Healthy beginnings, thriving businesses: parental leave coaching in the UAE

The family unit holds significant value in the UAE, influencing many governmental cultural and national priorities. While honouring institutions awarded the prestigious Parent Friendly Label (PFL) by the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority, UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan stated, “Enabling parents to balance work and family life helps to strengthen family bonds and promote effective parenting, which has a positive impact on the child, family, and society.” These sentiments align with our values at The Tall Wall, where we believe business should not come at the expense of individuals, their families, or society. It’s encouraging to see this belief materialise through initiatives like the PFL.

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The UAE is home to over 200 nationalities living and working in the UAE. Approximately 88% of the population consists of expatriates who relocate to Dubai seeking financial growth, career advancement, and an improved quality of life.

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It’s reasonable to estimate that at least half of the UAE’s workforce comprises working parents – individuals striving to be productive at work while raising children at home. These children represent our future workforce, clients, and leaders. It’s imperative to break the cycle of managers lamenting the ‘new generation,’ especially when that generation may have been raised by burnt-out, disconnected parents.

Recent data from Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace 2025 report indicates that 48% of workers in the MENA region experience daily stress, surpassing the global average of 40%. Notably, women reported even higher levels. Furthermore, 62% of the region’s workforce was found to be disengaged, with anger being the predominant daily emotion.

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The UAE’s rapid economic diversification and growth have transformed traditional family structures and work expectations. The conventional model of a breadwinner husband and stay-at-home wife is no longer prevalent. We now have a diverse population of third-culture parents and children, bringing unique challenges, particularly concerning identity and a sense of belonging.

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Without extended family nearby, childcare availability and costs become significant concerns. Family dynamics are evolving rapidly, with some families living apart within the region due to job relocations or losses, and dual-income households are increasingly common. Like many other countries, the UAE still grapples with eradicating the stigma around mental health and supporting postpartum health. Consequently, many working parents may struggle in silence under immense pressure to perform.

Organisational and systemic challenges exacerbate these stressors. Parental leave entitlements vary across different emirates and between the private and public sectors. While some employers offer extended leave options, others provide only the statutory minimum.

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Policies often remain informal or inconsistently applied, frequently left to individual managers’ discretion. Even with formal policies in place, managers may lack the proper training or awareness to implement them effectively.

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Flexible working arrangements and part-time roles are still scarce. According to a 2024 Return to Work survey conducted by Beyond Careers in the UAE, 64.7% of women delayed family planning due to a lack of support in their professional environment, and 56.2% felt pressured, harassed, forced to leave, or not offered a role due to pregnancy (pre/postnatal). Reasons cited for leaving employment or refraining from entering the workforce included insufficient maternity leave, lack of work-life balance, and limited employment options after relocating from other countries.

Parental leave coaching transforms what is often a vulnerable time for employees into a moment of growth and loyalty. Through structured coaching sessions, both expectant and returner parents receive:

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• Strategic planning support for pre-leave transitions.
• Tools for maintaining appropriate workplace connections during leave.
• Confidence-building strategies for successful returns.
• Techniques for work-life integration in the critical first months back.

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The process encourages honest conversations about challenges, concerns, and aspirations, enabling parents to embrace their new reality while maintaining career momentum.

As the UAE aims to double its GDP to Dh3 trillion by 2030 and transition to a knowledge-based economy, global competition for talent will intensify. Success will increasingly depend on strategies that attract, retain, and empower a diverse, thriving workforce.

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Leading the region in gender parity and already achieving full parity in parliament, the UAE continues pushing boundaries towards Vision 2031:

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• accelerating leadership diversity via mandates by the UAE Gender Balance Council and Ministry of Economy.
• adopting a 4.5-day workweek for all federal government employees prioritising work-life balance.
• providing one year of paid ‘care leave’ to support working mothers of children with disabilities or chronic illnesses in Sharjah.

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It’s also encouraging to see numerous organisations improving parental leave policies, provisions for nursing mothers and comprehensive wellbeing resources.

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The nationwide PFL award programme, launched by the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority in 2021, bridges wellbeing and workforce sustainability and aligns directly with at least 3 of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals. Now in its third cycle, the initiative recognises organisations that exceed expectations in supporting working parents.

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Organisations are assessed across five key categories: Parental Leave, Flexible Work, Family Care, Family Wellbeing, and Culture. Those offering parental leave coaching can achieve the prestigious Parent-Friendly+ Label, awarded to organisations meeting or exceeding global standards.

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A growing number of UAE organisations have already earned their PFL, including Mubadala Investment Company, Bain & Company, Nestlé Middle East, Novartis, Visa, Wintershall Dea, and Chalhoub Group. According to the programme’s Insights and Impact Report 2024, since the PFL launch, the programme has directly or indirectly impacted over 148,000 employees, 66,890 parents, and 25 industries.

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During our recent webinar on parental leave coaching, we polled participants about the biggest challenges their organisations face regarding parental leave. The results were telling:

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• 77% highlighted a lack of structured support.
• 54% pointed to cultural perceptions around leave.

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These findings accentuate the necessity for structured support systems and cultural shifts within organisations to better accommodate working parents.

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For organisations aiming to bolster support for working parents, parental leave coaching offers a structured, effective approach benefiting both employees and employers. By investing in this specialised coaching, companies can:

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• Reduce attrition of valuable talent.
• Improve employee engagement and loyalty.
• Enhance their reputation as family-friendly employers.
• Contribute to the UAE’s broader goals of wellbeing, gender balance, and workforce sustainability.

Working parents in the UAE bring resilience, commitment, and diverse perspectives to the workplace. Forward thinking organisations understand that supporting working parents isn't progressive – it's profitable. By recognising and addressing the needs of working parents, organisations can position themselves at the forefront of workplace innovation, promoting environments where both businesses and families thrive.

For organisations ready to explore parental leave coaching, consider initiating a pilot programme or partnering with certified coaches who understand the unique challenges facing working parents in the UAE context.

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If you want to find out more about The Tall Wall and the work we do in the UAE, please do get in touch with us: hello@thetallwall.com