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91% of parents more productive at work when employers fund holiday clubs, data finds

Data from Bright Horizons showed 84% of women said employer support for holiday clubs made them more likely to stay with their employer. 

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91% of parents more productive at work when employers fund holiday clubs, data finds
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Research from Bright Horizons found that 91% of parents using employer-funded holiday clubs said it helped them focus at work. 

85% said it helped them attend their workplace during school holidays. 

The research showed that practical care, not just flexibility, made the biggest difference in whether employees could be present and productive at work.

84% of women said employer support for holiday clubs made them more likely to stay with their employer. 

Without support, 48% of working mothers said caring responsibilities had a negative impact on their career and only 61% felt they could progress while working flexibly.

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Only 37% of the wider workforce said they could switch off and keep healthy boundaries between work and life, and school holidays were named as a major cause of disruption.

Among those using Bright Horizons nursery provision, 98% said it improved their ability to attend work and 95% said it helped their productivity. 

Holiday clubs extended support into the school holiday calendar, helping parents avoid unplanned leave, reduced hours or disengagement.

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Chris Locke (pictured), executive director of work + family solutions at Bright Horizons, said: “School holidays are one of the biggest and most predictable challenges in the working calendar, and yet they remain one of the least supported. 

“For many working parents, the six to eight weeks of summer alone represent a significant logistical and financial strain that plays out directly in absence, reduced focus and career hesitation. 

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“What this data shows is that when employers take that pressure seriously and provide practical cover, the returns are immediate and tangible.”

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Locke added: “Employees show up more, focus better and are more likely to stay. For organisations navigating return to office expectations, Holiday Clubs are not a nice to have benefit. 

“When you remove that childcare pressure, parents can actually be present at work. 

“That’s when productivity gains follow. The employers who will win on retention and performance are those who recognise that care does not pause for the school calendar, and neither should their support.”

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