Parental Leave is Not a Perk

Let’s be clear: parental leave is not a perk.

It’s not a “look how generous we are” moment.

It’s business infrastructure.

If you want high-performing teams, healthy retention, strong succession planning, and a diverse leadership pipeline — you must build systems that can flex around real life. And life includes things like having children.

Parental leave isn’t an exception to the norm — it is the norm, or at least it should be.

If your systems fall apart the moment someone goes on leave, the problem isn’t the leave.

The problem is the system.

But here’s the good news: you can design for this.

Start by:
✅ Creating clear, documented roles and workflows
✅ Building in coverage planning long before someone announces a leave
✅ Treating leave as a leadership opportunity — not a liability
✅ Normalizing transitions and return-to-work support

Strong systems aren’t built in crisis — they’re built by design.

And the companies doing this well? They’re not just protecting business continuity.

They’re building cultures where people want to stay and contribute.