Peace at Home Blog

How Employee Resource Groups Help Working Parents—and How Peace at Home Helps ERGs Thrive

February 2026 | Kathleen Harkins Weissenberger

Sixty-six percent of working parents are experiencing parental burnout—chronic stress and exhaustion that undermines their wellbeing, performance, and ability to cope. At the same time, children and teens are facing a mental health crisis, with rising rates of anxiety, depression, and self-harm. Add ongoing social, political, and economic uncertainty, and families are under unprecedented strain.

Parents are being asked to show up everywhere—at work, at home, and in their communities—without adequate support. This pressure doesn’t stay at home. It shows up as absenteeism, disengagement, turnover, and lost productivity.

Employers are uniquely positioned to change this.

Forward-thinking organizations are recognizing that when parents are supported at home, employees are more focused, resilient, and engaged at work. Increasingly, companies are partnering with Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) to design benefits and programming that meet real employee needs. Peace at Home Parenting Solutions is proud to be a trusted partner in this work.

ERGs: Turning Insight Into Impact

Employee Resource Groups—often volunteer-led and deeply connected to employee experience—play a critical role in shaping workplace culture, inclusion, and wellbeing. Originating in the civil rights movement, ERGs have evolved into strategic partners for HR, DEI, Benefits, and executive leadership.

Working Parent Networks frequently collaborate with Black, Asian, LGBTQ+, Fertility, and Emerging Professional ERGs, recognizing that caregiving challenges intersect with race, culture, gender identity, and career stage. These partnerships surface issues early and help organizations respond with empathy and precision.

ERG leaders:

• Understand what employees are struggling with right now
• Build trust and participation across communities
• Advocate for solutions that improve both quality of life and performance

What ERGs need is expert, evidence-based support that is inclusive, scalable, and aligned with business outcomes.

How Peace at Home Supports ERGs—and the Employers Behind Them

Peace at Home partners with ERGs to deliver research-informed, expert-led parenting and caregiver support that directly addresses the challenges employees are facing—at home and at work.

Our work with ERGs has led to impactful programming, including:

• Parental burnout and youth mental health: Practical strategies grounded in neuroscience and child development to reduce stress, improve emotional regulation, and protect family wellbeing—supporting sustained productivity at work.
• Navigating social and political stress: Workshops like Handling Hot Topics with Your Kids and Colleagues equip employees with communication skills that build empathy, reduce conflict, and strengthen teams in a world of dramatic political turmoil.
• Responding to violence and collective trauma: Sessions such as Helping Your Child Feel Safe in an Unpredictable World help parents manage fear and overwhelm—reducing the emotional load employees carry into the workplace.
• Culturally responsive parenting support: ERG-driven programming addressing racial violence, cultural parenting norms, identity, and allyship—strengthening inclusion and leadership skills.
• Fertility and family-building support: Guidance on workplace communication, boundaries, and advocacy during highly stressful life stages—supporting retention and engagement.

Employees consistently report feeling more supported, more focused, and more connected to their organizations after Peace at Home programs.

Why Employers Choose Peace at Home

When ERGs are supported with the right tools and expertise:

• Employees feel seen, valued, and supported
• ERGs increase engagement and impact
• Managers gain insight and empathy
• Organizations see reduced stress-related absenteeism, improved retention, and stronger productivity

Peace at Home transforms ERG insight into measurable wellbeing outcomes through live workshops, on-demand resources, and one-on-one consultations—delivered by advanced-degree experts and trusted by leading organizations.

A Strategic Investment in People and Performance

Supporting ERGs with expert parenting and caregiver resources isn’t just good for families—it’s a smart business decision.

Peace at Home helps ERGs thrive, parents cope, and organizations perform. We’d love to talk with you about how Peace at Home can support your ERGs and strengthen your workplace wellbeing strategy. Reach out to our CEO  Kathleen@peaceathomeparenting.com