitments.
There is a risk that retention of good staff will decrease if employees cannot balance their work and home commitments. Organisations need to adapt to fathers’ new level of engagement in family life and develop a workplace culture which recognises their childcare needs. Employers need to reassess the cultural expectations in the workplace so that fathers feel that they can be open about their childcare needs. Organisations who offer good childcare solutions (the Employers Guide to Childcare is a good starting point) will benefit from a wider talent pool which includes parents who place a high value on support with their family needs. Employers need to think more carefully about job design and what the role really requires – to be realistic about what can be done in the hours available – as well as the potential for flexibility. Twice the number of fathers compared to mothers who took part in the study believe that flexible workers are viewed as less committed and that working flexibly will have a negative impact on their career. Employers should take note of other key findings from the Index: ● one in five parents working full time is putting in five extra weeks a year – the equivalent of their annual holiday allowance – in unpaid work, just to keep up with the demands of the job ● almost half (48%) said working hours regularly got in the way of spending time with their children, and a third said that work had a negative effect on their relationship with their partner, and a quarter said it led to rows with their children. n
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| Professional in Payroll, Pensions and Reward | April 2017 | Issue 29
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