Beth Wanner on Fractional FM: A Conversation About Redesigning Parental Leave
What happens when your biggest life milestone collides with the fragility of your career? For many parents—especially mothers—that’s not a hypothetical. It’s real, raw, and painfully challenging.
On a recent episode of Fractional FM, Beth Wanner sat down with host Joshua Wald to discuss the reality of temporary leave in today’s workplace—and why we urgently need a better model.
In this conversation, Beth shares:
Her personal experience of being fired just weeks before the birth of her daughter
How even the most well-meaning employers struggle to manage leaves well
The hidden career risks parents face
Why Mother Cover was built to bridge the gap for both parents and companies
Why This Matters
Whether it’s parental, caregiving, or medical leave, temporary time away shouldn’t come with career setbacks or organizational disruption. But the data tells a different story:
73% of new parents consider leaving their company after taking leave
45% say their leave negatively impacted their career progression
Over 50% of leaves result in team burnout
At Mother Cover, we’ve seen what’s possible when companies plan proactively. Our fractional coverage model pairs experienced professionals with organizations during leaves, ensuring:
Continuity and stability for teams
Peace of mind for parents
Stronger retention and equity across the board
This episode is a must for executives, HR leaders, and anyone rethinking how we support working parents. You’ll walk away with both insight and inspiration for doing leave better.
🎧 Listen here or watch below: Fractional FM – Beth Wanner of Mother Cover
At Mother Cover, we help companies build leave programs that actually work—from sourcing interim and fractional backfill talent to guiding leaders through transitions with confidence. Because parental leave doesn’t need to be a career or team setback.
🌱 Temporary leave. Not permanent setbacks.
→ Need support for an upcoming leave? Let’s talk.
