Employers across the UK and Ireland are extending parental leave and introducing wider family support measures as they compete to attract and retain staff, according to new research.
The findings come from Bright Horizons, a childcare provider and workplace consultancy that supports more than 400 organisations. Its 2025 Parental Leave & Family Support Benchmark, based on data from over 300 employers, shows that enhanced benefits once seen as perks are now becoming standard expectations in the workplace.
The study found that two-thirds of employers now provide at least 12 weeks of fully paid maternity or adoption leave, with more than one in five offering 26 weeks or more. A quarter of organisations have moved towards equal leave regardless of gender or parenting role, and many are supplementing leave with broader measures designed to help parents and carers balance work and home responsibilities.
Beyond statutory minimums
Statutory maternity and paternity leave remain limited in scope, with many parents finding financial pressures push them back to work sooner than planned. The benchmark suggests that employers are increasingly bridging this gap with additional support.
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Alongside enhanced maternity leave, 78 percent of employers now provide enhanced paternity leave, a marked increase from earlier years. Organisations are also offering phased returns to work, coaching, childcare solutions, training for managers and parents’ networks to encourage long-term career sustainability.
Analysts say these developments reflect shifting expectations in the labour market. With competition for talent still intense in key sectors, benefits that support family life have become an important factor for candidates weighing job offers. Enhanced leave also signals that organisations are serious about inclusion and employee wellbeing, beyond pay alone.
The Bright Horizons report describes a “future focus” on fathers and carers, noting that investment is moving beyond mothers returning from maternity leave towards broader life-stage support. Elder care, for example, is becoming a growing pressure point for employees, and some employers are beginning to introduce policies to support those with older dependents.
A culture of care
Chris Locke, executive director of Work+Family at Bright Horizons, said family friendly benefits could improve engagement and productivity as well as staff wellbeing.
“Enhanced parental benefits offer businesses a strategic advantage. They improve engagement, retention and productivity while showing that the organisation genuinely values its people.
“By supporting employees across life stages, from early parenthood to elder care, organisations foster a culture of care, inclusion and resilience. The result is improved mental health, reduced absenteeism and a high-performing workforce ready to meet the future with confidence.”
The study also found that parents are looking beyond financial benefits to cultural signals. Policies only make a difference if they are visible, accessible and free from stigma. In some workplaces, employees remain reluctant to take up parental leave or flexible options for fear of harming their career progression. HR experts argue that unless senior leaders model behaviour — for example, by taking paternity leave themselves — policies risk being seen as symbolic rather than substantive.
Reputation is also at stake. With growing transparency around workplace policies and the rise of employer review sites, companies that lag behind on family support may struggle to recruit younger generations, particularly Generation Z, for whom organisational values and inclusivity are a key part of career decision-making.
Challenges for HR departments
The findings raise questions for HR departments about affordability, accessibility and culture. Larger employers may be able to offer generous packages, but smaller firms face tighter budget constraints. Analysts warn that widening disparities between organisations could lead to a “two-tier” system in which staff in well-resourced companies enjoy extensive benefits while others must rely on statutory minimums.
Measuring the impact of enhanced family support also remains a challenge. The Bright Horizons benchmark encourages organisations to consider not only recruitment and retention outcomes but also indicators such as engagement, absenteeism and productivity.
Employers that have invested in coaching, networks and phased returns report improved morale and reduced turnover among parents, suggesting that the long-term return on investment may outweigh the upfront costs. But HR practitioners caution that embedding these practices requires sustained leadership commitment rather than one-off initiatives.
Another implication is the need for integration. Family support policies cannot operate in isolation, experts say; they need to sit within a wider wellbeing and inclusion framework. Organisations that align leave policies with flexible working, diversity initiatives and mental health support are more likely to see positive outcomes across the workforce.
The benchmark also shows the growing importance of elder care, as demographic changes mean more employees are supporting ageing parents while working full time. HR experts say this shift could redefine what family support means in the coming decade, making it essential for organisations to think beyond maternity and paternity leave.
