Partnering with progressive organisations to make the world of work a better place for parents.

Partnering with progressive organisations to make the world of work a better place for parents.

a close up photo of Laura Duggal - Laura Duggal Coaching

Your Specialist Parental Return to Work Coach

I’m Laura, and as a specialist Parental Return to Work Coach, I partner with organisations to support new parents navigating the complex changes and challenges that come with returning to work after having a child.

The shifts that come at this stage of life are deeply profound – and completely normal! I work with forward thinking organisations who recognise this shift, and support working parents every step of the way.

Return to Work Coaching

Providing tailored 1:1 coaching for individuals, I offer a confidential space for working parents within your business to make sense of the challenges and changes that come with heading back to work after having a child. Coachees use their sessions to quiet outside influences and figure out what’s uniquely right for them, their family, and their career, and your organisation as a whole benefits too.

As part of your wider commitment to a family-friendly culture, Return to Work Coaching helps returning parents in your organisation feel seen, valued, and listened to. After offering coaching to their returners, my partner organisations notice a host of benefits, including higher retention rates after maternity leave, improved communication, and a reported increase in self-confidence for both mums and dads.

A successful return to work isn’t just about supporting the returner themselves. Line managers play a crucial role in shaping that experience. My coaching programmes are designed for both returners and their managers, creating a shared foundation of understanding, confidence, and practical support that leads to a smoother, more positive return for everyone.

A baby sat on their mothers lap as she works - Laura Duggal Coaching
A mother working from home at the dining table while hr child hugs her - Laura Duggal Coaching

Benefits to your organisation

44% of mothers feel more ambitious after having a baby, yet 79% face barriers to progressing, and within three years 85% leave full-time work (Careers After Babies report, 2023), creating a drop in women at mid-management level and widening the gender pay gap. At the same time, organisations are becoming increasingly concerned about men’s mental health, and their often-silent struggles with overwhelm and burnout.

Coaching is a confidential, 1:1 experience that helps your returners to tackle these things, and the ripple effect for your organisation is huge:

  • Make recruitment cost savings by retaining talent after paternity or maternity leave, and build a strong talent pipeline for leadership roles in your organisation.
  • Reduce the gender pay gap and increase female representation in leadership as women find the support they need to stay in their roles and progress after maternity leave.
  • Remove stigma around fathers in caregiving roles as dads feel empowered to take their parental leave, return with resilience, and make ongoing room for their own wellbeing.
  • Build a diverse and inclusive culture through open conversations about support for working parents, leading to increased staff engagement, productivity, and profitability.
  • Become an employer of choice, where modern, grounded, practical support for parents helps build your employer reputation.

Click the button below to read real stories from partner organisations about the impact of Return to Work Coaching.

Make their return a success with your FREE parental return to work checklist

Returning to work after parental leave is a significant transition, not just for the employee but also for their manager and team.

As someone overseeing their return, you play a crucial role in ensuring this process is thoughtful, supportive, and positive.

This checklist is designed to help you navigate the key steps before, during, and after your employee's return to work, allowing them to reintegrate with confidence and clarity.

Clients say…

“If your employees feel supported, valued, and listened to, you’ve got engagement. And with engaged employees, you’ve got profitability with your customers and happy customers.”

Heather Messenger, Senior HR Business Partner, Arval UK

“It’s our role within HR, and as a business, to educate and inform our people managers on how best to support people when they go on parental leave; how dynamics could change, and what we can do best to support them to return really successfully.”

Heather Messenger, Senior HR Business Partner, Arval UK

“One of the best decisions I made while I was pregnant was to invest in some coaching with the wonderful Laura Duggal, a Parental Return to Work Coach who has been instrumental in helping me figure out what I want work to look like going forward. Our sessions have given me the headspace and (self) permission to establish the best path forwards, and shed some of the mum guilt I’ve felt.”

Ginny Radmall, Director, The Ivy Way

“The juggle is real. As a working parent there is guilt everywhere you look… what coaching has allowed our working parents to do is work through their experiences so that they can bring their best selves to being a parent and they can also bring their best selves to the workplace.”

Danni Buxton, HR Director, Cherry, Partner Organisation

“ Laura helped me find confidence and direction during my return to work after maternity leave. She helped me develop simple daily practices that make my workload feel manageable. The tools she shared have changed how I manage stress and plan my days. Her warm, thoughtful coaching helped me manage overwhelm, understand my emotions, and reconnect with my strengths. Every session was more valuable than I ever expected.”

Rose, Product Manager