The workplace assumes parents still have a village

For all the attention being paid to AI, hybrid work, and productivity, one of the biggest changes affecting today’s workforce is happening outside the workplace. The support systems families once relied on are disappearing. Most working parents would tell you that raising children takes a village. In fact, new research from the 2026 Modern Family Index shows that 77% believe exactly that. Yet 81% also say the village families rely on for support during work hours has decreased compared to previous generations. Taken together, these findings point to a reality many employers are only beginning to confront. While the need for support remains constant, the realities of family life have changed considerably. Many parents are navigating work and caregiving responsibilities without the reliable support networks prior generations often relied on. Numerous working parents are raising children far from where they grew up, without the built-in support systems previous generations often took for granted. Grandparents may live hundreds of miles away, neighbors may be friendly but unavailable, and friends are often juggling the same competing demands. Parenting itself has also become more inte…