Marvin OnumonuThe latest Modern Families Index (MFI), published by Bright Horizons Work + Family Solutions, found workplace pressures and care demands were driving working parents and carers to breaking point.
43% of sandwich carers said they were actively reconsidering their job due to care pressures.
One in five employees used sick leave last year to cover care emergencies.
Mothers were 50% more likely than men to say having children had harmed their career.
29% of working parents reported very high stress, and 77% of those said stress sometimes made it hard to function.
Only 63% of employees said they felt able to discuss family needs at work.
Chris Locke, executive director of Work + Family Solutions at Bright Horizons, said: “What this year’s findings underline is that care pressure is no longer a personal issue playing out quietly in the background.
“It is becoming a structural challenge for employers, with clear implications for productivity, retention and workforce stability.
“When people are repeatedly forced to cover care breakdowns through sick leave, annual leave or reduced hours, the cost to organisations quickly adds up.”
Locke added: “Many employers have made progress on flexibility, but this data shows that flexibility alone is not enough.
“Care does not fail on a schedule, and without agile practical support in place, stress, absence and disengagement may continue to rise even in hybrid workplaces.
“Organisations that are better placed to navigate 2026 will be those that recognise care supports as a core part of workforce resilience and invest in support that works for their employees in real time.”
He said: “Providing go-to solutions when care falls through helps employees stay focused and productive and gives businesses greater stability in an increasingly unpredictable labour market.”
The research also found working parents took an average of 4.2 days off to cover childcare and carers took 4.1 days for eldercare.
21% used sick leave for short-notice care needs.
Nearly half of mothers who also cared for ageing adults, at 48%, reported negative career impact compared with 38% of fathers.
Stress levels rose to 39% for mothers juggling childcare and eldercare.
29% of working parents reported very high stress, and 77% of highly stressed employees said it sometimes made it hard to function.
Hybrid working alone was not solving stress.
Employees working onsite one day per week reported stress levels at 41%, showing pressure was being driven more by unpredictable care breakdowns than working patterns.
37% said their working arrangements made it harder to switch off.
Only 63% felt comfortable discussing family responsibilities at work.
For those expecting a child, confidence fell to 59%.
