Sometimes it is not helpful or possible to centrally prescribe how line managers should respond to different needs of parents (for example how to deal with emergency childcare issues). It is more useful to have clear values and parameters in which line managers and parents can find the best ways of working for them. It is important to have a culture where employees feel able to talk about their needs, and line managers feel able and empowered to respond.

In large organisations there may be a need for training, information and support for line managers to ensure that there are fair and consistent approaches to employee requests so that the flexibility and support offered to employees is not dependent on the style or preferences of their line manager.

To understand if line managers can play their role in creating a family-friendly workplace, you can think about:

• Do line managers have the skills and understanding to respond to a parent’s needs?
• Do they understand an employee’s statutory rights and organisational policies?
• Are they trained in good practice in line management, diversity and inclusion?
• Do line managers have the opportunity to respond to parents’ needs?
• Do policies and systems provide line managers with the flexibility and capacity to support employees?
• Do they have the ability to give feedback if organisational processes, policies and systems need to change to accommodate staff?

All the training and protocols will be ineffective if managers are not motivated and supported to respond to parents’ needs. The cultural environment needs to clearly support a culture which is able to adapt to an employee’s individual needs.

• Do managers know that employee wellbeing is an important company metric?
• Do managers understand the case for being family-friendly?
• Is it in line with organisational values and priorities? Are they supported and encouraged to be family friendly?