Forty-three percent of new parents feel their employers see them as less committed once they return to work after maternity leave (or paternity leave), according to new research from early education, preschool and employer-sponsored child care provider Bright Horizons.
One in five feel they have a greater risk of being fired.
With one in four new parents also reporting they feel they’ve been judged by supervisors and/or coworkers, and 39 percent who feel their employer would prefer they found another job, companies may be at risk of disengagement and retention issues.
In fact, roughly half of parents have taken a new job that involved less pay but a more family-friendly atmosphere, according to Bright Horizons. Three in five (59 percent) say, after having their first child, they’re likely to switch employers.
For more on returning to work after maternity leave, view its full survey results; if new parents are leaving your company in droves, consider these ways to potentially make workplace flexibility work for your organization.