Workplace guilt
Published
Over a quarter of working parents in the UK would feel guilty about taking unplanned time off work to care for their poorly child, according to new research from protection and employee benefits provider, MetLife UK.
The study found that one in six would feel afraid that it would reflect badly on them and their professional role. Parents are also anxious it would impact future promotions and pay rises, and worry that their colleagues would resent them. Nearly one in 10 also said they feared prolonged time off work would result in them getting a written warning or their contract being terminated.
There are financial anxieties too, with 1 in 4 parents concerned about the financial impact of taking time off work. This comes as a quarter of working parents who’ve had no choice but to take unpaid time off to care for their child – if they’ve been unwell or had an accident – have had or would have to use their savings to get by.
More positively, the research found that more than a quarter (27 per cent) of working parents confirmed that their employer is family oriented and would likely be understanding of their situation.
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