Three-quarters (76%) of UK employees with children under the age of seven years are worried about balancing childcare and work during the summer holidays, according to research by International Workplace Group (IWG).
Its IWG hybrid working productivity report, which surveyed 1,011 employees, also found that while 58% of respondents feel stressed about arranging childcare ahead of the summer holidays, 72% said they would utilise a local workspace or nearby office closer to home to reduce this stress. The majority (90%) of respondents with children under the age of three would use a local workspace if they were able to do so.
The stress is disproportionately felt by mothers, who were nearly twice as likely to say they find the holidays very stressful (24%), compared to their male counterparts (14%). Two-fifths (41%) said more flexibility over their working patterns would help reduce their stress levels.
A third (33%) of those impacted by reduced flexible-working policies said they will have to take additional annual leave, and 29% said it causes an imbalance of childcare responsibilities in their households. Those impacted are preparing to spend an additional £675 this summer on childcare.
To combat this, 54% are using their annual leave to look after their children, 10% are planning to use all of their annual leave, and 6% are set to take unpaid leave for parts of the summer. A third (36%) will reduce their working hours, while 21% log on early in the mornings or late at night to make up for time spent on childcare during the day.
Mark Dixon, chief executive officer at IWG, said: “Our research shows that parents are saying workplace flexibility can alleviate much of this pressure and we’re seeing a strong demand for local workspaces that can provide parents with the flexibility and convenience they need during the longer summer break.”
Fatima Konig, chief commercial officer at IWG, added: “Workplace flexibility not only supports the wellbeing of families but also contributes to the overall mental health and job satisfaction of employees. By accommodating the needs of working parents through better access to a range of places to work, particularly local workspaces during these peak times, employers can foster a more supportive and productive work environment and, in turn, drive productivity and talent retention.”
