Team discussing work at a meeting, representing leadership decisions and flexible working for working parents. — *A team in discussion during a workplace meeting, reflecting how leadership decisions and communication shape flexible working experiences for working parents.*

Flexible working has become a core part of how organisations support working parents. Flexible hours, hybrid working and part-time arrangements are now widely recognised as essential for retaining talent and supporting wellbeing.

However, flexibility on its own does not always create sustainable working conditions for parents.

In many organisations, flexibility exists in principle, but parents continue to experience uncertainty, pressure and hidden strain in practice. This is not usually due to poor intent, but because flexibility is not always supported by clear expectations, consistent communication and thoughtful leadership.

The limits of flexible working without structure

When flexibility is offered without clarity, parents are often left to interpret what is expected of them. Meetings may be scheduled outside agreed working hours. Emails arrive late in the day without guidance on response expectations. Deadlines are set without discussion of capacity.

For part-time working parents, this can be particularly challenging. Meetings, team days or away days may be organised on non-working days without consultation. Even when this is unintentional, it can create confusion and additional pressure.

Parents then carry the burden of problem-solving quietly, rearranging childcare, negotiating support at home or absorbing disruption so work can continue smoothly.

Working parent focused at a desk during the workday, illustrating the need for structure and clarity alongside flexible working. — *A working parent concentrating at their desk during the workday, reflecting the mental load and focus required when flexible working lacks clear structure and expectations.*

Why this matters for working parents

Working parents are already managing a complex balance between work and family life. School hours are fixed. Childcare arrangements are often carefully planned and difficult to change at short notice.

When flexibility lacks clarity or consideration, parents expend energy navigating uncertainty rather than focusing on their work. Over time, this can affect confidence, wellbeing and engagement.

What often appears as resilience is actually quiet over-compensation.

What sustainable support really looks like

Sustainable support for working parents is not about removing expectations or lowering standards. It is about designing work intentionally.

This includes:

clear expectations around working hours and response times
agreement on which meetings genuinely require live attendance
outcome-focused performance measures rather than assumptions about availability
managers pausing before decisions that impact working patterns
communication that reflects awareness of different schedules

These practices reduce cognitive and logistical load for parents and support consistency across teams.

Why clarity and consideration benefit organisations

Clear and thoughtful ways of working do not only benefit parents. They support managers, teams and organisations as a whole.

Managers are able to lead with confidence rather than caution. Teams experience greater fairness and transparency. HR teams spend less time responding to preventable issues and more time focusing on long-term retention and wellbeing.

When parents feel supported in practice, not just in policy, they are more likely to stay, perform well and remain engaged over time.

Flexibility is the starting point, not the solution

Flexible working is an important foundation, but it is not a complete strategy.

Organisations that want work to be sustainable for parents need to move beyond flexibility alone and focus on how work is structured, communicated and led on a day-to-day basis.

This is where meaningful, lasting change happens.

How ParentWorks supports working parents and organisations

ParentWorks works with organisations to support working parents and the leaders who manage them. Through tailored one-to-one coaching, parents gain clarity, confidence and practical support, while managers develop the skills and awareness needed to lead sustainably.

If you are an HR or people leader looking to strengthen how your organisation supports working parents, get in touch with me, Rebecca, at hello@parent-works.com.