At IMD Solicitors, we have a diverse team with a wide range of life experiences and responsibilities. This article reflects that mix of perspectives. It is not about comparing or ranking challenges, but about recognising that different people face different pressures, none of which are more or less important than the other.
Achieving balance between professional responsibilities and personal life is a challenge that evolves throughout different stages of life. For parents, this balance often comes with additional layers of complexity: practical, emotional, and mental.
The aim is not to compare or minimise, but to acknowledge that parenting introduces a distinct dimension to managing life, one that deserves understanding, support, and thoughtful workplace structures.
The Evolving Demands of Parenting
The early years of a child’s life are often the most physically demanding. Sleep deprivation, childcare arrangements, and the unpredictability of young children can make even the most organised schedules feel fragile. Parents at this stage are often navigating a constant tension between professional expectations and the immediate needs of their child.
This can inevitably affect work, impacting concentration, energy levels, and the ability to plan with certainty. Last-minute disruptions, such as illness or childcare changes, can create stress and a sense of being stretched too thin, even for the most committed professionals.
Emotionally, this period can bring heightened sensitivity, and questions about whether one is “doing enough” at home or at work frequently arise.
What can help – from both sides:
From a parent’s perspective:
- Setting realistic expectations of what can be achieved during this phase, both at home and at work
- Communicating openly with managers about capacity and any challenges, rather than struggling in silence
- Building small routines where possible, while accepting that flexibility is sometimes necessary
- Allowing space for self-compassion, recognising that this stage is temporary and demanding
From an employer’s perspective:
- Creating a culture where employees feel safe to speak openly about personal pressures without fear of judgement
- Offering flexibility in working hours or location to accommodate childcare needs
- Recognising that performance may look different during this stage, and focusing on outcomes rather than rigid structures
- Providing practical support where possible, and showing understanding when unexpected situations arise
When both sides approach this stage with honesty, flexibility, and empathy, it becomes far more manageable to sustain both professional contribution and personal wellbeing.
As children grow, the nature of the challenge shifts. While there may be more structure due to school routines, new responsibilities emerge, such as homework, extracurricular activities, and emotional development. Parents often find themselves juggling work commitments with school runs, appointments, and the increasing social needs of their children.
The mental load becomes less about constant supervision and more about coordination, presence, and making deliberate choices about how time and energy are allocated. This often leads to a shift in attitude towards work, with parents placing greater value on flexibility, efficiency, and meaningful engagement rather than long hours alone.
Importantly, working parents also become role models for their children. They demonstrate work ethic, responsibility, and how to navigate competing priorities, shaping their children’s understanding of commitment, resilience, and balance.
Parenting teenagers introduces a different kind of complexity. While they may require less hands-on care, their emotional and psychological needs can be significant. Supporting them through exams, identity development, and social pressures often requires time, patience, and mental energy.
At this stage, parents may also be managing peak career responsibilities, making balance particularly challenging, and reinforcing the need for a thoughtful and sustainable approach to both work and family life.
The Invisible Weight: Parent Guilt and Career Ambition
One of the most significant challenges parents face is not always visible: it is the internal conflict between wanting to be present for their children and pursuing a fulfilling career.
“Parent guilt” can manifest in many ways:
- Feeling torn between attending a work meeting and a school event
- Worrying about missing important milestones
- Questioning whether career ambitions come at a cost to family life
At the same time, many parents have a strong desire to maintain professional growth, identity, and financial independence. Wanting both a meaningful career and a present family life is not contradictory; it is human.
Acknowledging this tension openly is a crucial step in creating supportive workplace cultures.
Recognising Different Life Paths
While parenting brings unique demands, it is equally important to recognise that those without children face their own challenges:
- Career-building pressures during early life stages
- Personal circumstances, including fertility struggles or loss
- Care responsibilities for partners, parents, or other family members
- The expectation to be “more available” at work
A truly inclusive approach to wellbeing does not prioritise one experience over another but instead creates space for all employees to manage their lives in a way that supports their mental health and personal circumstances.
Practical Support: Flexible Working and Remote Culture
At IMD Solicitors, the approach reflects an understanding that balance is not a one-size-fits-all concept. What truly stands out is the way this is demonstrated at the management level. The visible acknowledgement of everyday struggles is invaluable. Having a Partner join our Diversity Equality Inclusion and Mental Health Wellbeing Committee meeting while on their way home from the school run is both refreshing and reassuring. It normalises real life and encourages openness and honesty across the team. Similarly, coordinating departmental meetings to avoid afternoon school runs is a small but powerful gesture that is genuinely heartwarming. It fosters a strong sense of camaraderie and mutual understanding, and it means meetings take place at times when no one is stressed about being somewhere else. This, in turn, enhances focus, productivity, and a shared desire to support one another.
Remote work has also been a key part of enabling our team to better integrate work and home life. It allows:
• Greater flexibility around school runs and childcare
• Reduced commuting stress and time
• The ability to respond more easily to unexpected family needs
This flexibility benefits not only parents but all employees, creating a culture built on trust, autonomy, and respect for individual circumstances.
The Value of a Four-Day Week
Another important initiative has been the introduction of a four-day working week.
This additional day offers something invaluable: choice.
For parents, it can mean:
- Time to manage household responsibilities and family administration
- Space to attend appointments or school-related commitments
- An opportunity to rest and recharge
For others, it may be used for:
- Personal development
- Mental health and self-care
- Managing life responsibilities outside of work
Perhaps most importantly, it allows weekends to become genuine time off, free from the backlog of errands and obligations that often accumulate during a traditional five-day working week.
Leading with Empathy: The Power of Culture, Communication, and Everyday Actions
Ultimately, creating a truly supportive workplace is not about having all the answers; it is about how we communicate, listen, and lead every day. For organisations that are not (yet) where we are at IMD, the starting point is simple: lead by example. When leadership shows empathy, openness, and a genuine interest in people’s lives, it sets the tone for the entire culture.
Small actions matter. Checking in with colleagues, acknowledging when someone is going through a difficult period, being flexible where possible, and making space for honest conversations all contribute to a healthier, more inclusive environment. It is these everyday behaviours, more than any policy, that build trust.
Workplaces that encourage openness, respect different life circumstances, and actively support their people create more than just productivity; they create loyalty, engagement, and a sense of belonging. And when people feel supported, they are not only able to perform at their best, but to do so in a way that is sustainable for the long term.
Balance is not achieved overnight. It is built through culture, leadership, and the consistent choice to see and support the person behind the role.
