How Employers Can Support the Return to Office – A Holistic Approach

The return to office (RTO) is gaining momentum, with many employers keen to foster collaboration and innovation through in-person work. Alongside this, there are groups of employees with particular needs. Bright Horizons’ Modern Families Index UK Report 2025 (MFI) highlights the challenges and concerns of working parents and carers.

Over two-thirds (68%) of working parents and carers are concerned about expectations of increased office presence.

The return-to-office (RTO) transition is more than just a logistical challenge - it’s a cultural shift that requires businesses to rethink how they support not just their employees, but their employees’ families as well. A forward-thinking RTO strategy acknowledges the interconnectedness of work and family life.

Here’s how the best leaders take a strategic, organisation-wide approach, ensuring a smooth transition for employees while also positively impacting their families.

1. Offer flexible care options

One of the most pressing challenges for working parents and carers is the balance between professional responsibilities and family care. As businesses ask employees to return to the office, family obligations often become more complicated. This can result in missed work or last-minute leave due to childcare or eldercare breakdowns, which can impact both performance and mental health.

The MFI shows the productivity of nearly two-thirds (64%) was impacted last year by childcare breakdowns, with 14% taking sick leave and 29% taking short-notice annual leave. Similarly, nearly 8 in 10 (79%) of employees with adult or eldercare responsibilities experienced care breakdowns conflicting with work. It’s worth noting that a staggering 35% of working parents and 38% of working carers are actively seeking new jobs due to challenges such as these.

What can be done:

Back-Up Care Services: Emergency childcare, eldercare, or even pet care for employees facing last-minute disruptions can reduce stress and enable attendance, to ensure employees don’t have to rely on sick leave or annual leave to manage family commitments. This can reduce absenteeism and increase in-person engagement, fostering a healthier work-life balance for your workforce.
Holiday & Summer Programs: Holiday camp programmes for employees’ children ensure that they have cover for when schools are typically closed, minimising disruptions at work, and empowering in-person attendance.

2. Address the Financial Strain of Childcare

For many working parents, finding reliable childcare that fits around their job can be a daily struggle. Additional commutes to nurseries, limited availability, and the rising cost of living add extra pressure, making it harder to focus at work. These logistical challenges can lead to increased stress, lateness, reduced productivity, and difficult decisions about balancing career and family life.

Over a third of 18–34-year-olds (34%) say help with childcare costs would enable office presence, while 23% favour onsite or near-site childcare to increase their presence in a central place of work. Over three-quarters (76%) consider their childcare options, and 73% consider their employer’s support for family life before accepting/applying for a promotion or a new job.

What can be done:

Onsite/Near-Site Childcare: Providing workplace nurseries or subsidising the cost of local childcare through a workplace nursery partnership can make a significant difference, saving tax and national insurance for employees and national insurance for employers, at a time of concern about these costs. A nursery nearby can also reduce lateness, and work disruptions. Such benefits show an organisation’s commitment to family well-being, which can increase employee loyalty and reduce turnover.

3. Extend Mental Health Support Beyond Employees

Most employers consider the emotional wellbeing and mental health of their employees during such transitions as well as year-round, offering an array of wellness programs, and mental health resources to help them combat stress and burnout. While this is helpful, employees don’t operate in a vacuum - stressors from their personal lives can directly impact their performance and focus at work.

According to the MFI, 51% of parents are concerned about their children’s mental health. Concerns about mental health and educational catch-up are 50% or above throughout preschool and primary years, and at least 45% throughout the secondary school years.

What can be done:

Mental Health Resources for Families: Provide employees with access to digital platforms and 1:1 expert advice, helpful tips, and wellness webinars can equip them with the tools they need to manage work and family life most effectively. Ensure that these resources cover more than their professional life and acknowledge their challenges as a parent or carer where relevant.
Educational & Tutoring Support: Employers are increasingly providing access to tutoring services, as well as support with exam preparation or academic enrichment programmes for employees’ children.

4. Make Commuting Easier for Families

The cost and time associated with commuting can be a major deterrent for employees with family commitments, especially as many families relocated farther away from offices during hybrid or remote working.

What can be done:

Flexible Start & End Times: Allow employees to commute outside of peak hours to avoid long travel times and better accommodate school runs.
Subsidised Travel Costs: Travel stipends or discounted public transport passes can make a decisive difference, particularly for lower-income employees or those commuting long distances.
Carpool & Rideshare Programmes: Facilitate employee carpooling initiatives or provide access to corporate rideshare services to reduce transportation costs, as well as lowering carbon emissions.

5. Strengthen Workplace Culture with Family Inclusion

Employees are more likely to feel engaged and connected to their workplace if their families feel included in the company’s culture. By creating a visibly family-friendly work environment, businesses can enhance retention and morale.

What can be done:

Parents, Carers or Family Networks: Establish and support parent and caregiver resource groups where employees can share experiences and support each other. There are usually willing volunteers to form a committee and - given a modest budget – to host engaging events.
Coaching & Mentoring: Employers can set up group coaching sessions specifically for employees transitioning to or from parental leave, to support their reintegration into the workplace. Mentoring can also be facilitated by matching pairs and giving guidance on how to structure a mentoring conversation and ongoing engagement.
Family-Focused Financial Planning: Workshops and one-on-one expert advice can help with on budgeting, saving for education, and managing family-related expenses.
Family Days & Events: Host family-friendly office open days or seasonal celebrations where employees can bring their children to see where they work
Family-First Hours: Create a culture where teams avoid scheduling important meetings during peak family times (e.g., early mornings or late afternoons when school drop-offs and pickups happen for those employees working remotely).
Surprise Family Perks: Send small gifts (e.g. book vouchers, family experience days) to employees’ families as a gesture of appreciation.
Recognition for Caregivers: Recognise and support employees who are balancing work and adult caregiving responsibilities through networks and access to expert advice on navigating care systems.

6. Communicate RTO Policies with Empathy & Transparency

How an organisation communicates its RTO plans can make a significant difference in employee buy-in. A sudden shift back to in-person work can be hard to organise. Gradual, phased approaches paired with clear, empathetic messaging ensures employees feel valued and heard.

What can be done:

Two-Way Communication Channels: Set up regular departmental check-ins, Q&A sessions, or anonymous feedback mechanisms to address employee concerns.
Phased Return Model: Start with a few in-office day per week and gradually increase based on employee feedback.
Trialling flexible working arrangements: There may be cases to make exceptions to the RTO policy. If an employee has a specific plan to put forward, try being open to a trial to test how it works for the individual and the organisation.
Manager Training: Equip managers with the skills to have open, supportive conversations about work-life balance.
Clarity of roles and objectives: if managers and employees know what needs to be delivered then – for example – flexibility of hours is easier to achieve. Some parents may wish to go home a little earlier to have time with children before bed, even if that means making up the hours later: knowing their deliverables helps everyone to know how much is ‘enough’.
Regular Policy and Benefits Reviews: Be open to adjusting RTO policies and benefits that support them based on employee feedback and evolving needs.

Creating a Future-Proof Workplace

A successful return-to-office plan isn’t just about getting employees back to their desks - it’s about creating an environment where employees thrive, while also being the parents or carers they want to be. The most effective RTO strategies focus on the whole person - not just the worker. When employees feel supported in both their professional and personal lives, they bring their best selves to work, leading to a healthier, happier, and more productive workforce.

We are proud that the many employers who partner with Bright Horizons, provide holistic support that meets the diverse needs of modern employees - powering a high-performing, engaged, and sustainable team.

For more information on how Bright Horizons can help your business and employees, visit solutions.brighthorizons.co.uk or call 0345 241 5309.