Worldwide labour markets today are under pressure. Rising attrition and intensified competition for skilled talent are reshaping employer priorities. The organisations that thrive today are those that embrace a simple economic truth: supporting parents and families is one of the highest‑return on investment strategies available to them.
This message is reinforced by the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority’s latest Parent-friendly Label – or PFL – impact report, Thriving Through Talent, which captured the insights of more than 11,000 employees across 83 organisations. The evidence shows that when employers prioritise family well-being, they strengthen the foundations of productivity, loyalty and long‑term competitiveness. This year’s findings are especially timely as the UAE prepares to mark 2026 as the “Year of the Family”, a national moment to reaffirm the central role of families in shaping our country’s future.
The UAE’s economic model has always been anchored in human development, and at its heart lies the family. Support for the family unit starts at the highest level of national leadership and is deeply embedded in the UAE’s vision for long-term prosperity, as well as social and cultural cohesion.
President Sheikh Mohamed, continuing the legacy of the Founding Father of the UAE, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, consistently reaffirms the country’s unwavering commitment to family stability and cohesion. At an event recently organised by the Early Childhood Authority, Sheikh Mohamed affirmed the UAE’s steadfast commitment to supporting family stability and cohesion, describing the family as the foundation of a strong society. He highlighted the family’s central role in instilling essential values and nurturing future generations rooted in their national identity and able to contribute to the UAE’s ongoing development.
These principles are reflected across government reforms and organisational policies nationwide. These reforms complement the PFL programme, which was launched in 2021 and encourages employers to exceed legal compliance and embed progressive policies that support working parents daily. Though voluntary and free, the PFL has inspired more meaningful workplace reform in three cycles than many regulatory programmes achieve in decades.
Data confirms what forward‑thinking leaders have long understood, namely that parent‑friendly policies are productivity levers, not nominal benefits. In the most recent PFL cycle, 71 per cent of employees reported improved daily productivity resulting from parent‑friendly policies; 68 per cent linked these policies directly to their decision to extend their job tenure for two more years, while 77 per cent would recommend their employer as a parent‑friendly workplace.
Retention alone makes a compelling economic case given that replacing a mid‑career employee can cost between 50 and 200 per cent of their annual salary. Organisations with strong parental support experience lower turnover and more resilient talent pipelines, both of which are advantages that matter profoundly in the UAE’s high‑growth economy.
Just as importantly, the programme is reshaping workplace gender dynamics. More than 80 per cent of mothers reported strong organisational support to take their full maternity leave, while 65 per cent said flexible arrangements and nursing breaks made returning to work easier. Among fathers, 74 per cent said their managers actively encouraged them to take paternity leave – an important cultural shift that normalises shared caregiving.
In a multicultural workforce like the UAE’s, these policies have far‑reaching impact. When 73 per cent of employees across sectors and nationalities say that the UAE is a parent‑friendly place to work, it strengthens our global talent competitiveness – an asset just as valuable as technology or capital.
The third cycle demonstrates a notable shift in productivity norms, with seven out of 10 employees reporting that flexible working is embraced at all organisational levels. For parents, this support translates directly into heightened productivity and reduced daily stress.
Family‑care provisions are also becoming more robust: 72 per cent of mothers are satisfied with the culture of supporting nursing breaks, with 63 per cent saying guidance on nursing facilities is clearly communicated. Furthermore, two thirds of parents are satisfied with mental and physical well-being services. These figures reflect a growing understanding that family well-being is not an optional benefit, but rather a core organisational responsibility.
Most gratifying is that the PFL’s influence spans the entire corporate spectrum, from multinational corporations to SMEs and national champions. Although their approaches differ, the outcomes converge greater loyalty, stronger engagement and more resilient workplaces.
What truly sets the PFL apart, though, is its unique blend of national vision, organisational accountability and cultural transformation delivering measurable progress for thousands of parents and children across the three cycles. This year’s impact report findings reinforce how these practices unlock human potential while driving organisational performance.
As the UAE enters 2026 under the theme “Year of the Family”, the path ahead becomes even clearer. Workplaces must become active partners in strengthening the social and economic growth that support family ties – ultimately the cornerstone of our society and a pillar of national prosperity.
