Welcoming a child is a monumental milestone for men and women. Recent studies have shown that family-friendly policies including paid parental leave are top priorities for young working professionals. However, paid parental leave also has implications for managers and employers themselves. Considering some of these suggestions can help make the leave process smoother for managers and employees alike.  

Preparations Before Leave 

• Open the lines of communication. Another study by UNUM indicated that 49% of new moms and 36% of new dads did not meet with their manager or HR to discuss leave options. Doing so can help ease employees – and managers’ – anxieties about how the upcoming leave will impact their work. It is likely that employees have questions about leave; the same UNUM study found that only 32% of new parents understood the FMLA process before taking it themselves. Some questions you may be able to answer quickly for your employees; for other questions, BenefitBump is ready to help.  

• Check in. How is your employee doing? Are they excited about their new addition? Nervous? It is not necessary to be your employee’s friend or therapist, but a simple check in can do wonders to help employees feel connected and comfortable if they need to reach out later.  

• Respect their privacy. Pregnancy and adoption are very personal events. When and how does the employee wish to share their news with other coworkers? This may seem like a minor detail, but it can help an employee feel respected and supported by you, their manager, and the company, as a whole.  

• Document the employee’s daily responsibilities. Your employee is the expert in their own work. If you have enough time leading up to their leave, ask your employee to document their day-to-day responsibilities. Doing so can help develop a collaborative and productive conversation around work-related priorities while they are on leave. What tasks need to be picked up by someone else? What tasks can be set aside or shifted while they are out? 

While on Leave 

• Strike a balance in how often to connect. There is no “perfect” amount of engagement while your employee is on leave, but the goal is to help them feel connected without imposing undue work-related pressure or stress. Ask your employee what he/she prefers in terms of how often they might want to connect. An employee may or may not want to connect with managers or peers while on leave, and either choice is okay. Ask if he or she wants to be included on emails, dial in for team meetings, talk by phone, and be comfortable with how often or how little your employee wants to connect.  

• Consider informal Keeping in Touch (KIT) days. Although not common in the United States, other countries with family leave policies include a limited number of Keeping in Touch days to help employees stay up-to-date and ease the transition back into the workplace. In countries that use the model, KIT days are paid days (or partial days) that can be used to catch up on developments related to important projects, attend training, learn about new developments in the company, or simply catch up with coworkers. It is important to note that KIT days are not mandatory for either the employee or employer, but they can offer another way to support new parents.  

• Foster a “Culture of Empathy” for all employees. Adjusting to a new child and balancing parenthood with professional work is stressful. Consider creating a workplace culture that asks, “What can we do to help?” or “What do you need from us to help you do your best work?” These questions are valuable to all employees but can be particularly impactful for new parents who are trying to find a new balance between work and home.  

• Talk about flexible return to work options. The demands of new parenthood do not end when your employee returns to work after leave. Options will vary based on employer policies and the specific demands of your field, but offering flexibility can foster loyal, inspired employees. Is phased re-entry after parental leave a possibility? Is temporary remote work possible? Can certain meetings be attended remotely so that a parent can take a child to the pediatrician or make it to daycare pickup on time?  

Although some of these suggestions take some intentionality and time, they can be easily implemented. All of these suggestions can make a significant impact in a new parent’s sense of engagement in the workplace. Making effort to create a smooth, supportive leave process can help employers and managers build a more loyal, inspired, and productive team.