Parental leave is one of the most pivotal transitions in an employee’s life — and one of the most overlooked when it comes to business and career support, according to a new survey.1
Momentum for offering paid parental leave has grown, with 72% of Fortune 500 companies now offering some form of paid leave.2 These policies are helping normalize time off for new parents and play a critical role in recruitment and retention, especially among women, according to the survey, which found that 94% would evaluate a paid leave policy when interviewing.1
But even as access to paid leave increases, a new challenge has emerged: how that leave is supported.
Offering a generous policy is only the first step. Without proper support, paid leave can lead to stalled careers, team burnout, and high attrition rates. In fact, according to a survey of nearly 3,000 parents, 73% considered leaving their company after returning from leave.3 And of those who did leave within 18 months, a majority left for another job.
This points to a gap between policy and practice. And at the heart of that gap is managers. In fact, survey participants said managers were the single most influential person in shaping their parental leave experiences.
The Role Managers Play
Those who described their manager as effective were more than 2.5 times more likely to report a positive leave experience. They were also 1.7 times more likely to stay at their companies after returning to work. And yet, only one in five employees surveyed said their managers provided support for career progression, a top concern for parents taking leave. This gap isn’t just a missed opportunity; it’s a business risk. Without clear expectations and thoughtful planning, even the best policy will fall short. Fortunately, these skills are teachable. By equipping managers with tools and training, companies can improve outcomes for employees and the business.Planning with Intention
Employees have career concerns as they prepare for parental leave. They worry about burdening their teams, losing momentum at work, and being perceived as less committed. These fears are especially pronounced among women with longer paid leaves, higher incomes, and leadership roles. Among employees who received fully paid leave, 68% said they were concerned about how the time away would affect their careers. And for good reason: Nearly half of survey respondents said their leave negatively affected compensation, promotions, and their future career trajectory.Planning for Success
Employees who described their leave planning process as “great” were more than twice as likely to feel confident about their future career path compared with those with a weak or nonexistent plan. This is one area where managers can make a meaningful difference. While expecting parents should build their coverage plans, managers can help support the process by thinking through project handoffs, enforcing project ownership, and communicating timelines with teams and clients. This support also ensures the coverage team is aligned on responsibilities, so the parental leave transition doesn’t disrupt performance. Yet more than half of expecting parents said they didn’t receive support from their manager when building a coverage plan. And that is not due to a lack of willingness, it’s due to a lack of resources. That’s why training managers on how to facilitate pre-leave planning is essential. Ideally this process begins two to three months prior to an individual’s expected parental leave start date. While employees should lead this process, it is important for managers to work with them collaboratively to ensure alignment and provide support. Done right, this pre-planning process can alleviate fears, strengthen relationships and preserve business continuity.Navigating Roles and Team Dynamics
When someone takes parental leave, it has an effect on all team members. Without a strong, consistent coverage plan and support from managers, projects stall or fall through the cracks, and teams feel the strain. Our research shows that 52% of all parental leaves result in team burnout.1 That’s not just a workload issue; it’s a sign of incomplete planning and misaligned expectations. The good news: when managers are trained in how to lead through these transitions, the outcome is very different. Work is delegated with intention, communication is clearer, and teams maintain high-performance — even with team members out. It’s worth noting that managers should advocate for the employee on leave. In other words, it should be considered a manager’s job to keep the contributions of an employee out on leave visible, so they’re not passed over for future promotions or opportunities when they return. During the time the employee is on leave, managers should highlight their accomplishments and suitability for promotions, exciting projects, and opportunities they qualify for since they are not able to do that for themselves while they’re out of the office.Research shows that 52% of all parental leaves result in team burnout. That’s not just a workload issue; it’s a sign of incomplete planning and misaligned expectations.
After Leave
One of the most critical moments in the parental leave experience is the return-to-work phase. Employees step back into a fast-moving business with limited context and often no clear roadmap for reintegration.
Research shows that only 29% of returning parents had a re-onboarding plan, and 71% didn’t feel confident about their future trajectory. Nearly 7 in 10 also said it wasn’t easy to have open conversations with their managers about what they needed to succeed as a working parent.
That lack of structure can lead to confusion, overwhelm and eventually, disengagement.
This is where managers play a critical role: by designing thoughtful re-entry plans that give employees the clarity, context, and confidence they need to re-onboard quickly. This plan usually includes updates on key projects, status changes of work the individual going on leave had in their coverage plan, who to meet with upon their return, companywide updates, team meeting recordings they should rewatch or notes they can read up on.
These plans can help get an employee up-to-speed faster if they include new product launches, reorgs, or leadership changes. This type of re-onboarding preparation, which includes tracking company announcements and updates, roadmap changes, and major project news for employees to review when they return from leave, should begin during the leave — not after.
This re-entry document, built in collaboration with the employee’s coverage team, will become the foundation of a smooth return-to-work strategy, almost like onboarding a new hire. It will help the employee understand what changed during their absence and where they can have the greatest impact when they return to work.
On a personal level, small gestures from a manager, including team communication to ensure everyone knows when an employee returns to scheduling a “welcome back” lunch helps the employee feel valued and supported.
Bridging the Gap
Many companies assume managers will just figure it out when it comes to parental leave.
But too often a manager’s approach to this type of absence depends on personal experience, not on a consistent approach that supports the employee going out on leave and their team members.
Managers recognize this gap, according to research. In fact, 68% say they feel “completely unprepared” to support an employee through parental leave and identify a need for formal training.
And when employees who left their company after taking parental leave are asked what would have made their experience better, the top answer was better training for human resources professionals and managers.
Manager training equips leaders with tools to help employees navigate each phase of parental leave with structure, clarity, and empathy.
And investing in manager readiness, employers can reduce turnover, support team performance, and ensure their parental leave policy attracts and retains great talent.
From coverage support to re-onboarding planning, prepared managers help ensure parental leave doesn’t disrupt the business – it strengthens it.
References
- Parentaly. Paid Parental Leave Experience for Women in Corporate America. Retrieved from https://www.parentaly.com/resources/parental-leave-experience-survey-2024
- Forbes. Which Largest U.S. Companies Score Highest On Paid Parental Leave? Sept. 24, 2024. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/michelletravis/2024/09/17/which-largest-us-companies-score-highest-on-paid-parental-leave/
