Parental comeback: The shift from playtime to worktime

Key insights

• In Germany, 35% of women change employers after parental leave, while in the UK, only 11% do so.
• 26% of women find themselves in less challenging roles after parental leave, with the majority reducing their working hours.
• The impact is lasting: more than every second person changes their career aspirations because of children.
• 65% of respondents would be willing to make financial sacrifices for an employer that is exceptionally family-friendly.
• In the face of labor shortages and changing demographics, it is vital to maintain parents' work capacity. Employers can attract and retain talent by adopting family-friendly support options.

Job and company changes after parental leave

Official German labor market statistics show that the participation of women under 45 in the workforce varies significantly depending on whether they have children, with mothers being underrepresented. On the other hand, men with children consistently have higher employment rates compared to men without children. While these official statistics provide a broad overview, they lack the granularity needed to fully understand how parenthood impacts the working life. This also raises important questions about how employees becoming parents might directly affect individual employers and parents themselves - a concern underscored by the results of our recent surveys.

In Germany, more than a third of women (35%) leave their employer after parental leave, and only 48% return to their previous roles. Additionally, 17% choose to stay but shift to different positions. In the UK, the scenario appears somewhat more favorable, with only 11% of women leaving their companies after parental leave. Notably, 71% return to their previous roles with the same employer, and still, 18% choose to remain with the company. However, there is still room for improvement in supporting parent’s return to the workplace in both Germany and the UK.

Poor person-job-fit after parental leave

Most women express a common desire: to seamlessly resume their careers, regardless of their parental status. However, one out of four women find themselves in less challenging roles upon return, leading to a sense of mismatch in their jobs. This inadequate person-job fit negatively impacts productivity and work performance — an aspect employers should undoubtedly take a keen interest in. It is not just individual productivity that is affected: The reduction in working hours post-parental leave not only affects individual productivity but also diminishes overall work performance, creating the illusion of successfully increasing the labor force participation of mothers. Parenthood also appears to have a lasting effect on career aspirations: 49% of German parents and 65% of British parents state that their career aspirations have completely changed or been postponed, expressing concerns that they may no longer be achievable.

Child care responsibilities and the reduction of working hours

A significant 74% of German mothers and 73% of British mothers reduce their working hours upon returning to work. Similarly, 17% of German fathers and 64% of British fathers reduce their working hours. The main reason for this: Child care responsibilities. Yet, 66% of individuals who have reduced their working hours wish to work more, either in full-time (35-40 hours per week) or near-full-time (30-35 hours per week), provided that their child care is secured. However, it is a complex issue that requires consideration of a multitude of factors, including societal gender roles, legal regulations regarding parental leave in the respective countries, and the organization as well as capacity of child care. In times of labor shortages, the trend should shift away from mandating parents to take part-time work to ensure child care. This requires changes in the organization of child care at a political level, as well as the development of family-friendly support options within the workplace.

Current support for mothers after parental leave

Following parental leave, 42% of women in Germany feel they received no support when reentering the workforce. In the UK, the situation is slightly better but still not sufficient, with every third woman (30%) lacking support after parental leave. When women do receive assistance, it is predominantly in the form of flexible working hours and remote work options. Following flexible work arrangements, only 10% of German mothers mentioned regular meetings and check-ins with their managers, and 8% cited opportunities for further skill development. In the UK, these figures are a bit more promising, standing at 19% and 15%, respectively.

The opportunity of embracing family-friendly initiatives

65% of German respondents are willing to make financial sacrifices if their employer excels in family-friendly support initiatives. Additionally, the respondents specified the types of measures that would be most beneficial in increasing family-friendliness.

About the study

This article is based on two studies conducted by The Stepstone Group, focusing on the experience of parents after parental leave in the UK (by Totaljobs) and Germany (by Stepstone). In the UK study, 3,000 parents with children under 4 years old participated in June 2023. In Germany, approx. 2,000 parents with children under 10 years old participated from late September to mid-October 2023. The German study is part of a larger research project called "Working Parents & Beyond," involving 12,000 participants. This project examines the balance between professional demands and work-life dynamics for 6,000 parents, as well as 6,000 individuals without children. Both the UK and German study are representative of their respective working populations.

While this article focuses on the different experiences of women and men at work after their parental leave, our study surveys the experience of parents of all genders and regardless of their family structures. The Stepstone Group acknowledges and celebrates all families.