Born out of the demand from families looking for practical and personal solutions for returning to work or starting up their own business after having a family, the Work and Family Show held on 21-22 February in London gathered a collection of business leaders, employment experts, NGOs and entrepreneurs all sharing their advice in interactive and lively debates.

A COFACE delegation was there both days. The show was a great opportunity to follow a number of animated debates over topics including gender stereotypes in the workplace, roles and responsibilities in the 21st century, and family life going digital (photos).

The organisers recently commissioned some research into the state-of-mind of working parents which revealed that many families struggle to maintain a healthy work-life balance, feeling misunderstood by their employers and guilty about leaving their children in childcare. They found that a whole fifth of dads (20%) say they wished they hadn’t gone back to work after having a family, saying they wished they could have looked after their child while over a third (37%) of men say they work full time with no flexibility from their employer whatsoever. 35% of women, meanwhile, said they felt they didn’t have any help or understanding from their employer when dealing with the difficult transition from working woman to working mum, fearing that they were given less responsibility and fewer big projects.

Ben Black, Director of My Family Care, who have designed the content for the Show said: “Due to the lack of support from employers on returning to work, women often feel forced to give up the careers they have trained so hard for in order to fit into their new role of motherhood. However, it shouldn’t be like this. Businesses are missing a trick by failing to support their caring workforce – by offering flexible working and a more understanding ethos through the company, businesses can create a happier and more engaged workforce that will undoubtedly have a positive impact on the business in the long run.”

More on this event: www.theworkandfamilyshow.co.uk