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Why September Can Feel Like a Full-Time Job Before the Working Day Even Starts
For many people, January gets all the attention as the “month of new beginnings.”
But ask any working parent and they might tell you a different story.
September is often the real reset button.
School uniforms need replacing. New teachers need meeting. Clubs and after-school activities need organising. Childcare arrangements that worked perfectly before the summer suddenly no longer fit. And that’s all before the first work email of the day lands in the inbox.
For many working parents, September can feel like juggling three full-time jobs at once.
Yet while employers often focus on employee wellbeing during winter or around the festive season, September presents a unique challenge that deserves just as much attention.
Creating a family-friendly workplace isn’t simply about offering benefits. It’s about understanding the pressures employees face and creating an environment where meaningful conversations, flexibility and support can help people thrive.
The Reality for Working Parents
Let’s be honest.
Most parents don’t spend the summer holidays relaxing by a swimming pool.
Instead, many spend weeks balancing work commitments with childcare, holiday clubs, family responsibilities and ever-changing routines.
Then September arrives.
Suddenly there are school runs, homework, packed lunches, parents’ evenings, unexpected inset days and childcare arrangements to coordinate.
For working parents, it can be exhausting.
The challenge isn’t simply finding time. It’s trying to be present and productive both at work and at home.
When employers understand these pressures, they are better positioned to support employee wellbeing, employee engagement and long-term retention.
Why Employee Value Starts With Understanding People’s Real Lives
One of the biggest drivers of employee value is feeling understood.
Employees who feel their employer recognises the challenges they face outside work are often more engaged, productive and committed.
This doesn’t mean employers need to solve every problem.
It simply means creating opportunities for meaningful conversations.
Questions such as:
- “How is the new school term going?”
- “Do you have the support you need?”
- “Is there anything we can do to help during this transition?”
can have a significant impact.
As Acas highlights, positive workplace relationships are built through communication, openness and ongoing dialogue. Employers that encourage regular conversations often create stronger and more supportive workplace cultures.
https://www.acas.org.uk
Sometimes, the most valuable support begins with listening.
What Employment Rights Do Working Parents Have Now?
Many employers and employees are unaware of the range of family-friendly employment rights already available in the UK.
Flexible Working
Employees currently have the right to request flexible working from their first day of employment. Flexible working can include:
- Hybrid working
- Homeworking
- Compressed hours
- Part-time working
- Flexitime
- Job sharing
Research highlighted by Acas shows that flexible working can improve recruitment, retention and employee wellbeing, particularly for working parents. [acas.org.uk], [assets.pub…ice.gov.uk]
Time Off for Dependants
Employees are entitled to take reasonable unpaid time off to deal with emergencies involving dependants, such as unexpected childcare issues or school emergencies.
Carer’s Leave
Eligible employees can take unpaid carer’s leave to support someone who depends on them for care.
Parental Leave
Parents can take unpaid parental leave to spend time with their children, subject to eligibility requirements.
Paternity Leave and Shared Parental Leave
Eligible employees may also have rights to paternity leave and shared parental leave arrangements.
Understanding these rights is important for both employers and employees, particularly during periods of increased family pressure such as September.
What Is Changing Under the Employment Rights Act 2025?
The Employment Rights Act 2025 represents one of the most significant updates to UK employment law in years, with reforms being introduced throughout 2026 and 2027. [acas.org.uk], [gov.uk]
Several changes will directly impact working parents.
Current Position
While employees can already request flexible working from day one, employers can currently refuse requests using one of the statutory business grounds. [farrer.co.uk], [assets.pub…ice.gov.uk]
Historically, certain family-friendly rights have also required qualifying service periods.
Changes Under the Employment Rights Act 2025
The Act has introduced or will introduce a number of family-friendly changes including:
✅ Day-one rights to paternity leave
✅ Day-one rights to ordinary parental leave
✅ Reduced notice requirements for paternity leave
✅ Future changes to flexible working processes, including greater requirements for employers to justify refusals and demonstrate that decisions are reasonable [acas.org.uk], [assets.pub…ice.gov.uk]
The overall direction of travel is clear:
Greater flexibility, stronger protections and increased support for working families.
What Does This Mean for Employers?
The good news is that compliance doesn’t have to mean complexity.
In many cases, it means reviewing existing policies and ensuring managers understand how to apply them fairly.
Example 1: The School Run Challenge
A parent asks to start work 30 minutes later to accommodate a new school schedule.
Rather than automatically declining the request, employers should explore whether alternative arrangements could work before making a decision.
Future flexible working reforms will place greater emphasis on consultation and reasonable decision-making. [assets.pub…ice.gov.uk], [eversheds-…erland.com]
Example 2: Emergency Childcare Breakdown
A childcare provider cancels at short notice.
Managers who understand time off for dependants and respond with empathy can often resolve these situations quickly while maintaining trust.
Example 3: Returning After Parental Leave
Regular check-ins and meaningful conversations can help employees transition back into work successfully and reduce feelings of isolation or overwhelm.
Practical Steps Employers Can Take This September
Want to support working parents while maintaining productivity?
Start with these simple steps:
✅ Encourage meaningful conversations
Don’t wait for annual reviews. Check in regularly and ask employees what support they need.
✅ Review flexible working policies
Ensure policies reflect current legislation and upcoming Employment Rights Act 2025 changes.
✅ Train managers
Many managers want to support their teams but lack confidence in handling flexible working requests or sensitive discussions.
✅ Communicate available support
Make sure employees know about:
- Flexible working arrangements
- Family leave policies
- Employee Assistance Programmes
- Wellbeing resources
✅ Recognise September pressures
Sometimes simply acknowledging that September is a challenging month for parents can make a huge difference.
Don’t Forget the Childcare Support Available
Many working parents may be eligible for government childcare support.
In England, eligible working parents can access funded childcare support for children from nine months old up to school age, subject to eligibility criteria. [gov.uk], [gov.uk]
Useful resources include:
- GOV.UK Childcare Support: https://www.gov.uk/free-childcare-if-working
- Working Families: https://workingfamilies.org.uk/articles/free-childcare-for-children-aged-9-months-to-4-years-old/
Employers can add value simply by signposting employees to available support.
Final Thoughts
September can be one of the most demanding months of the year for working parents.
Behind every school run, forgotten PE kit and childcare challenge is an employee trying to balance work, family and life.
The organisations that recognise this reality are often the ones that build stronger employee engagement, improve employee wellbeing and create cultures where people genuinely want to stay.
As employment rights continue to evolve under the Employment Rights Act 2025, employers have a valuable opportunity to build more family-friendly workplaces through flexibility, fairness and meaningful conversations.
Because sometimes supporting performance isn’t about setting targets.
It’s about understanding people.
Need Support?
If you’re reviewing your family-friendly policies, preparing for Employment Rights Act 2025 changes, or looking to create a more supportive workplace for working parents, now is the perfect time to start the conversation.
After all, when working parents feel supported, everybody benefits. 🌟
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Do you have any questions about today’s blog, need help in becoming legally compliant with contracts/policies or can we support you in taking away any people pains to give you peace of mind?
If you answered yes to any of the above, just give us a call at CUBE HR on 01282 678321, or book in a FREE 30 Minute HR Health Check here FREE HR Health Check and we’ll happily give your business a full HR overview with our personal recommendations absolutely FREE!
Why not also check out last weeks blog How Managers Can Support Mental Health Conversations.
We also have a YouTube channel with loads of handy videos outlining various HR related scenarios.
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