11 Feb 2021

The Modern Families Index 2021

2020 was a year of unprecedented global crisis and change. Bright Horizon’s Modern Families Index Spotlight looks at the effects of this tumultuous time and its continuing impact. It provides valuable insights into how working parents tackled the changes, and what support they are looking for from their employers as the crisis continues and what they would like in the future.

This year’s study of 1,000 working parents and carers shines a light on how the pandemic has changed employee expectations of flexible working, the appetite for hybrid working, and the importance of forward planning for employers.

It uncovers the practical actions employers should take now to engage their staff and protect their businesses for the future.

Key findings

57% of respondents want hybrid working
Only 7% consider flexible working to be a barrier to their career progression
The sandwich generation is younger than you might think
55% of respondents agree ‘I feel more loyal to my employer/line manager because of their reaction to the Covid-19 crisis’
40% agree ‘I am fearful of losing my job due to the effects of the Covid-19 crisis’.