We have launched a new series for our blog titled #ThreeTips. We are in search of Three Tips from our friends in the business community for their creative, actionable, and positive ideas about important topics in the employee experience.

In collaboration with Emily Pevnick of Resolute.

Creating a detailed plan with your employee allows all team members to feel prepared for an employee to take parental leave. We caught up with Emily Pevnick, of Resolute Consulting, to talk about this. Emily is a new mom who is experiencing parental leave for the first time and shared with Holistic some thoughts from her experience. Here are her #threetips:

1. Create an environment for open communication about parental leave. Clearly articulate your parental leave policy in an employee handbook, staff training and/or staff meeting. Proactively address parental leave during interviews when discussing other benefits such as healthcare, bonuses and vacation days. All of these steps mitigate ambiguity and sets a supportive tone for working families.

2. There is so much stress around family planning and employees may feel nervous to ask a specific question about parental leave. Giving prompt and clear responses to questions about parental leave and returning to work shows you prioritize working families and creates healthy communication around the topic. Make sure all employees know to whom they should address these questions and that the designated person responds in a timely manner. 

3. Once it has been established that an employee will take parental leave, schedule a meeting early on to plan for their leave. Together with the employee, create a plan that includes: 

• what work needs to be finished before they go on leave;

• what work needs to be managed while they are out;

• who will fill in while they are out;

• necessary pieces of training are needed for other team members to fill in;

• which clients or external parties need to be informed in advance of their leave; and

• how the transition back to work will look for the employees’ workload.

Creating an inclusive environment for parents on their journey to parenthood and upon their return is crucial. Understanding the needs and career goals of parents in your organization is a key element of doing business. Take a look at these stats about working parents will help you to understand what they are looking for in the workplace.

What are your thoughts on Parental Leave? Leave a comment below or email us your thoughts!

Enjoy our content? Take a look at our library of #ThreeTips here and these similar articles:

• How to Create A Hospitable Workplace for Parents

• How to Ensure a Positive Experience for Expectant Mothers at Your Organization w/ Emily Pevnick

• #Three Tips: Welcoming a Returning Mom

Want to share your tips on this or another topic around the employee experience? We’d love to hear your thoughts!