Why 2025 is Make or Break for Working Families:

The world of work is evolving rapidly and for many working families 2025 stands as a pivotal year that could shape their future. In a recent webinar hosted by Personnel Today in collaboration with Bright Horizons, industry experts gathered to explore the crucial role HR plays in supporting working families. Titled Why 2025 is Make or Break for Working Families, the session brought Jennifer Liston-Smith, Head of Thought Leadership at Bright Horizons, and Tom Hill, HR Business Partner at Hill Dickinson, together with Personnel Today Editor, Rob Moss to share invaluable insights on the shifting landscape of family-friendly workplace support. 

Their discussion uncovered significant challenges but also inspiring examples of businesses stepping up to create a more inclusive, supportive environment. Here are some key takeaways from this essential conversation. 

What the Modern Families Index 2025 Reveals 

Jennifer Liston-Smith kicked off the discussion by sharing findings from the Modern Families Index 2025, a detailed study that surveyed 3,000 working parents and carers across the UK, unconnected with Bright Horizons. The results painted a concerning picture of the pressures families face today. 

Many parents are feeling the strain of reduced employer support, a decline that has been noticeable since after the pandemic. Stress levels, particularly among working mothers, have surged. At the same time, workplace flexibility is reducing in some areas, making it more challenging for employees—especially women—to balance career progression with caregiving responsibilities. To add to these pressures, parents reported growing anxieties about their children’s mental health, physical well-being, and educational development, adding another layer of concern to an already delicate balancing act. 

Jennifer Liston-Smith noted: “The sense of employers caring about family and practically providing support for family was strong during and immediately after the pandemic but has actually fallen away in the last couple of years, which is worrying and also potentially costly.” 

Jennifer emphasised the impact of these trends on business performance, warning that the decline in employer support could have long-term consequences. "These high stress levels are a real worry and a cost in themselves," she noted. "We know that working days lost to stress, depression, and anxiety have continued to rise, reaching 17.1 million days lost in 2024 according to the Health & Safety Executive." 

The Reality of Workplace Policies: Insights from the Webinar Poll 

As part of the webinar, an interactive poll helped gauge the current state of workplace support for families. The responses highlighted a mixed landscape. Encouragingly, around two-thirds of attendees noted an increase in family-friendly policies within their organisations over the past two years. However, 10% observed a decline. 

The conversation around hybrid working policies also revealed some gaps: while some organisations had clear frameworks in place, 30% admitted to operating without a formal hybrid working policy, relying instead on managerial discretion. A range of working models emerged: 

• 26% of organisations follow a 60:40 office-to-home split. 
• 24% require two or fewer days in the office each week. 
• 13% operate fully or mostly remotely. 
• 4% have returned to full-time office work. 

These figures underscore the importance of structured, well-communicated policies that provide clarity and consistency for employees navigating work-life balance. 

A Leading Example: Hill Dickinson’s Approach to Supporting Working Families 

Tom Hill shared how Hill Dickinson, a top 200 law firm, has charted a successful course in becoming a workplace that truly supports working families. The firm’s approach is built on strong policies, a commitment to setting targets and measuring progress, and a focus on employee well-being, including family life. 

One of the bedrocks is their enhanced parental leave policy, which ensures both parents in any type of couple can take meaningful time off. "We match our shared parental leave policy to our (generous) maternity policy, which means that fathers or partners can take extended time off and be paid in the same way as someone on maternity leave," Tom explained. He shared some quotes from working dads within the firm on the ‘priceless’ time spent with family and their appreciation of the firm. 

Flexible working is another core element of their strategy. People at Hill Dickinson operate under a structured hybrid working model that balances in-office collaboration with remote work. "At Hill Dickinson, we have guidance around hybrid work, with employees in the office 60% of the time and 40% at home," Tom shared. 

Hill Dickinson also recognises the power of community in building a supportive workplace. "We have 12 inclusive networking groups, including a parenting network and an accessibility, health, and well-being network," Tom highlighted. These internal networks help employees connect, share experiences, and find support among colleagues who understand their challenges. 

A particularly impactful benefit has been Hill Dickinson’s partnership with Bright Horizons to provide Back-Up Care for both childcare and adult/eldercare. Tom underlined the success of this initiative: "The Bright Horizons benefit has been fantastic, with a high satisfaction score and significant usage. Some have commented that this is the best benefit that can be offered to a working parent as it provides the perfect solution when childcare fails on a working day". Recommending that other employers consider including a focus on care, he emphasised that offering practical solutions like this not only enhances the employee experience but also improves productivity by reducing last-minute absenteeism. 

Practical Steps Employers Can Take 

Jennifer Liston-Smith reinforced the importance of implementing tangible measures to support employees effectively. When she considers Bright Horizons’ wider UK research with feedback from their own clients, it’s clear that companies that invest in family-inclusive policies see higher engagement, productivity, and retention rates. 

One of the benefits employers can offer that enhances wellbeing and also has a positive bottom-line impact is Back-Up Care, ensuring that when childcare or adult/eldercare arrangements fall through, employees have a reliable alternative. "Back Up Care fills the gaps when care breaks down, keeping the show on the road," Jennifer explained. 

Jennifer highlighted how Bright Horizons has expanded its services well beyond last-minute childcare and adult/eldercare into virtual tutoring (filling those after-school gaps), and even pet care: 

“Back-Up Care helps parents stay engaged at work by providing care solutions when regular care breaks down. We now also offer dog walking and cat sitting to cover short-notice gaps in provision, recognising the role pets play in modern family life.” 

Jennifer also noted that flexible working arrangements - remembering flexibility of time as well as place - remain a core component of workplace support, and that a culture of flexibility can make all the difference for employees juggling multiple responsibilities. Her message is that It’s about being clear on deliverables and trusting people to produce those with some autonomy within clear framework for how teams will work together. 

In terms of the growing edge of family support, Jennifer encouraged organisations to explore educational support for employees’ children as an increasing expectation. Employers that provide access to virtual tutoring or expert parenting advice can make a meaningful impact on employees' lives, given concerns about children’s mental health highlighted in the MFI research and employee expectations that employers have a role in supporting here. "Employers can lean into providing direct educational support to children, which is highly engaging and loyalty-inducing," she noted. 

Looking to the Future: Hill Dickinson’s ongoing commitment 

As the conversation shifted towards the future, Tom Hill outlined Hill Dickinson’s ambitions for further improving support for working families. The firm is focused on maintaining their status as a op employer for working families. "We plan to submit for more awards and continue working with Working Families to consolidate our top 10 status," Tom shared. 

The firm is also committed to further advancing gender representation in leadership, being well on track for 40% female leadership by 2028. Additionally, the firm continues to work on its solid retention rates for employees returning from maternity leave, building on an already impressive rate of 93%.

Q&A: Addressing the Big Questions 

The webinar concluded with an engaging Q&A session, where attendees raised pressing concerns about hybrid working policies and senior leadership buy-in for family-friendly initiatives. 

When asked about the global reach of Bright Horizons’ Back-Up Care service, Jennifer confirmed that it operates internationally, providing much-needed services for its global clients’ employees across different regions. 

On the topic of resistance to flexible working policies, Tom Hill acknowledged that while challenges exist, executive support is key. “Strong backing from the CEO has ensured smooth implementation with minimal pushback,” he explained. 

One particularly insightful question focused on how employers can help parents navigate school-related pressures. Jennifer suggested a balanced approach, combining support networks and employer-provided coaching to help working parents manage all those potentially guilt-inducing challenges such as World Book Day with a focus on what’s possible, what works and without unnecessary stress.

Final Thoughts 

The Personnel Today webinar underscored the urgent need for comprehensive workplace support for working parents and carers. Businesses face a choice: adapt to the realities of modern parenthood or risk losing valuable talent. The insights shared by Jennifer Liston-Smith and Tom Hill offer a roadmap for organisations seeking to foster an inclusive, supportive environment that benefits both employees and business success. 

As the webinar concluded, Jennifer left attendees with a powerful reminder: 

“Employees don’t just want policies—they want to feel supported in real, tangible ways.” 

By prioritising flexibility, mental health, and practical support measures, employers can build workplaces that empower working families — engaging and retaining their top talent and ensuring they not only survive but thrive in the years ahead. 

Discover further insight by watching the webinar now on-demand, and downloading the Modern Families Index 2025. 

You might also be interested in the Hill Dickinson Client Story.