UK employers face a growing retention and productivity challenge as working parents and carers struggle with rising care demands, ongoing economic pressure and workplace cultures that have failed to recognise the situation many families find themselves in.
This was the key finding from the latest Modern Families Index 2026, from Bright Horizons, based on responses from 3,000 working parents and carers.
It warned this “perfect storm” was pushing many employees to reconsider their jobs.
Over all more than two-fifths (43 per cent) of sandwich carers — those juggling both childcare and eldercare — said they are actively thinking about leaving their role due to these pressures.
The report highlights the hidden impact on absence, with one in five employees (21 per cent) admitting they used sick leave last year to cover care emergencies. On average, working parents took 4.2 days off for childcare issues, while carers took 4.1 days to manage eldercare.
Stress is also emerging as a significant productivity issue. Almost three in 10 working parents (29 per cent) reported very high stress levels, rising to 39 per cent among mothers balancing childcare and eldercare. Of those experiencing high stress, 77 per cent said it sometimes makes it hard to function at work.
The report found a stark gender gap, with mothers 50 per cent more likely than men to say having children has harmed their career. Nearly half (48 per cent) of mothers caring for both children and ageing relatives reported a negative career impact, compared with 38 per cent of fathers.
While many employers have invested in hybrid and flexible working, the research suggests this alone may not be enough. Stress levels remained high even among employees attending the workplace just one day a week, with 37 per cent saying their working arrangements made it harder to switch off.
Confidence in employer support has also stalled, with only 63 per cent of employees feeling comfortable discussing family responsibilities at work, falling to 59 per cent among those expecting a child.
Chris Locke, executive director of Work + Family Solutions at Bright Horizons says: “This year’s findings underline is that care pressure is no longer a personal issue playing out quietly in the background.
“It is becoming a structural challenge for employers, with clear implications for productivity, retention and workforce stability. When people are repeatedly forced to cover care breakdowns through sick leave, annual leave or reduced hours, the cost to organisations quickly adds up.”
He adds: “Many employers have made progress on flexibility, but this data shows that flexibility alone is not enough. Care does not fail on a schedule, and without agile practical support in place, stress, absence and disengagement may continue to rise even in hybrid workplaces
“Organisations that are better placed to navigate 2026 will be those that recognise care supports as a core part of workforce resilience and invest in support that works for their employees in real time.”
