New data reveals a 41-point drop in employee support between pregnancy and return to work. Here's what's causing it and what forward-thinking employers are doing differently.
In today's talent market, "family-friendly" can't just be a line in a job advert. It has to mean something. Yet new data reveals a striking disconnect between the support employees receive during pregnancy and what they actually need to return to work feeling confident, capable and cared for.
We surveyed Peppy parents, predominantly working professionals in their late 20s to late 40s, and what we found should be a wake-up call for every HR and benefits leader.
Here's the headline number: 74% of employees felt supported during pregnancy. Only 33% felt supported when returning to work.
That's a 41-point drop. And it happens at exactly the moment when people are most vulnerable, most exhausted and most likely to quietly consider whether staying in their job is still worth it.
This isn't a small gap. It's a cliff edge.
While 87% of expectant parents attend antenatal appointments, the quality and consistency of what they receive varies enormously. The biggest gaps aren't during pregnancy. They're after.
The postnatal cliff. Most traditional care is built around the birth itself. What comes after, physical recovery, mental health, the relentless practicalities of keeping a tiny human alive, is left largely to chance. Parents told us they felt wholly unprepared for life after birth.
The accessibility gap. Only 36% of people find antenatal resources "very accessible." With NHS services under enormous pressure and private options like NCT classes becoming increasingly expensive, many employees are left isolated, financially strained or turning to Google at 2am for answers that should be coming from a professional.
In fact, 32% of parents told us they turn to online forums simply because they can't access consistent professional care. That's not good enough, and it's not something employers should be comfortable with.
The return-to-work hurdle. Returning to work after having a baby is one of the most significant transitions an employee will ever make. Yet only a third feel their employer genuinely supports them through it. For businesses, that's not just a wellbeing problem. It's a retention risk.
The themes that came through clearly in our data weren't complicated. Parents want:
Employers who close the parenthood gap do it by providing access to specialist support that goes beyond statutory provision and generic EAP programmes. That means ongoing, personalised and clinically-led care that covers the full journey, not just the nine months of pregnancy.
Peppy picks up where traditional healthcare leaves off and stays with your people for the long haul.
Expert support, on demand. No waitlists. No lottery. Peppy gives employees direct access to vetted specialist clinicians, midwives, lactation consultants, mental health practitioners and more, through a simple app. Whether it's a breastfeeding question at midnight or postnatal anxiety on a Tuesday afternoon, support is always there.
Real mental health care. Peppy offers structured support for anxiety, depression and birth trauma, before things reach a breaking point. Because early intervention isn't just kinder, it's smarter.
Inclusive by design. Every family looks different. Peppy is built to support LGBTQ+ parents, non-birthing partners, solo parents and neurodiverse individuals. Everyone in your workforce deserves to feel seen.
Support beyond the birth. From bump to boardroom, Peppy supports the entire journey, including the practical, unglamorous bits that no one talks about but everyone struggles with.
When only one in three of your employees feels supported returning to work after having a child, you're not just losing morale. You're losing people, often your best ones, at the peak of their careers.
Research shows that 17% of women leave employment within five years of childbirth and 88% of employees would change jobs for better fertility and family support. The financial cost of replacing a single mid-level employee can reach up to 200% of their annual salary. Against that, investing in proper parental support isn't a nice-to-have. It's a straightforward business decision.
The right support, at the right moments, makes an enormous difference to how people feel, how they perform and whether they stay.
What is the parenthood gap? The parenthood gap refers to the significant drop in employer support that employees experience between pregnancy and returning to work. Peppy's research found a 41-point difference in how supported employees feel during pregnancy versus after the birth.
How can employers support employees returning from maternity leave? Employers can better support employees returning from maternity leave by offering access to specialist clinicians, mental health support, practical parenting guidance and structured return-to-work programmes, all of which go beyond standard EAP offerings.
What benefits help retain employees after having children? Benefits that make a measurable difference include access to pregnancy and parenthood healthcare support, flexible working policies, mental health provision and specialist clinical guidance covering feeding, sleep, recovery and emotional wellbeing.
How does Peppy support working parents? Peppy gives employees unlimited access to specialist clinicians through an app, covering pregnancy, birth recovery, infant feeding, mental health and return-to-work transitions. Support is confidential, available on demand and inclusive of all family types.