Half of lone parents here said their parental responsibilities had resulted in them leaving the workforce at some point over the course of their career.
It contrasts with just over a third of two-parent families who said they had to do likewise.
The findings are contained in the results of a survey of 1,000 workers and jobseekers in Ireland conducted by the recruitment website, Indeed.
Around two thirds of lone parents said they had struggled to find work because of a lack of flexible working options with a similar proportion saying they have had to call in sick due the demands of caring.
While around seven in ten respondents said access to flexible working arrangements was important to them, just under half said their employer offered such flexibility.
From earlier this year, workers have had the right to request a flexible working arrangement if they are a parent or a carer.
Around four in five survey participants said they believed the Government should incentivise employers to offer more flexible working options.
85% said they would be more likely to stay in a job if it offered flexible working and associated supports.
"Our aim with this research was to identify the key challenges faced by both parents and carers - especially as carers now represent a significant and growing proportion of the workforce," Indeed's Vice President, EMEA (Sales), Derek Diviney, said.
"What’s clear from our findings is that employers who provide meaningful supports for both groups - including access to flexible working options - are more attractive to a broader pool of talent and will experience higher levels of employee retention," he added.
The report pointed to substantial organisational benefits for employers with robust supports in place.
A majority in that cohort reported experiencing lower rates of absenteeism and greater success within the organisation.
