What do we REALLY think about balancing family, work and wellbeing?

Hi there,

At the end of last year we conducted a deep dive into the realities of balancing work, family, and wellbeing, gathering insights from over 600 professionals across various industries. The results were eye-opening, revealing the challenges, fears, and barriers many face in today’s workplaces. Here’s a snapshot of?what we discovered:

Family Leave: A Missed Opportunity

• Lack of Re-onboarding Plans: Only 12% of respondents had a clear re-onboarding plan after family leave. Many shared frustrations like, “There was no structure to my return to work, with very little engagement or insight on how my role had changed.”
• Career Concerns: A staggering 80% are worried about how becoming a parent will impact their careers. Some went part-time, only to feel it hindered their progression.? ?This was a concern shared by both men and women.?
• Fear as a Barrier: One respondent captured it perfectly:

“Fear is the biggest barrier—fear of failing at work or at home if we take on bigger challenges.”

Mental Load and Career Progression

• The Biggest Barrier? Mental Load: 46% said mental load, the invisible work of managing home and family. is the top obstacle to career advancement.
• Equality in Sharing? Not Quite: Only 14% believe mental load is shared equally between men and women, highlighting the ongoing imbalance.
• Part-time Progression: Just 15% feel that part-time employees are given equal opportunities to progress. One respondent reflected:

“Having established myself as a hard worker early in my career, I was denied flexibility when I needed it most.”

Balancing Work, Family, and Wellbeing

• A Tough Balancing Act: On a scale of 1-10, people rated their ability to balance work, family, and wellbeing at just 5.1.
• Caring Responsibilities Add Pressure: Over a third (34%) have additional caring responsibilities, and more than half (54%) of carers have considered leaving work due to the strain.
• Emotional Toll: One carer shared:

“It’s hell. I’m a single parent with zero support. Being remote has helped, but I’m on the verge of a breakdown.”

• Workplace Stress: 53% of carers feel their career has been negatively impacted, with some even stepping down from managerial roles due to unsustainable stress levels.

Driving Equality: Are We Getting There?

• Mixed Confidence: Only 47% believe there’s a genuine desire to drive equality at senior levels within their organisation.? The rest believed it was a 'tick box' exercise.
• Workplace Culture Concerns: Many highlighted inflexibility as a barrier:

“My employer’s push for more office days is having a huge impact .... Work is?becoming so stressful it has directly affected my ability to maintain my managerial position and I’ve had to opt for a demotion to stay working".

What’s Next?

These insights underline the need for meaningful changes in policies and practices. Employers need to:

1. Implement Re-onboarding Plans: Provide clear structures to support employees returning from family leave.
2. Promote Flexibility: Recognise the value of flexible work arrangements for everyone. Over 75% of the workforce has caring responsibilities. Yet asking for flexibility is still seen as a 'career killer'.
3. Create Equal Opportunities: Ensure part-time and remote workers have the same career progression opportunities.
4. Get serious about driving Equality: reduce the impact of the Motherhood Penalty by encouraging more men to use their leave entitlements and to 'parent out loud'.?

And for all of us, we need to remember -?Equality Begins at Home

These findings make one thing clear: equality starts long before we step into the workplace. It begins in our homes, in how we share responsibilities, and in recognising the mental load carried disproportionately by some. Without addressing this, we can’t expect to see real progress at work or in society at large.

The findings may feel heavy, but they’re a crucial step towards creating workplaces where everyone can thrive. Let’s use this knowledge to keep pushing for change -?together.

If you'd like to find out how we do that, please DM us or get in touch at [email protected] to set up an informal chat with co-founder Michelle.?

Until next time,

The Platform55 Team