Working Parents Don’t Deserve Special Treatment. (But They Do Deserve Real Support—And So Does Everyone Else)
It’s time to talk about one of the biggest unspoken resentments in the workplace: the parent privilege.
You know what we mean. A coworker drops everything at 3 PM because “daycare pickup,” and leadership nods in understanding. Someone declines late meetings because “family dinner,” and it’s completely acceptable. Meanwhile, if you—a child-free adult—want the same flexibility for actual life? Crickets. HR’s got nothing but a policy handbook that tells you to “check with your manager.”
Let’s be clear: Parents don’t deserve special treatment. But they do deserve real, structured support—just like everyone else. And that’s where so many companies go wrong.
The Problem: “Family First” ≠ “Employees First”
Most companies say they’re family-friendly, but what they really mean is “parent-friendly.” They’ve got policies for maternity leave, backup childcare, and school pick-ups—but if you ask to leave early for literally any other reason, suddenly, it’s a problem.
But here’s the real kicker: Even working parents aren’t winning here. They don’t need their managers to “be cool” about leaving early—they need official policies that protect them from retaliation. Meanwhile, non-parents need equal access to flexibility without having to invent a fake kid just to get a fair deal.
The thing is, flexibility isn’t just a parent issue—it’s an everyone issue. A 2021 FlexJobs survey found that while 80% of working parents said flexibility was essential for their work-life balance, 70% of all employees—regardless of parental status—ranked flexibility as their top priority. Yet somehow, companies still act like “work-life balance” only applies to people with kids.
The solution isn’t some weird workplace Hunger Games where we pit parents against non-parents for the last ounce of flexibility. The solution is letting employees work when and how they work best—across the board.
The Fix: Stop Making Flexibility a Perk
HR, it’s time to stop playing favorites. The answer isn’t taking flexibility away from parents—it’s making it available to everyone.
Here’s how:
🔥 Make flexibility a policy, not a privilege. Set core collaboration hours and let people structure the rest of their time as needed—no justifications required. If your team doesn’t need to be online at the same time all day, why are you forcing them to be?
🔥 Let employees set their own work schedules. The 9-to-5 model was designed for factory work—why are we still pretending it works for knowledge jobs? A Microsoft Work Trend Index study found that people actually peak in productivity at three different times throughout the day—morning, afternoon, and late evening—proving that rigid schedules don’t match how people work best.
🔥 Expand WFH options across the board. A 2022 Owl Labs study found that 60% of remote workers say their work-life balance has improved, and 74% say they are less likely to leave their job if they can work remotely. That’s not just parents—it’s everyone. If parents can work from home to juggle childcare, then everyone should have that option to better manage their lives.
🔥 Ditch the parent vs. non-parent divide. Instead of “parental perks,” offer benefits that serve all employees, like remote work options, mental health days, and personal leave policies.
🔥 Hold managers accountable for fairness. If one person can leave early for a soccer game, another should be able to leave early for a workout, a concert, or just because they’re a human being with a life.
🔥 Shift the culture from ‘excuses’ to ‘expectations.’ The question shouldn’t be “Why are you leaving early?” It should be “Have you met your goals?” Measure output, not office hours. Research from Stanford University backs this up—remote workers were found to be 13% more productive than their in-office counterparts. Time spent at a desk means nothing if people aren’t actually getting things done.
🔥 Flexibility is retention. A 2023 Future Forum report found that 75% of employees with full schedule flexibility report higher job satisfaction, and they are twice as likely to say their company culture has improved since shifting to flexible work. If you want to keep your best talent, giving them control over their schedules isn’t a favor—it’s a necessity.
At the end of the day, parents do need support. But so does everyone else. Let’s stop making flexibility a hush-hush favor and start making it the standard.