Do not adjust your browsers. This is not a Waterford Whispers story, but actual research from LinkedIn. Irish parents believe their children in the workplace deserve a promotion.

If anything, the research shows that Irish parents are heavily involved early in their child’s career.

Six out of 10 mothers and fathers state proudly that their child deserves a promotion.

But this changes as their child grows up and progresses – a parenting gap emerges later on when it comes to professional guidance.

The research comes out ahead of the third annual LinkedIn Bring in Your Parents Day (#BIYP). The worldwide event, during which workers around the globe invite their parents into the workplace to give them an inside view of their working life, takes place on 5 November.

‘Irish parents know they are one of the most important factors in shaping their child’s upbringing; however, this input usually drops off once they enter the full-time workforce’

– DR ALEXANDRA BEUREGARD

The initiative was first successfully piloted in LinkedIn’s Dublin office in 2013, before being rolled out across the world.

LinkedIn Bring in Your Parents Day will be held in 17 countries, including Ireland, the UK, the US, France, The Netherlands, Sweden, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Australia, India, Canada, Singapore, New Zealand, Malaysia, China, Japan and Hong Kong, and the professional network encourages businesses and individuals worldwide to take part. In 2014, some 25,000 people were involved.

While Irish parents are not short of potential advice, half (50pc) often find themselves with an opinion to offer, but refrain from giving it. Almost a third (32pc) did not want to interfere, and 21pc believe their child would be annoyed or offended if they offered advice.

As a result, the last time most parents have given career advice to their children is during their first job after finishing education (25pc).

The research also revealed that Irish mothers are the biggest supporters of their child’s career, with eight out of 10 mammies (78pc) extremely proud of their son or daughter’s career choice, compared to 66pc of Irish fathers.

LinkedIn Bring in Your Parents Day aims to bridge the gap between workers and their parents when it comes to the working world, providing parents with the insights and knowledge they need to offer useful advice to their children.

Beacons of encouragement

LinkedIn’s research showed that over half of Irish parents (53pc) describe their parenting style as “a beacon of encouragement and advice without being overinvolved”.

This is more common for mothers (62pc) than fathers (43pc) in Ireland.

LinkedIn worked with Dr Alexandra Beauregard, an expert on the influence of families in the workplace, from the London School of Economics.

Dr Beauregard looked at different parenting styles, based on how engaged parents were in their child’s professional life and the types of decisions they helped to influence, and how these affected kids that have flown the nest.

Dr Beauregard has coined the term Lighthouse Parenting, which joins other parenting styles people may be familiar with: Free Range, Well-wishers, Concierge and Helicopter Parenting.

“Irish parents know they are one of the most important factors in shaping their child’s upbringing; however, this input usually drops off once they enter the full-time workforce.

“A big reason for this is parents feel like they know less about what their child is doing.

“The Lighthouse Parent embodies this parenting style by continuing to take an interest in a child’s career and giving guidance when required – without interfering.”

Graduation image via Shutterstock

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