HiBob has released its fifth annual ‘Women in the Workplace’ report, revealing a significant disconnect between how men and women view the career consequences of parenthood.
This perception gap is clear in how parenthood is viewed in the workplace. When asked which groups are most negatively impacted by reduced visibility, men were equally likely to cite men with children (39%) as women with children (39%), suggesting they see the career impact of parenthood as equal.
However, official figures point to a different reality. Office for National Statistics data shows that five years after the birth of a first child, women’s earnings are on average 42% lower than before birth, equating to an average loss of £65,618 over five years. Notably, the analysis did not measure the equivalent earnings impact for men, highlighting how the long-term financial penalty of parenthood remains disproportionately linked to women.
Experiencing this inequality directly, almost seven in 10 women (69%) say mothers are most negatively impacted – 30 percentage points higher than men – and just one in five (20%) believe fathers face the same impact.
The career cost of stepping away
Despite men’s perceptions of an equal parenthood impact, women continue to report being excluded from key workplace moments after taking parental leave or stepping back due to caring responsibilities.
Among women who have taken parental leave, 23% say their career progression slowed as a result. Twenty percent say they’ve been left out of key decisions because they weren’t in the office, and 16% have been given less challenging or lower-visibility work. Further, nearly one in five women (17%) say they felt less visible to senior leadership after returning from parental leave.
These experiences reinforce that parental leave is still a career disadvantage for women. More than two-thirds (69%) say it has a greater negative impact on women’s careers than on men’s. However, despite the evidence, almost one in five men (16%) actively disagree with this view.
Promotion still rewards visibility
HiBob’s research reveals progression remains closely linked to presence – impacting those with caring responsibilities. When asked which behaviours are most rewarded in promotion decisions, both men and women cite being visible to senior leadership (35% of men; 33% of women) and constant availability (34% of men; 33% of women) as top factors. With YouGov research showing women still assume the majority of childcare and domestic responsibilities, the presence preference therefore has a disproportionate impact on women in the workplace.
Bias persists even as women stay confident and loyal
Despite women remaining confident in the quality and value of their work (93%), gender bias continues to shape workplace experiences. More than one in five women (21%) report being made to feel uncomfortable or less qualified at work because of their gender.
Women are also more likely to recognise that progression is unequal. Seventeen percent believe men are promoted more than others at their company, compared to 12% of men.
Despite the inequalities, women with dependents show the strongest loyalty to their employers. Seventy-eight percent say they stayed in their job in 2025 and plan to stay in 2026 – 10 percentage points higher than men – suggesting many may prioritise job security and predictability over the uncertainty of changing employers, even when progression feels harder to access.
Nirit Peled-Muntz, Chief People Officer at HiBob, comments: “The structural barriers facing working mothers remain deeply embedded in how many organisations operate. Yet many still view parenthood as an equal workplace burden despite clear evidence that the impact is not experienced equally.
“Our data shows that 79% of men in our survey manage people, compared to 58% of women, meaning men are more likely to influence promotions, pay, and visibility decisions. When those shaping progression believe the playing field is level, structural disadvantage becomes harder to recognise and address.
“HR’s role isn’t limited to calling out bias; we are architects of the systems, structures, and culture that shape opportunity. Together with leadership, we must design progression frameworks that reward impact over presence and ensure fairness is built into the way decisions are made. Equality isn’t achieved by intention. It’s achieved when we lead and build differently.”
