The Importance of Family Balance, Caregivers, and Parental Leave in the Workplace

As I work more deeply in the field of human systems, I find myself returning, again and again, to my “why.” There are so many ways to consult, so many urgent business needs, and so much in this space that is trendy or marketable. It can be tempting to chase what feels big and flashy. But I chose this work because I wanted something deeply human, something I knew I was good at, and something that gave me the flexibility to work around my kids' schedules. I wanted to build a business that was values-aligned, both with the kind of parent I am and the kind of worker I’ve always tried to be.

As I’ve gone deeper, I’ve learned that I’m not alone, but that not everyone wants the same things.

Some people want to work and parent. Some want to take a step back when they have young children. Others find themselves pulled toward new priorities, new identities, or new ways of living that don’t slot neatly into a traditional full-time role anymore. And what I’ve come to ask, over and over again, is this: How can we build systems that recognise when someone has changed, or when the role no longer fits, without cutting the cord?

I come to this work not just as a consultant, but as both a mother and a daughter. As someone who tried, like so many others, to be a full person at work while navigating the demands of pregnancy, early parenting, and identity shifts that no job description could account for. And also as someone who watched her own mother leave behind her career to raise her family– a move that made her happy, but also restless. I learned firsthand how much depends on the structures around us. I learned how a good (or bad) leave experience can shape not only someone’s mental health and confidence, but their relationship with their employer, their career trajectory, and their capacity to contribute meaningfully at work.

When we talk about parental leave, we’re not just talking about a few months off. We’re talking about:

• A period of transformation that’s often made invisible by societal and workplace norms

• A crucial moment of trust-building between employer and employee

• A test of leadership, empathy, and planning within teams

• A barometer for how seriously a company takes inclusion and long-term wellbeing

  
  

I was laid off during my first parental leave. It changed the way I thought about loyalty, identity, and care at work. That layoff didn’t just sever a job, it severed a relationship. And what’s worse is, it didn’t have to. The organisation and I had both changed. But we hadn’t found a way to acknowledge or adapt to that change with care.

And I’m not alone in this either. I’ve talked to so many parents, especially mothers, who returned to jobs they’d once loved only to feel like they didn’t belong anymore. Like they had to force themselves back into a version of themselves that no longer fit. Some of them stayed and struggled. Many left. Not necessarily because they couldn’t handle the pace, but because they didn’t feel heard. Or seen. Or valued.

One woman I interviewed said, “I came back excited, with so many ideas. But everything had shifted and no one had taken the time to help me find where I fit now.” Another said, “I was still committed. I still wanted to contribute. But I needed a different rhythm. And it felt like there was no room for that.”

This is what gets missed when we treat parental leave like a pause button. It’s not a pause. It’s a transformation. And when we ignore that, we risk losing not only talent, but trust.

It’s not that these people aren’t resilient. It’s that they’ve gained perspective, self-worth, and new boundaries. Ironically, the employees most likely to leave after unsupported returns are often the most self-assured, the ones with leadership potential, the ones who bring vision and voice to the table. And when organisations don’t know how to meet them in their new reality, they walk.

That’s not just a loss of productivity. That’s a loss of future leadership.

This is why I believe that human-centred work is not just a nice-to-have. It’s a strategic necessity.

I’ve worked with companies to co-create better offboarding and onboarding processes. I’ve facilitated manager sessions where leaders grapple with the tension between empathy and fairness. I’ve helped teams map out what success could look like when someone returns from leave feeling unsure, hopeful, and changed. It’s not about scripting every move. It’s about staying in relationship, even through transition.

That might mean offering phased returns, alternative roles, or simply having honest conversations about expectations and goals. It means seeing both the employee and the organisation as living systems: dynamic, evolving, and deserving of care.

I sometimes doubt myself. I wonder if this work matters. I wonder if businesses or parents care. But then I talk to people. And again and again, they say, “I wish someone had asked me how I was doing. I wish there had been more structure. I wish I hadn’t felt so alone.”

And that’s enough to keep going.

This work is not niche. It’s foundational. And if we do it well, it doesn’t just support working parents. It reshapes what support looks like in the workplace on a macro level. When people feel seen, they stay. When they feel safe, they grow. When they feel trusted, they lead.

Let’s build organisations that don’t just tolerate transformation, but honour it.