As societal norms evolve, so do the structures of families and the workforce. In 1960, 72% of adults were married, and over 90% expected to marry eventually. Back then, human resources and management practices were designed around the traditional nuclear family model, with a male breadwinner at its core.
Today, the dynamics have shifted significantly. Dual-income households and working mothers are commonplace, a development influenced by the increased participation of women in the workforce during the latter half of the 20th century.
To attract and maintain a skilled workforce, companies have broadened their family-friendly policies, offering flexible work schedules, paid parental leave, and subsidized child care. However, not all employers provide these benefits, highlighting a gap in offering necessary support.
Another shift that companies must heed is the rising number of single employees, particularly those without dependents. Approximately one-third of American adults are unmarried by midlife.
Increasing Numbers of Single Adults
The workforce has always included individuals such as recent graduates, never-married professionals, divorced empty-nesters, and widowed retirees. These groups now constitute a larger portion of the workforce than previous generations, with people transitioning in and out of these categories throughout life.
As a behavioral economist and business school professor, I explore what I term the “Solo Economy” – the ways in which institutions and markets are responding, or failing to respond, to this demographic change.
Workplace policies, in particular, illustrate a significant gap in adapting to these changes.
The Growing Disconnect
Currently, 46% of U.S. adults are unmarried. Half of these individuals are not interested in dating. Projections indicate that about 25% of millennials and 33% of Gen Z may never marry.
Approximately 29% of U.S. adults live alone, making this the most prevalent household type. This marks a stark difference from 1960, when the median age at first marriage was 20 for women and 22 for men, and single-person households were uncommon.
The average age for a first marriage has now increased by nearly a decade, reaching 28.4 for women and 30.8 for men.
Yet, HR policies are often slow to accommodate these realities. The concept of amatonormativity, or the assumption that marriage and family are the ideal relationship models, still prevails.
Amatonormativity influences over 1,000 legal benefits favoring married individuals, including tax breaks and Social Security advantages. This bias extends into the workplace, where family-friendly policies often overlook the needs of single employees.
According to a survey, 62% of single employees felt they were treated differently from married colleagues with children, and 30% believed this disparity suggested that their lives were less valued.
I contend that employers can better accommodate single workers without children, without disadvantaging others.
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Perceived Inequities in Scheduling
Employees with spouses or children have legitimate needs that merit support. However, single workers without dependents often find themselves expected to work during holidays, travel more frequently, and schedule vacations at less favored times.
Sarah Brock, founder of Sarah Bee Talent, shared a personal experience on Linkedin: “My manager asked me to take on an extra responsibility, saying she couldn’t ask the teacher who handled it before because she ‘has four boys.’ I felt like my life didn’t have the same value because I wasn’t raising a family.” Brock’s post prompted hundreds of similar accounts.
Research supports these observations, indicating that single, childless employees are more often expected to travel, work longer hours, and take vacations at less desirable times.
Krystal Wilkinson, a professor specializing in human resource management, notes that childcare is deemed a more legitimate reason to limit work hours than pursuits like hobbies, fitness, or dating. Even with unlimited paid time off, singles might hesitate to take vacations, worried that their reasons are considered less valid.
Benefits Tilted Toward Married Employees
Benefits packages often inadvertently favor married workers.
Typically, a married employee’s compensation package is more valuable than that of a single colleague in the same role. According to a 2021 Kaiser Family Foundation survey, 95% of large employers offer health coverage to spouses, with employers subsidizing part of the cost. While this is reasonable, single employees often do not receive an equivalent benefit.
This inequity extends to life insurance policies, retirement plans, wellness programs, and employee assistance programs.
Leave policies follow a similar pattern. The Family and Medical Leave Act offers up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave to care for a spouse, parent, or child. Bereavement leave typically applies to immediate family members. However, singles often have support networks that include close friends and “chosen family,” which current policies do not recognize, especially in the LGBTQ+ community.
The issue is not the benefits granted to married employees, but rather that the system is outdated and does not reflect current lifestyles.
Suggestions for Employers
Employers can bridge these gaps without reducing benefits for married workers, and in doing so, may enhance conditions for all employees.
Flexible benefits: A cafeteria-style benefits model allows employees to allocate a budget according to their needs, covering options from child care to gym memberships and pet insurance. Netflix provides a model by offering up to US$16,000 annually per employee for medical, dental, and vision premiums, irrespective of marital status.
Expanded leave policies: Bereavement leave could include close friends, and employees might exchange types of leave based on individual circumstances.
Equitable scheduling: Instead of assuming single employees are always available, companies could implement first-come, first-served vacation scheduling, with seniority breaking ties. Alternatively, a points-based system could be used, giving each employee an equal budget to bid on desired time slots.
Inclusive communication: Simple changes in language, such as using “you and your loved ones” instead of “you and your family,” can foster a more inclusive environment.
Organizational commitment: Companies should affirm diversity by explicitly valuing employees of all relationship statuses, just as they do for age, gender, sexual orientation, and ethnicity.
A Practical Assessment
To assess whether their policies disadvantage single or married employees, employers should consider this test: Would the policy negatively affect a married employee who becomes single? If so, it should be revised.
Many individuals transition between singlehood and partnership throughout life due to relationship changes. A workplace designed for single individuals is beneficial for all, regardless of their life stage.
