The work life balance is not adequate for six out of ten working parents with 54 per cent of them uneasy about requesting flexible conditions, as study by My Family Care has found.
Parents who would like more flexibility in their working lives are loath to request it as they fear it will impact negatively on their careers.
Close relatives are not an option for 45 per cent of the 1,400 employees surveyed when they experience a childcare emergency it emerged.
When childcare becomes a problem one in ten members of staff are forced to take sick absence in order to look after their children, often for five or more days in a year.
A recent study by WorldatWorld found that 40 per cent of managers believe the most productive staff are those without outside commitments.
Ben Black, director at My Family Care, said: “The only cure for this is when flexible working comes as standard, and comes from the top.”
