In today’s evolving workplaces, supporting parents returning to work is no longer just a matter of policy — it’s a leadership and retention strategy. In the private sector, we constantly look for a competitive edge. Yet, many businesses overlook one of their most valuable assets: the experienced employee returning from parental leave.
This moment of transition is often viewed through the narrow lens of administrative policy — but it is, in fact, a profound leadership opportunity. A parent returning to work hasn’t just been away; they’ve spent a year developing entirely new competencies. They come back with a proven ability for extreme efficiency, crisis-level prioritisation, and deep empathy — skills essential for any senior role.
Our job as employers and leaders is to recognise this shift, acknowledge the emotional and logistical challenges involved, and design a “Welcome Home” experience that helps them — and your business — thrive long term.
The Overlooked Advantage: Why Supporting Parents Returning to Work Builds Stronger Leaders
Your policies might look strong on paper, but if the return experience feels jarring, you risk losing some of your best people. New parents often struggle with internal pressure, the emotional reality of leaving their child, and imposter syndrome.
💖 The Emotional Load
We must remember that returning parents are likely navigating chronic sleep deprivation, managing complex childcare arrangements, and possibly experiencing postpartum anxieties or a shift in personal identity. Expecting them to seamlessly “slot back in” is unrealistic — and unfair.
🧱 The Rigidity Wall
When a reasonable request for flexibility is met with bureaucratic reluctance, the message received is clear: We value rigid schedules over your proven capability.
This outdated approach is a key driver of attrition — but it doesn’t have to be. While long-term flexibility may not be feasible for every role, a phased, supported return is both possible and deeply appreciated by employees eager to contribute and thrive again, supporting parents returning to work after maternity or parental leave.
How Do We Modernise Supporting Parents Returning to Work?
In my work supporting organisations in adopting women’s health and parenting solutions, two questions consistently arise:
- How can we leverage digital tools, like the Anya app, to support parents beyond basic HR?
- What innovative steps are high-performing employers taking to smooth the return-to-work journey?
The answers lie in shifting from reactive policy management to a proactive, human-centred strategy — one that combines digital peace of mind with real-world workplace flexibility.
Three Pillars for Supporting Parents Returning to Work Successfully
To master this transition and establish your company as an employer of choice for working parents, consider these three pillars when developing your parental leave return program and supporting parents returning to work.
👉🏻 Pillar 1: Offer 24/7 Digital and Wellness Support
Address the significant emotional and logistical load of new parenthood by offering access to trusted, in-the-moment support.
- Provide 24/7 Expert Guidance: Integrate a digital companion tool, such as the Anya app, to give returning parents empathetic, evidence-based, around-the-clock support for health and parenting queries. This might include access to video consultations, a supportive return-to-work community, and chat with infant feeding specialists.
- Deliver Essential Parenting Content: Offer evidence-based resources and structured parenting toolkits. Include practical guides on transitioning to childcare, nursery bag essentials, and balancing professional responsibilities.
- Boost Mental Health Resources: Include free annual subscription benefits for mental health and wellbeing apps as part of the return package, addressing the emotional toll and potential postpartum challenges.
- Implement a Return-to-Work Buddy: Pair returning parents with a colleague who has been through the process. A digital network or peer mentorship can provide emotional reassurance and logistical advice during the first month back.
👉🏻 Pillar 2: Institute a Structured, Authentic “Welcome Home”
The first few weeks back are crucial for rebuilding confidence, connection, and a sense of belonging.
- Schedule a Career Check-In: Within the first four weeks, hold a protected one-on-one meeting. Reaffirm the employee’s long-term career path and development goals, signalling that their professional growth remains a priority for supporting parents returning to work.
- Execute Thoughtful “Welcome Home” Rituals:
- Warm-Up: Have the team send a personal, handwritten note before the return date to express genuine excitement.
- Prepared Workspace: Ensure the workspace is clean, functional, and includes a small, thoughtful gesture — like a snack basket or water bottle.
- Low-Pressure First Day: Host a casual, no-work-talk team lunch and protect the first few days from high-stakes deadlines.
- Offer a Childcare Stipend: A temporary stipend to offset early childcare costs acknowledges the financial and emotional realities of this transition.
👉🏻 Pillar 3: Champion Dignity and Creative Flexibility
Every organisation has a responsibility to provide dignity, flexibility, and understanding to parents returning from leave.
- Guarantee Breastfeeding Dignity: Designate a clean, private, lockable, non-toilet lactation room with refrigeration for expressing and storing milk — a small step with enormous impact on trust and wellbeing – supporting parents returning to work who are breastfeeding or providing breastmilk for their babies.
- Formalise a Phased Return: Introduce a paid, temporary phased return period (e.g., shorter days for a few weeks). This low-cost, high-impact policy fosters loyalty and retention.
- Offer Staggered Hours: Adjust start and end times (for example, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.) to ease the logistical challenges of childcare drop-offs and pick-ups.
- Enforce Meeting-Free Zones: Define clear Core Meeting Hours (e.g., 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.) and protect time outside these hours as family time.
- Focus on Output, Not Presence: Shift organisational culture to value performance and outcomes over desk time. Make it clear that success is measured by results, not hours.
Build a Culture Where Parents — and Leaders — Thrive
By implementing a human-centred return-to-work strategy, companies do more than support an individual employee — they future-proof their talent pipeline and build a stronger, more loyal, and more resilient leadership base.
When parental leave becomes a leadership advantage, everyone benefits: the employee, their team, and the organisation’s long-term success.
By Jessie Ghedia (Client Success and Partnerships Lead)
If you’d like to learn more about how Anya can support your employees, contact us now for a demo.