10 ways in which employers can support working parents beyond paid parental leave
Giving employees extended maternity and paternity leave is one way in which organisations can support working parents. There are other, sometimes less obvious ways that are at little or no cost, that we at The Tall Wall know can have an enormous impact on the successful re-entry of working parents. Our top ten recommendations are:
Make flexible working part of the business's DNA (shout about how successful flexible working can be, making sure it is for everyone, not just working parents).
Formally adjust performance measures for returning parents, in say, the first three months, to support them as they re-enter the workplace.
Provide clear and easily accessible guidance for returners and their line managers
Train line managers in how they can support returners.
Establish formal processes to enable more productive and structured communication between line manager and returner (don’t leave it to chance)
Offer 1:1 maternity/paternity coaching before, during and after leave
Start a parents network
Start a parent buddy system
Establish an annual family day (i.e. bring your kids to work)
Provide emergency childcare support
The Tall Wall is a specialist coaching company, helping employers to support working parents.
Find out more about the work that we do with organisations here.