Global Working Parents Report

Working parents today encounter a distinct set of pressures

Parents in employment worldwide still struggle to juggle workplace duties with childcare. Against a backdrop of return-to-office directives, rising inflation and higher living costs, the financial and emotional weight of childcare has intensified.

Remote carried out a worldwide survey of 13,850 working parents in 13 regions — the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, Spain, Finland, Belgium, Singapore, Australia, Hong Kong, and South Korea — to map the particular challenges they experience at work and to determine how employers globally can improve the support they offer. Every respondent held a white collar "desk job" and had at least one child under five years old. Respondents in each region were evenly divided between fully remote, hybrid and in-office working arrangements.

Findings on global parental leave policy

Our analysis exposes large differences in how working arrangements — fully remote, hybrid or entirely office-based — affect household finances, career choices and overall work–life balance across regions. It also highlights where employers and local communities can make the most meaningful changes to help parents thrive at work.

Analysis of working parents in Belgium

Belgian parents increasingly want flexible hours, yet our survey shows employers are slow to adapt. As many Belgian firms expand their workforce, the lack of remote-work support remains a deterrent for parents seeking a sustainable work–family balance.

Remote’s survey of 617 Belgian working parents found that 71% would contemplate leaving their role if options for remote working were tightened. This emphasises the urgent requirement for more flexible workplace policies to help parents juggle their professional and family responsibilities.

The survey reveals the financial and practical pressures on Belgian parents. On average, they spend around 700 euros per week on childcare, covering daycare, transport and babysitting. This amount is considerably higher than in neighbouring France, where the average is 492 euros per week.

Main findings include:

• Effect of return-to-office measures: 73% of parents have contemplated leaving their job, or have urged their partner to do so, because of the strain of juggling childcare while working.

• Unfavourable workplace responses: More than two-thirds (77%) of parents reported receiving adverse feedback or being reprimanded for taking unplanned time off to care for a sick child or because their daycare closed.

• Pursuing a better balance: 82% of parents are considering reducing their working hours to better balance family time, childcare costs and employment.

These results underline the immediate necessity for stronger work–life balance measures to assist Belgian working parents. Only 26% of respondents are fully satisfied with their current childcare arrangements, emphasising the demand for more flexible working options.

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Analysis of working parents in Finland

As Finnish firms contend with a persistent skilled labour shortage, enhanced support for working parents might help. Remote’s survey of 601 Finnish parents shows many feel strained by the demands of juggling work and family life.

A majority (80%) said they have felt guilty or anxious when asking for time off to care for children. In many instances this is justified: 55% feel they have faced discrimination or been overlooked for promotion because they are working parents.

Other noteworthy findings are:

• Increased costs and pay cuts: 75% of parents have accepted pay reductions or shortened their hours because childcare is unavailable. An equal percentage say that extra days in the office would raise their expenses.

• Workplace discrimination: 55% of parents report feeling discriminated against or passed over for promotion, and 74% have been given negative feedback after taking unplanned time off to care for their children.

• Negative impact of return-to-office policies: 77% of parents reported that employer-imposed post-COVID return-to-office measures have affected them adversely, with over 70% saying they would consider leaving their jobs if required to spend more days in the office.

Despite these pressures, 87% acknowledge employer support for flexible working, which is vital for managing childcare. The survey also shows strong demand for better legislation, with 82% calling for improved laws to help working parents.

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Analysis of working parents in France

Despite government efforts to aid working parents, many in France still grapple with high childcare expenses and rigid workplace policies. Remote’s survey of 1,002 working mums and dads highlights the changes needed to help them balance work and family life. Childcare costs are a significant concern: French parents spend on average €493 per week on daycare, travel and babysitting. This forces many households into difficult financial choices; 74% said they had cut essential spending such as healthcare, groceries and utilities to afford childcare. Furthermore, 80% believe that more in-office work would further increase their childcare costs.

Other significant findings include:

• How workplace policies affect family life: 71% of parents report they have been adversely affected by mandatory return-to-office requirements. Almost as many parents (70.5%) say they have urged their partner to leave their job to manage childcare, and 64.5% have themselves contemplated resigning.

• Demand for flexible arrangements and concerns about discrimination: 73% of parents have put flexible working requests to their employers. Furthermore, over half of parents report feeling discriminated against or passed over for promotion because of their parental status.

The survey also finds widespread support for stronger legal protections: 86% want more comprehensive laws for working parents, and 81% expect the government to do more to fund childcare providers and increase subsidised options.

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Germany: analysis of working parents

Although debates and political measures continue over the role of part-time and flexible working models to address the country’s skills shortage, many German parents encounter a contrasting reality. Remote’s survey of 1,507 German parents underlines the need for increased support. ‘Fake flexibility’ persists

The survey shows that while 84% feel their employer supports flexible working in principle, closer inspection reveals major shortfalls:

• 71% of German parents say they have encountered 'fake flexibility' from employers, such as assurances of remote working or flexible hours that did not materialise.

• 79% said they had been passed over for promotions or opportunities at work because they are working parents.

• 76% reported adverse effects from return-to-office policies, and 92% would consider changing jobs if obliged to return to the office more often.

• 76% reported feeling guilty or anxious when requesting time off for childcare needs.

• 69% said they had been reprimanded or received negative feedback for taking unplanned time off to care for a sick child or because of daycare closures.

Additionally, 70% of respondents have encouraged their partner to quit or reduce hours due to childcare challenges, and 76% have accepted a pay cut or reduced their working hours for the same reason.

Flexibility has become parents’ top priority

Parents told us that flexibility now ranks highest when choosing where to work:

• Flexible working hours (35%)

• Job security (28%)

• Pay (28%)

• Childcare services/stipend (26.4%)

• Remote working policies (26.1%)

Government and policy priorities

Although childcare after 12 months has recently been guaranteed in some reforms, many parents still find it hard to secure suitable places. In the survey 70% encouraged their partner to quit, 76% accepted pay cuts or reduced hours and 78% want the government to enhance support for childcare facilities with more places and better provisions. Additionally, 83% want laws that better enable flexible working for parents.

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Analysis of working parents in Hong Kong

Remote’s survey of 1,002 Hong Kong working parents highlights the strong demand for flexible working arrangements to combine employment and parenting. The findings show that hybrid and remote options are often valued more highly than career prospects or even a 10% salary increase. Key findings include:

Support for flexible work A substantial 86% of working parents agree that fully remote work benefits their mental health the most, and 74% say hybrid arrangements also have a positive effect. However, nearly 87% feel they are offered 'fake flexibility' despite workplace policies that claim to be flexible. More than 43% worry that requesting flexible working could risk their job, highlighting the need for better implementation and acceptance by employers. More than 43% of working parents feel anxious that requesting flexible work arrangements could lead to job loss, underscoring the need for better implementation and acceptance of flexible work policies by employers.

Challenges in implementation:Implementation challenges:Although 42.1% of respondents say their employers have introduced flexible working arrangements, 88.9% report feeling passed over for promotions or other opportunities because they are working parents. A further 87.6% have considered leaving their roles owing to the absence of affordable childcare during working hours.

How it affects career choices: The financial and emotional strain of childcare is apparent: 88.8% of respondents say they have accepted a pay cut or reduced their working hours because affordable childcare is unavailable. Moreover, 87% of working parents report feeling guilty and anxious when they request time off to look after their children.

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Analysis of working parents in the Netherlands

Although many Dutch firms are actively recruiting, Remote’s survey of 1,007 shows parents struggle to participate fully in the labour market. Over 71% would consider leaving their job if remote options became more limited, and nearly 19% encountered pushback when requesting flexible hours. Seventy-six per cent are thinking about reducing hours to balance family time, childcare costs and employment.

As elsewhere, childcare expenses are a major concern for Dutch parents, with average spending reaching €723 per week — considerably higher than countries such as France, where the average is €492 per week.

Other principal findings from the survey are:

• Effect of return-to-office policies: Heightened pressure from return-to-office policies led 65% of working parents to consider resigning or to encourage their partner to do the same.

• Adverse feedback at work: 68% of parents said they had received negative feedback or been reprimanded for taking unplanned time off to care for a sick child or because childcare centres were closed.

Only 28% are fully satisfied with their childcare arrangements; most parents want improvements. Flexible working ranks second only to salary when choosing a job, with men placing more emphasis on job security and commute times, while women prioritise flexibility.

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Singapore: analysis of working parents

Remote’s survey of 1,000 working parents in Singapore highlights how flexible work arrangements shape family planning and work–life balance. With Singapore’s persistently low birth rate becoming a national issue, 89.7% of working parents indicate that having access to flexible working would make them more likely to have further children. With the Government set to roll out the Tripartite Guidelines for Flexible Work Arrangements (FWAs) before year-end, employers have a pivotal role to play in helping parents and lifting the birth rate. Key findings include:

Attitudes towards flexible working

With almost nine in 10 parents saying they would consider having another child if offered more flexible arrangements, the survey emphasises employers’ influence on family-planning choices. It also found 81% agree that flexible, remote and hybrid arrangements best support the balance between career and parenting.

Barriers to implementation

Although 56.4% said employers accepted their flexible-work requests, 82.1% feel they were offered “fake flexibility”, indicating a gap between policy and practice that requires better enforcement.

Effect on employment choices

Financial and emotional pressures from childcare have prompted 82.8% of respondents to consider leaving their jobs because affordable daytime childcare is unavailable. A further 87.3% said they had thought about quitting when required to attend the office for more days, emphasising how vital flexible working is to retain staff.

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Analysis of working parents in South Korea

In South Korea, combining career and parenting remains a major challenge. Remote’s survey of 1,005 white-collar workers highlights the pressing need for flexible working to support parents effectively.

Flexible working arrangements are essential for many South Korean parents, enabling them to balance childcare, school and other family responsibilities and are crucial for job retention.

• Survey findings show 44% of respondents stated that flexible working arrangements are essential when deciding whether to remain in their job.

• Workers based remotely reported the highest satisfaction with their work–life balance, at 65%, versus 58% among hybrid staff and just 49% for those in-office.

• Almost three in four parents (72%) said return-to-office policies have adversely affected their work–life balance, and men were slightly more likely to have changed jobs because of these policies, at 37% compared with 32% for women.

Financial pressure affects major life choices for working parents.

• A total of 58% of parents have contemplated leaving their roles because a lack of flexible working undermines childcare arrangements.

• Women are disproportionately affected, with 35% likely to cut their hours to better manage childcare, compared with 25% of men.

• Employees working remotely report the greatest ability to balance work and family without financial compromise; only 28% said they needed to change their childcare budget, compared with 45% of those working in-office.

Childcare costs remain a central consideration for working parents.

• While 36% of respondents say they work primarily to afford childcare, those working remotely cite childcare as a less dominant career driver at 30%, compared with 35% for hybrid and 40% for in-office employees, indicating that remote working may better enable managing childcare costs alongside career aims.

• A higher proportion of men (39%) than women (34%) report working mainly to meet childcare costs, which suggests mothers and fathers shoulder a similar degree of financial responsibility for childcare.

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Analysis of working parents in Spain

Remote’s survey of 1,002 Spanish working parents shows that flexible hours and remote policies now rank alongside pay as top job priorities. This shift reflects broader changes in expectations around work–life balance, with flexibility becoming essential for many.

When choosing a role, 42.42% of Spanish parents prioritise flexible hours, followed closely by pay at 41.82% and remote working policies at 25.75%. Flexibility of hours has overtaken remote location alone, indicating a preference for adaptable schedules. Flexibility is so important that 49.47% would think about leaving if in-office days increased, and 19.41% would consider resigning even without another job lined up, underscoring its centrality to their working lives.

Further findings are:

• Support for flexible working: A substantial 80.24% of Spanish employees say their employers actively back flexible working and assist with organising childcare to fit the working day. Of those on flexible schedules, 27.45% report it helps them cope better with household duties, while 27.15% say it enables them to be present for their children when needed.

• Acceptance of flexible working proposals: More than 68% of respondents have put forward requests for flexible working to their employers; however, only 43% report that those requests were accepted.

Although regulations aim to support parents, 84.23% believe national laws on flexible working should be improved. Moreover, 74.15% say that while childcare support exists, access remains difficult.

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Analysis of working parents in Sweden

As return-to-office mandates increase and calls for greater flexibility grow, Swedish working parents face significant challenges in balancing employment and family life. Remote’s survey of 602 Swedish parents emphasises the importance of flexible working conditions and the impact of inflexibility on day-to-day life.

Across the survey, 80% of parents reported accepting a pay cut or reducing their hours to better reconcile childcare with paid work, and 83% have considered cutting their hours to 80%. Although childcare costs in Sweden are relatively low, inflexible workplace policies and unfavourable employer attitudes substantially affect parents' mental health and career progression. Other principal findings:

• Impact on mental health: 80.56% report feelings of guilt or anxiety when requesting time off for childcare, and 79.40% say they have been reprimanded for taking unplanned leave to care for a sick child.

• Discrimination experiences: 71.43% of parents feel they are discriminated against or passed over for promotions because of their parental status.

• Effect of return-to-office policies: 80% report that return-to-office mandates have had a detrimental impact, with nearly 80% (79.40%) stating they were offered "fake flexibility" or misleading promises of remote work and flexible hours.

Almost 70% of respondents felt modest adjustments could improve their current arrangements, with flexible working a top priority for many parents. The survey also shows that 82.39% of parents believe stronger laws and regulations are needed to support flexible working, and 78.57% have submitted flexible working requests, the majority of which were accepted.

In countries such as Finland, France, the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, and the US, generous parental leave ranks highly among job-search priorities – between 15%–26% of respondents consider these options most important when looking for work. However, in Sweden, this option receives zero percent preference.

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Analysis of working parents in the United Kingdom

As the UK faces a growing skills gap, working parents are an underused talent pool. Remote’s survey of 1,501 mums and dads shows that despite government measures, many still encounter barriers that prevent full workforce participation.

Over two-thirds (70%) of working parents in the UK report that they have left, or are considering leaving, their job because affordable childcare is not available. Financial strain is significant: more than half say they pay over £1600 per month for childcare, which is 25% higher than the average rent in England.

Other principal findings from the survey include:

• Job dissatisfaction and sacrifices: 73% have accepted a pay cut or reduced their hours because childcare is unaffordable, and 70% have remained in an unhappy job so they can afford childcare.

• Negative workplace experiences: 63% of working parents report they have been reprimanded or received unfavourable feedback at work after taking unplanned time off because their child was ill. Three quarters of respondents said they felt guilty or anxious about taking time off for childcare needs, with working mothers (78%) more likely to feel guilty about unplanned childcare related absences than working fathers (68%).

Although the new Flexible Work Act came into force in April, false promises of flexible and remote work continue to affect parents. Sixty-five per cent reported being offered ‘fake flexibility’, which has led to unforeseen childcare costs. Return-to-office mandates are particularly worrying: 73% fear that their childcare expenses would rise further if required to attend the office more often.

Flexible working hours top the list for parents when choosing a job: 37% prioritise flexible working, 35% prioritise pay, and 25% prioritise job security.

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United States analysis of working parents

In the United States, remote and hybrid models promised improved balance for working parents. However, Remote’s survey of 2,001 parents across the country paints a more complex picture. Amid rising inflation and higher living costs, managing a career alongside young children remains challenging, even with some flexibility.

How hybrid work's promises compare with reality

The data indicates hybrid models, touted as an ideal mix of remote and office work, frequently fall short — hybrid workers often face some of the toughest pressures.

• Hybrid workers register the greatest dissatisfaction with work-life balance at 34%, surpassing levels among in-office staff (31%) and those working remotely (29%).

• Nearly two in five hybrid workers (39.8%) report having cut their hours or accepted pay reductions because of the sharp rise in childcare costs during their working hours, compared with 31.3% of remote and 30.6% of in-office working parents.

• 21.8% of hybrid workers say they would like to work from home more often to manage childcare but find their timetables too inflexible, a figure close to the 23.2% of fully in-office workers facing the same constraints.

The financial and emotional cost of workplace ‘flexibility’

Almost one in three families now spends in excess of $900 per week on childcare while working, forcing parents into difficult decisions to cope with the financial and emotional pressures of balancing work and family life.

• 40.2% of hybrid and 38.7% of remote working parents report reducing expenditure on essentials—such as groceries, healthcare appointments and utilities—to afford childcare during their working hours, with in-office workers slightly lower at 36.4%.

• 38% of remote and 37% of hybrid working parents say they have urged their partners to leave paid work to care for children, a decision less commonly reported by in-office workers (28.8%).

• Despite assurances of flexibility, 77.9% of remote and 71.8% of hybrid working parents say they miss important family moments—for example, tucking their children into bed—on average at least three days a week because of work, higher than the 68.8% of in-office working parents who report the same.

Family planning pressures: a universal challenge

Across work types, one consistent reality emerges: being a working parent in the US is both costly and difficult.

• Nearly one in five parents across all work models have considered sending their young children to school earlier to help manage high childcare costs, underlining a shared challenge regardless of work arrangement.

• Nearly one in four parents have postponed or are rethinking plans for more children because of job demands, with the smallest impact among remote workers (22% remote vs. 25% hybrid and 27% in-office), suggesting that, despite financial pressures, remote roles may provide greater confidence in balancing career and family.

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Conclusion

The data from this wide-ranging survey emphasises the need for tailored, flexible workplace policies that reflect the varied circumstances of working parents around the world. By mapping similarities and differences across nations, Remote seeks to encourage discussion and inspire policy reforms that make workplaces more inclusive and supportive for parents globally.