Start by reviewing the benefits you currently have in place and track variations in uptake.

Compile the data you have available to understand your employee demographic (age, family status etc) and think about the objectives you want to cover with the range of benefits you offer.

Some wellbeing benefits are less accessible to working parents and some have more impact. If you have a working parent employee group, then work with them to think about the benefits which can have an impact.

Consider where there are gaps and where working parents and carers may need additional support. Think about the particular challenges of working parents and caregivers and how they can access benefits.

From pregnancy support, coaching, childcare, woman’s health, wellbeing, mental health – there are benefits which can have a real impact on the early years. For smaller businesses without access to EAPs, think about how you can signpost to support by building a directory, or create more bespoke benefits for your employees with local partners.

Flexible Working

• Flexi-time, remote/hybrid work, compressed hours, part-time options

Workplace Nursery / On-site Childcare

• On-site childcare facilities or partnerships with local nurseries

Parental Leave Coaching or Return-to-Work Support

• Coaching sessions, buddy schemes, mental health tools or phased returns

Family Health Insurance

• Private medical insurance that covers family members or dependants

Back-up or Emergency Childcare

• Access to last-minute or backup childcare solutions

Paid Family/Parental Leave Days

• Extra days off (e.g., 2–5 days annually) to manage family obligations, additional days of leave to support phased return to work

Fertility and Adoption Support

• Time off for fertility treatments, counselling, or adoption leave/pay above statutory minimums

Parenting and Wellbeing Resources

• Access to parenting webinars, helplines, mental health services, employee assistance programmes (EAPs)

School Holiday Support

• Holiday clubs or subsidies during school breaks

Also consider who has access to these benefits – eg. including grandparents and kinship carers.

Promote benefits use by sharing success stories and impact. 

One of the big challenges with benefits is that uptake can be low, even when impact is high. It’s critical to share the success stories and use real examples of working parents and caregivers revealing how they have been supported.

Use internal comms channels to celebrate the stories of how parents have found support. Make sure this is modelled across all levels of the business including management.