Parent-friendly jobs help bridge cribs and clocks

A mother surnamed Song from Qingdao in Shandong province, who left the workforce for eight years, said jobs that match both her professional background and family needs are limited.

Song's concerns are echoed by Shao Xiaochun, a community official in Shanghai who works with businesses to identify flexible job opportunities. "Most parent-friendly positions are still part-time or temporary, with limited prospects for long-term career development," said Shao.

To truly expand such opportunities, Guan Lian from the human resources institute for service outsourcing argues that companies must fundamentally rethink traditional management. "They need to embed parent-friendly roles into the institutional structure, not just treat them as one-off accommodations."

Meanwhile, experts are urging stronger government action to advance parent-friendly jobs, calling for clearer job standards, improved coordination across departments, and more effective policy outreach to support both workers and employers.

Companies need stronger incentives, and workers need better services, said Shen Jianfeng, a law expert at the Central University of Finance and Economics in Beijing.

"Tax breaks, insurance subsidies and enhanced public services — like skills training for full-time parents — can help bridge the gap," added Shen.