A study of over 1,000 working parents by IWG, the world's largest provider of flexible workplaces, found that 61% of parents find school holidays particularly stressful due to juggling childcare and work commitments*, while the 63% state that their work life is significantly affected by the family routine during the holidays.
This results in a reduction in their productivity during the summer, with 42% of parents reducing their working hours and 49% using their annual leave to care for children.
Over three-quarters of parents (78%) say they would use workplaces close to home to reduce stress if employers provided better access to them, giving them more choice in when and where they work. This is particularly important for younger parents, with 92% of parents aged 35 and under saying they would use a workplace close to home if they could.
The increased costs
The significant costs associated with childcare mean that 49% of parents are forced to use their annual leave to look after their children during the holidays. This results in over one in ten (12%) parents using up all their annual childcare leave and one in twenty (6%) having to take unpaid leave to manage their responsibilities.
The stress of the summer holidays is taking its toll on families, with almost a quarter of parents (23%) reporting family arguments over childcare and one in five (19%) facing accusations from their children about working during of the holidays.
In addition, mothers (27%) suffered more from childcare stress during the holiday season and were twice as likely to feel that their children disliked them because of the pressure of their work and personal lives, compared to fathers (14%).
However, parents say hybrid work is effective
The exponential growth of hybrid working in recent years has transformed the way businesses operate, with a recent IWG study highlighting that 74% of CEOs no longer consider mandated office work for all staff a priority.
A recent IWG study highlights that hybrid working has significantly improved work-life balance for women, with 89% reporting positive results thanks to the flexibility it offers.
Business leaders' support for hybrid work is starting to pay off. Compared to 2023 data, there has been an 8% reduction in family disputes over childcare and, although the numbers are still high, there has been a 6% reduction in parents using up their annual leave to care their children.
