Supporting modern employees requires more than health insurance and retirement plans. Forward-thinking companies are expanding their benefits strategy to address the real challenges that affect focus, performance, and retention at work. And a largely underestimated productivity drain is college planning for working parents.

What used to be a personal employee issue has become a workplace challenge with real business consequences as college planning has become more complex, more time-consuming, and significantly more expensive. These pressures quietly erode employee productivity, increase financial stress, and contribute to turnover risk as employees seek out employers that support this need.

To help employers understand what’s happening behind the scenes in college planning, we’re sharing key insights from our College Coach experts. From the hidden strain of college planning to why it matters, here’s a snapshot to guide your benefits strategy.

Watch Webinar: Guiding the Future: Why College Coaching is a Game-Changing Benefit

The Hidden Strain of College Planning in the Workplace

Consider this: 25% of working parents spend up to 15 hours per week during work hours navigating college admissions and financial aid. That’s nearly two full workdays lost to stress, confusion, and research every single week.

From researching schools to deciphering financial aid forms, the college planning process is complex, time-consuming, and emotionally taxing. Here’s how this shows up in the workplace:

• 88% of parents of teens use work time for college preparation.
• 70% of parents worry about college costs while at work.
• Financially stressed employees lose 7 hours of productivity per week, costing U.S. employers $183 billion annually.

You may not even be aware your employees are struggling with college planning, but saving for college can start at birth and college admissions planning often begins as early as 8th grade. 74% of all mothers and 93.5% of all fathers are employed with children under 18, so this strain is impacting more of your employees than you realize. 

Why Employers Need to Pay Attention to College Planning

College planning today is not what it was even five years ago. For employers, understanding these changes is key to supporting your workforce effectively. Here’s what you need to know about the current landscape of college planning and how it impacts the workplace.

1. Rising Complexity in College Admissions is a Workplace Issue

Increasing competition and unpredictability means that families must spend more time researching, strategizing, and preparing, which often happens during work hours. With more students applying to more schools and the rise of test-optional policies causing confusion, working parents are spending significant time during the workday researching, strategizing, and preparing. This hidden time drain impacts productivity and focus across your workforce.

2. Financial Stress from College Costs Drives Turnover Risk

College affordability is a top concern for working parents. 73% of parents still feel a college degree is necessary for their child, but financial stress directly impacts productivity, engagement, and retention.

The cost of college continues to rise, and financial aid policies vary widely. 70% of working parents worry about college costs at work, navigating merit scholarships, need-based aid, FAFSA changes, and financial negotiations. However, financially stressed employees are twice as likely to look for another job, attracted to employers that care about their financial well-being. 63% of HR professionals stated that employees who are financially stressed perform worse at work.

3. College Planning Start Early and Demands Working Parent Involvement

College planning is a multi-year marathon that often begins in middle school with heavy reliance on parents, not just a senior year sprint. From course selection and extracurriculars to early savings strategies, families are investing significant time and energy during the workday long before applications are due.

Unfortunately, high school counselors are only able to spend 23% of their time on college support as they juggle mental health support, scheduling, and other responsibilities. This means parents are stepping in to fill the gap with 72% of college applicants relying on their parents for assistance with college applications, more than school counselors.

Watch Webinar: Guiding the Future: Why College Coaching is a Game-Changing Benefit

College Coach is a Strategic Benefit for Companies

College coaching is a strategic benefit that eases the financial and admissions stressors from college planning for working parents. Bright Horizons’ College Coach is designed to meet your employees where they are, whether they’re just starting to think about college planning or making final enrollment decisions.

This results in measurable impact:

• 90% of users report reduced stress from working with College Coach
• 80% say College Coach saved them money
• 1 hour with a College Coach saves 5 hours of research
• 99% of families recommend Bright Horizon’s College Coach

Offering college coaching as an employee benefit also addresses multiple business priorities:

Boost Productivity: By reducing the hours employees spend on college planning and research during work, you free up their focus on business-critical tasks. This also reduces stress and disengagement.

“The weight off my shoulders and the headspace this benefit has provided me has been invaluable. I feel a peace of mind that allows me to maintain focus at work during what would be a much more stressful and distracting time in life.”

Enhance Retention: Financial stress is a top driver of employee turnover. College Coach helps employees make smarter financial decisions, without needing to leave for higher pay.

Promote Benefit Equity: Private college counseling can cost families $6,000 per student, but most employees can’t afford to pay this out of pocket. Offering this as a company-sponsored benefit ensures all employees have access, regardless of income.

“This is one of the best ‘stealth’ benefits. It helped me understand my student’s options for merit-based scholarships, and I was even able to negotiate $10K in additional aid.”

Strengthen Recruitment: Parents of teens are actively seeking employers who support their whole family. College Coach is an impactful benefit that differentiates your organization from the competition.

Get Started with Best-in-Class Employee Benefits

Whether your workforce includes parents of newborns or college-bound seniors, College Coach by Bright Horizons offers support across the entire college lifecycle. From saving strategies to final tuition payments, the best-in-class benefit offers your employees:

• 1:1 expert coaching from former admissions and financial aid officers that average 14 years of experience
• Live and on-demand webinars
• Essay reviews, customized college lists, and a 24/7 resource library
• Support across all types of institutions—public, private, Ivy League, community colleges, and more

Schedule a consultation today to learn how College Coach can become a cornerstone of your competitive benefits strategy.