Insights from the 2025 Trends Report on Family-Friendly Benefits for Working Parents in America

The Best Place for Working Parents® 2025 National Trends Report

The Best Place for Working Parents® has unveiled its fourth annual National Trends Report, offering crucial insights into the evolving landscape of family-friendly benefits across America. The report, conducted in collaboration with Empactiv Analytics, scrutinizes the implementation of top research-backed policies aimed at assisting working parents and enhancing business outcomes.

Key Highlights of the 2025 Report

The report sheds light on trends that showcase a notable shift in how family-friendly policies are perceived and adopted by businesses of various sizes and sectors. Following are some critical findings:

1. Inverse Trends in Health Care and Child Care Benefits
The report details a striking divergence in the offering of dependent health care benefits, which have fallen from a peak of 93% in 2023 to just 74% in 2025. Conversely, child care assistance is gaining momentum, with nearly 60% of small businesses now providing such benefits. This shift highlights the increasing recognition of child care as essential for workforce retention and participation.

2. Nursing Benefits on the Rise
With almost 90% of businesses offering nursing benefits now, these policies are quickly becoming standard expectations. As adoption rates steadily increase, the variations across industries suggest this is a crucial period for businesses to enhance their postpartum support measures.

3. Family-Friendly Policies as a Competitive Edge
More organizations are utilizing family-friendly policies to differentiate themselves in a competitive market. The Best Place for Working Parents® designation is witnessing growth, particularly among micro and small enterprises which are keen on retaining family-friendly benefits even amidst financial challenges. This reaffirms the notion that such policies are not just perks but pivotal investments in stability and performance.

Implications for Business Leaders

Sadie Funk, National Director of The Best Place for Working Parents®, remarked on the importance of the insights gathered from this report. She indicated that the data illustrates a clear narrative—supporting working parents is a winning strategy for businesses. Small companies, in particular, are getting creative with their benefits, often opting for flexible policies like child care assistance over more traditional offerings. This shift is necessary for adapting to the changing demands of the workforce.

In the current economic climate, understanding and implementing family-friendly policies can yield a competitive advantage for businesses. Those who embrace these changing trends are not merely responding to an evolving situation; they are leading the way in creating inclusive workplace environments that prioritize employee well-being.

A Broader Network for Family Advocacy

The report draws on data from almost 4,000 U.S. companies collected between December 2019 and December 2025, providing a thorough overview of who is leading in the provision of family-friendly policies. Currently, the Best Place for Working Parents® network spans 24 regions across 14 states, positively impacting more than 5 million workers across the nation.

In conclusion, the 2025 National Trends Report emphasizes that the commitment to family-friendly workplace policies serves as a vital link between employee welfare and business performance. Organizations aiming to thrive should consider these findings as a guiding resource in their strategic planning. As the workforce landscape continues to evolve, prioritizing the needs of working parents will not just enhance employee satisfaction, but also bolster overall business success.