EXCLUSIVE | HR leader reveals struggles of being a working parent

When UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a national lockdown last week, all primary and secondary schools and colleges quickly moved to remote learning – except for the children of key workers and vulnerable children.

This, once again, caused challenges for working parents, many of whom were forced to juggle childcare, home-schooling and professional commitments simultaneously.

Vicki Field, an independent HR practitioner, exclusively told HR Grapevine that it was challenging enough balancing parenting with work “before we experienced the ‘joys’ of home-schooling” amid coronavirus lockdown restrictions.

She explained: “Like many people, I now find I have to manage my own workload with a full day of schooling for two primary age boys. It means that in-between setting my own priorities, completing my work, and talking on Zoom calls – I need to ensure that my children are doing the same.