Companies investing in family-oriented policies and cultures are seeing stronger retention, morale boosts and long-term performance. However, many organizations are short. They may list supportive policies on paper, but in reality they don’t always translate into meaningful support.
CEO Justin Sterling Converse and Brigaard Events Chief Creative Officer April Zolkey have seen a change in the workforce that has begun to support parents, but that’s just a bucket drop.
That’s progress, but is that enough?
In reality, progress is uneven. According to the 2024 Human Resources Association (SHRM) Employee Benefit Survey, only 40% of US employers provided paid parental leave. “That’s the gap we still face,” says Converse and Zorsky.
Simple changes allow companies to step up for working parents and benefit everyone who works in the company.
Why support working parents is important
“More than ever today, supporting working parents is not just a ‘good person’. It’s important to attract and retain talent,” she noted that employers have recently expanded family leave, invested in job-to-job programs, and provided flexible work arrangements to meet parental needs.
According to Kindercare data, 73% of respondents said it was impossible to work without high quality childcare. However, a recent survey by Mercer found that 54% of employers with at least 500 employees do not offer childcare benefits. And of companies with over 5,000 employees, only 37% access backup childcare and only 10% offer on-site childcare.
Harrah points out that the most influential advantage is that removes real barriers. “Employer-sponsored parenting is a great example. It provides reliable care, reduces stress, and allows parents to fully show up in their role.” When parents don’t have to worry about who will see their children, they can become more enthusiastic and productive in the workplace.
Parent-Friendly Policy builds a supportive culture for everyone
From an employment law perspective, Kelsey Samet, a partner in Kingsley Samet’s employment attorney, considers parental support as both legal and business orders. “When employees see their employers value them as workers and parents, it boosts productivity, retention and workplace morale.”
SZAMET highlights best practices such as extending parental leave, flexible schedules, and a step-by-step return to work programme. She also sees creative benefits like child and elder care scholarships, parent-specific mental health support, and “no meeting” policies during school pick-up hours, which is phenomenal for businesses and employing parents.
However, such policies are only effective if employees feel safe using them. Shayna Bergman, executive and leadership coach at Shayna Bergman Coaching, warns that many companies offer flexible schedule or backup childcare, but cannot normalize use. “The most collaborative workplaces don’t just provide benefits, they normalize using them by having leaders model their behavior.”
“Real support for all employees goes beyond policy. It’s about leaders who check in, listen and model healthy boundaries,” said Alexandra Powell, director of client cultural insights at Reward Gateway.
The key is, as Bergman says, businesses need to deal with the invisible loads carried by their parents. Work and home management is not always easy, so just providing additional support services and following can make all the difference.
Flexibility as a new standard
Flexibility is one of the most powerful tools a business can offer to employees, especially parents. Reports from SHRM show that 70% of women who left the workforce had children in their homes, but remained at work if more flexibility was provided.
Powell emphasizes how progressive businesses perceive families to request shifts throughout the year. For example, when it’s time for children to return to school, parents deal with the stress of new normals, illnesses, and increased post-work activities that can disrupt the day. A company that recognizes the changes parents experience throughout the year can better adapt to their employees’ needs and provide support when they really need it.
“The most progressive companies will be flexible by offering perks like adaptable times, no meeting days and even childcare scholarships to help parents manage these requests,” says Powell. She cites examples of companies that offer a break to all employees at the beginning of the school year. This is a small empathetic gesture that acknowledges the reality of family life while simultaneously expanding care to non-parents.
Case Study: Transition Month That Changed Everything
At the brigade event, the leaders built a parental leave programme informed by both research and living experience. CEO Justine Sterling Converse and partner April Zorsky introduced a 16-week leave, followed by a four-week “transition month,” with parents returning home working at 50% capacity before reopening full-time.
“The re-entry stage was transformative,” Converse says. “We acknowledge that with parental leave, the need for flexibility and grace never ends.” The results speak for itself: the brigade retained 100% of its new mothers after implementing the policy.
The brigade also encourages employees to block “moments of life” times such as school plays and doctor appointments. “When leaders model families belong to the calendar, culture changes,” explains Zorsky.
What businesses should do next
The message from experts is clear: policy is important, but culture decides whether they work or not. Companies who want to support parents and enjoy the benefits of loyalty and productivity should:
- Provides childcare support
- Normalize flexibility by modeling boundaries and adaptable work patterns
- Build a structured “reboarding” for returning parents
- Provides mental health support to facilitate invisible loads
- Train Manager leads with empathy
Supporting working parents is not about lowering performance standards. It is about creating conditions where performant employees can thrive without sacrificing their families. As Harrah reminds us, “It is important for parents to look beyond job descriptions and pay in order to assess opportunities. Ask.
Companies that can confidently answer these questions “yes” with confidence will not only retain top talent, but will also build a workplace where everyone can thrive.
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