KPMG survey finds working parents want more flexibility and support

KPMG’s survey of 1,000 U.S.-based professionals who identify as parents found that 76 percent said having children made them more motivated at work. But the same group also pointed to real strain: 53 percent struggled with ongoing childcare arrangements, 50 percent wanted more flexible work schedules and 46 percent wanted employer-led programs that would reduce burnout and improve well-being.

Released Feb. 4, 2025 by KPMG LLP, the findings land in a profession where long hours, client demands and promotion pressure already shape who can stay visible enough to keep advancing. Nearly half of respondents, 49 percent, said their companies do not offer onsite or back-up care, a gap that can quickly turn into a day-to-day workflow problem when school schedules, sick days or travel collide with busy season and client deadlines.

The survey also showed that working arrangements affect how people see their future inside the firm. Fully in-office parents were most likely to say they felt content with career progression opportunities, at 84 percent, compared with 77 percent of hybrid workers and 65 percent of fully remote workers. Remote employees, meanwhile, were happier with family time and less stressed about parenting responsibilities, a tradeoff that goes straight to the heart of how consultants, auditors and advisors weigh flexibility against the fear of missing out on opportunities.

The support gap widened by gender and seniority. Sixty-three percent of women said they felt supported during the first year of parenthood, compared with 72 percent of men. Among Asian women, only 50 percent said they felt effectively supported during that period. The survey also found that 83 percent of working-parent C-suite executives said their company encourages open conversations about managing work and parenting, while that figure fell to 67 percent at mid-level and 57 percent at junior levels, suggesting the culture of openness looks very different depending on where someone sits in the hierarchy.

Sandy Torchia, KPMG US vice chair of talent and culture, said flexibility, paid leave, back-up childcare, mental health support and tailored career advancement opportunities are “essential lifelines” for working parents. The firm created the vice chair of talent and culture role in May 2022 to unify talent and culture groups and strengthen support for employee well-being, and its 2023 well-being messaging said holistic benefits and support are critical to recruiting skilled professionals and delivering strong client service. For KPMG professionals deciding whether they can keep building a career while raising children, the survey makes the operational test plain: support has to show up in schedules, staffing, manager conversations and promotion paths, not just in policy language.