How to Support Working Parents

Please don't do this one thing to working parents: Give a project that they could help with away to someone else and tell them it's because "they are too busy" or "I want you to have time with your family." While it might seem kind, removing projects can feel like a penalization for being a parent. Like saying, "You can't handle it." Ouch. Here's the reality: many working parents already feel the guilt tug-of-war. Taking away work adds another layer of doubt and self-defeat. They might think, "See, everyone thinks I can't balance it!" Worse, it can be a mechanism to convert the guilt they have into shame: "I can't do this. I am not good enough" So, how can you ACTUALLY support working parents? 1. Be a Collaborative Captain: Don't dismiss them! Instead, approach them with the new opportunity and highlight their unique skills for it. Then, ask the magic question: "I know you're juggling a lot, but I believe you'd excel at this! How can we make it work for you and maximize your strengths?" 2. Empower, Don't Undermine: This gives them agency and lets them voice their needs. They might say, "Bring it on!" or suggest adjustments. Whatever it is, respect their decision. 3. Trust the Juggling Act: Parents are master multitaskers! Unless they explicitly express overload, trust their ability to prioritize and delegate as needed. Remember, working parents don't need pity or protection, they need partnership. Offer support, flexibility, and an environment where they feel valued and capable. That's the recipe for a truly thriving team, parents included! #workingparents #worklifebalance #leadership #empowerment

No one talks about how lonely it is to come back from maternity leave. You leave to have a baby. You come back to 1,492 Slack messages and a calendar invite like nothing happened. No re-onboarding. No roadmap. Just you, quietly catching up in the dark while trying to remember how to human. We have onboarding for new hires. Offboarding for exits. Even training for contractors. But for parents returning from birth? Silence. Let’s fix it. Here’s what every company should offer for parents returning from leave: 👋 Reboarding Week 1: • 1:1 with manager to go over what changed • Updated org chart & project priorities • A "Return Roadmap" PDF so they’re not guessing • Re-intro post to the team (yes, like a new hire) 🧠 Emotional & Logistical Support: • Option to ease in: 3-day ramp week • Set up a “parent buddy” for weekly check-ins • Slack channel for working parents • Access to therapy or coaching if possible 🗓️ Workload Reset: • Clean calendar before return, don’t backload meetings • Give space to observe before jumping into strategy • Make re-entry goals collaborative, not performative 💡 Manager Training: Because most of them have no idea how to support a parent returning to work. Let’s fix that too. This isn’t coddling. This is retention strategy. This is how you keep high performers. This is how you show up for real when it matters. HR folks, People teams, CEOs: STEAL THIS PLAN. Better yet, implement it and tell LinkedIn you did. Working parents deserve more than a “Welcome back!” They deserve a re-launch. #WorkingParents #MaternityLeave #Onboarding #Reboarding #PeopleFirst #ParenthoodAtWork #caffeinencareers

During my parental leave, I considered not returning to work. And I’m not alone. According to a recent report by Moms First and Adecco Group shared in Charter, two-thirds of mothers with children under five report that they considered quitting their job as the end of their parental leave approached. When I first shared publicly in an article in 2019 that I had considering not returning to work during my parental leave, it surprised many people who knew how much I loved my career and my calling in university fundraising. Here’s the thing: we can do more to support working parents in our organizations. It’s my mission to help all working parents, and mothers in particular, to see that they can love their career and their family—and be great at both. Here are four ways to support working mothers in your organization: 1. Speak up about practices that disproportionally affect moms. According to What Works for Women at Work by Joan C. Williams (one of my fave books), part of the bias against working mothers and pregnant women is the perception that they’re not as dedicated to their careers. Correcting this means addressing what’s being said—by shutting down any comments about working moms who rush out of the office at 5 pm, for example—and what’s not being said. Though you may not directly experience what others do as a working parent, show compassion and advocate for others. It shouldn’t fall only to working mothers to speak up about office policies—both official and unspoken—that negatively affect them. 2. Be mindful of scheduling… I’ve been known to swoop into conference rooms like James Bond ducking under a closing steel trap as I tried to navigate making school drop off, commuting to work, and getting to that early morning meeting. In some workplaces, there are parameters on when meetings can be held to be mindful of the demands on people’s schedules. If your org isn’t one of them—you can still make it a personal practice to only schedule meetings after (or before) a certain time. Let’s be real, no one really likes rushing in for an early morning meeting, so this is more inclusive for everyone! 3. …and rescheduling. Meeting times often change to keep up with unexpected demands of the workday, and though it can cause friction for everyone, it can be an added challenge for working parents. They may have set aside time to pump or need to leave early to get to parent-teacher conferences. If you’re changing a scheduled meeting, consider how it might affect others and give as much advance notice as possible. 4. Ask how they want to be helped. If you’re not sure how to support a working mother, ask her! She’ll be grateful for the acknowledgment, even if she doesn’t yet have the answer figured out. Whether a woman has just returned to work after parental leave or has been navigating working motherhood for years, she could benefit from your support. Which strategy resonates most with you?

I work with Human Resources and caregiver employee resource groups, to support parents, often to update policies and practices. Leaders, if you can prioritize one thing to improve retention and morale, take a close look at how your org handles parental (and even unplanned) leaves. Paternity leaves are on the rise and what happens before, during and after parental leave for moms, often determines whether or not she stays in her role. The first year of a baby's life, is also a critical window to improve mental and physical health outcomes for moms, parents, and babies, so flexibility and support at work is crucial. I had the pleasure of speaking with Tara Weiss Bronstein about this for the The Wall Street Journal. She covers a lot of great options in the article (subscription required) and here are a couple of key takeaways. 1. Get creative about coverage while people are out. Yes, consider temporary hires or contractors, but internships for current employees provide invaluable experience and "returnship" programs are amazing to re-skill displaced workers. 2. Pre-game the return to work, not just the parental leave. Most new parents need to revisit their schedules and priorities during what is often a foggy-sleep-deprived haze post baby. The parent who gave birth, is also going through a physical and emotional recovery that may require ongoing medical care. 3. Take the lead as an organization. Absolutely get input from moms, dads and parents about their parental leave plans. But please don't leave it to them to choreograph the whole thing. Most people don't know what they'll need in advance or how the organization can best support them. #parentalleave #FMLA #employeeexperience #workingmothers #workingparents #familyfriendlypolicies #managertraining