In the past year, 41% of UK businesses have required staff to spend more time on-site, and 1 in 10 firms admit losing employees because of this shift back to the office (British Chambers of Commerce, 2025).
For many leaders, those are just statistics.
For working parents — especially mothers — it’s a wake-up call.
As a mum of two young children, these numbers feel personal. My kids are my world. But I’ve also learned that I’m only the best version of myself — and the best mum — when I’m fulfilled at work, leading teams, delivering projects, and growing in my career.
I can only achieve that balance — giving my best at work and at home — thanks to the flexibility I have today. Without it, I would quickly reach burnout or be forced to give up something important: either my career ambitions or precious time with my family.
That’s why the past few weeks have been so hard. My commitment and performance were questioned because I wasn’t in the office often enough — even though my work, results, and impact have never slipped.
I’ve always believed we can have both: a thriving career and a present family life. But that balance only works when organisations trust and empower people with true flexibility.
🔍 The evidence couldn’t be clearer
Recent research tells a powerful story about how flexible working directly impacts wellbeing and equality:
- Working from home (WfH) increases women’s job satisfaction by 95%, life satisfaction by 50%, and mental health by 34%.
- For men, WfH improves job satisfaction by 50% and mental health by 30%, though life satisfaction effects are smaller.
- Flextime tends to benefit men more because they often use it for rest or hobbies, whereas women use it to balance unpaid domestic work and childcare (Dentinger & Clarkberg).
- Women with young children still report lower wellbeing than childless women or those with older children, showing that caring responsibilities remain a professional disadvantage.
These findings show what many of us already know from lived experience:
flexibility isn’t a perk — it’s a lifeline.
🚸 The personal cost of rigid policies
When businesses prioritise presence over performance, they unintentionally push women out of the room. The return-to-office mandates may look neutral on paper, but they have very real gendered consequences.
Each extra commute, each rigid rule, each “visible commitment” expectation chips away at our energy and wellbeing. For working parents, that’s often the difference between thriving and burning out.
Ironically, these policies also harm productivity. Countless studies show that wellbeing drives performance — not the other way around. Flexible environments foster focus, engagement, and retention. The organisations that understand this will be the ones that attract and keep diverse, talented people.
💪 We can do it all — if we’re trusted to
I don’t want to choose between my children and my career.
And I shouldn’t have to.
I believe we can do it all — lead, deliver, and raise our families — if employers focus on trust, wellbeing, and outcomes instead of counting office days. True leadership means creating conditions where people can perform at their best, wherever they are.
Because every time a woman is forced to step back due to inflexible policies, we lose more than talent. We lose innovation, perspective, and progress.
💬 Let’s start a conversation
This topic is deeply personal for me, but I know many others feel the same.
If you’re a parent, carer, or leader navigating this balance — I’d love to hear your story. How do you make flexibility work for you? What do you wish organisations understood better?
Together, we can keep pushing for workplaces that value performance through trust, not presence — and that make it possible for women to do both: lead and love, deliver and care.
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