Building a Childfree-Friendly Workplace
We are Childfree’s "Building Bridges" workshops help companies meet the needs of childfree colleagues and foster understanding between parents and non-parents.
- Level the playing field by addressing unique challenges faced by childfree team members
- Foster a harmonious work environment by building trust between parents and childfree coworkers
- Address and mitigate potential sources of friction, promoting a more cohesive and productive workplace
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How does it feel to be childfree at work?
We all know that working parents have it tough and deserve all the support they can get. But the focus on parents can leave their childfree coworkers feeling unseen, unheard, and undervalued. 50% of women under 30 don’t have kids, and 1 in 4 people will never have children. Many of these childfree folks feel like they’re treated differently in the workplace. But very few companies take steps to remedy this issue, despite the negative consequences:
77%
Of childfree people feel like they’ve been treated differently at work
60%
Have felt friction with the parents they work with
68%
Feel like they can’t bring up these issues with their line manager
16%
Have considered leaving their job because of these challenges
(Results based on our 2023 survey of 1,100 childfree individuals)
The hidden cost of overlooking childfree colleagues
For many companies, this is an invisible issue, unnoticed and neglected. Yet the impact is real.
Childfree people also experience:
- Feeling like their time is less valued than parents’ (69%)
- Unwelcome questions about their childfree or childless status (57%)
- Parents being prioritised, especially when it comes to booking leave (55%)
- Having to stay late/pick up more work to cover for parents on their teams (51%)
- Taking on more than their fair share of responsibilities (43%)
Ultimately, this leads to decreased productivity and adversely impacts staff mental health, triggering higher turnover. It can incite conflict and resentment among employees, increasing training costs for new hires, and negatively affecting your brand or reputation.
The good news? There’s lots of positive stuff companies can do to build bridges between colleagues with and without children! Our workshop sessions educate and empower, giving you the tools to ensure childfree team members feel valued and listened to.
“I’m on a mission to build bridges between parents and non-parents.”
ZOË NOBLE, FOUNDER OF WE ARE CHILDFREE
I’ve created a community of over 70,000 childfree people who wish their choice was accepted and embraced at work.
I’ve experienced first-hand what it’s like to feel “othered” for my decision not to have children. So when childfree people told me they don’t enjoy the same workplace benefits, opportunities, or flexibility as parents, I knew I could help.
Companies like Zalando and Reckitt (the makers of Durex!) say our workshops have opened up new channels of communication between their employees, encouraged mutual understanding and respect, and strengthened their teams.
The Building Bridges Workshop
Our one-hour sessions focus on fostering an inclusive working environment by bridging the gap between staff with children, and those who are childfree. They are for managers and company leaders interested in cultivating an inclusive workplace culture, as well as parents and non-parents throughout your organisation.
Topics typically covered include:
- What does the term ‘childfree’ mean compared to ‘childless’?
- What challenges do people face when leading a childfree lifestyle?
- Are there specific considerations for women leading childfree lives?
- What are the main misconceptions of the childfree community?
- How can colleagues be more inclusive towards those who are childfree in the workplace?
Sessions are very flexible and can be tailored to your company’s needs. If there’s something you’d like us to cover, just ask!
Ready to work better together?
How You’ll Benefit
Building Bridges allows you to create open dialogues, enhance cooperation and reduce friction, promoting a culture of inclusivity, diversity, and equality.
Support a culture of inclusivity, diversity and equality
Create an environment in which childfree people can thrive
Reduce friction between parents and non-parents
Encourage better communication, cooperation and collaboration
Improve employee satisfaction and performance
Increase employee retention
Encourage better communication, cooperation and collaboration
Improve employee satisfaction and performance
Increase employee retention
“As a woman ambivalent about motherhood it was wonderful to be reminded that any choice we make as women are the right ones, and we should find ways of sharing our experiences without shame or judgement. Women can support and cherish one another without being pigeonholed or classified.”
ALINA, ZALANDO
Ready to work better together?
FAQ
But if one of the problems faced by childfree folks is that they don’t feel safe to speak up, how would you know? They confide in us that they fear their very real concerns won’t be welcomed in the same way as those of their coworkers with kids. So when it comes to your team, no news might be bad news!
Do you have money to spend on hiring and training new staff? Childfree folks tell us they’re ready to leave unwelcoming work environments, and you can help keep them happy and productive by opening up a safe channel of communication.
As well as being expert facilitators, we’re experts in how to create childfree-friendly workplaces. Our consulting can help you make your policies more accommodating for non-parents, design benefits that delight all your employees, communicate in language that’s truly inclusive, and more! If you’re ready to hear how to build a better business for all your employees, we’d love to hear from you. Get in touch.
