Most parents feel they are treated differently from their colleagues when they return to work after the birth of a child, including being overlooked for promotion, according to a new report.
A survey of 1,000 parents found that two-thirds returned to work purely for financial reasons, with just one in 10 saying they went back because they loved their job.
One in 10 said they experienced hostility or resentment from colleagues, with 7% claiming to have been overlooked for promotion.
Three out of four of those questioned by information website motheratwork (motheratwork.co.uk) said they were not aware of the right to ask for flexible working arrangements or did not understand the legislation.
Denise Tyler, founder of motheratwork, said: "The results make fairly grim reading. Parents are under pressure to return to work for monetary reasons and in some cases face a hostile environment.
"But help is out there and forward-thinking employers are keen to work with parents to find ways that they can work smarter, not harder.
"Parents need to be having adult conversations with their employers around how they can best make this happen."
