Parental Leave: A Kiwi Perspective
Together with Rebekah Fraser from The Back To Work Coach, we gathered insights from 350+ Kiwi parents on their experiences.
What they found most challenging before, during and after parental leave
Top tips for parents and employers
Templates and guides to improve the experience
Key findings
How parents are experiencing parental leave
Financial challenges are the most significant.
Over two-thirds of parents going on or currently on parental leave cited finances as their top challenge, with this pressure only slightly decreasing after returning to work.
Process matters as much as policy.
Many parents said how their leave was handled had just as much impact as the policy itself. Pain points include unclear communication, confusion around entitlements, and lack of transition planning.
Flexibility and manager support shape the return to work.
The biggest factor in a smooth return? Early conversations with managers, flexible hours, and clear expectations.
What you can do next
Start building a better leave experience for your people and your business
Support the transition
Discover how coaching could help mums and dads in your organisation return successfully.
Estimate your costs
Try our Parental Leave Costing Tool to model different benefit options.
Talk to us
Book a free policy review to identify quick wins and long-term improvements.
Not sure where to start?
We’ve got you. Explore our free resources to help you design a right-sized parental leave policy and support your people through every step of the journey.