What if your most capable, loyal employees didn’t return after parental leave — not because they’d lost ambition, but because they didn’t feel supported enough to make it work? Every year, skilled professionals, especially mothers, quietly step away from promising careers after parental leave. The cost to business is huge. Forward-thinking organisations like Arval UK are tackling this head-on through return-to-work coaching, helping new parents rebuild confidence, boost perf

Flexible working requests are increasingly common. They help employees balance work and life, but for managers, they can bring uncertainty. How do you respond fairly, legally, and empathetically? In collaboration with employment lawyer Trula Brunsdon, I've created a simple checklist that combines legal requirements with practical, human-focused steps to handle flexible working requests with confidence.

Whether you’re preparing to become a parent, already navigating the challenges of balancing work and family life, or managing colleagues who are returning from parental leave, this blog offers real insight.

Explore the key family leave and pay changes in UK employment law for 2025, including neonatal care leave, Employment Rights Bill updates, parental leave review, and statutory pay uplifts. Practical guidance from HR experts Laura Duggal and Philippa Roberts to help organisations stay compliant and supportive.

Returning to work after parental leave is more than a schedule change, It’s an identity shift. In this post, we explore why supporting this transition boosts retention, engagement, and performance, as well as how HR and managers can respond strategically.

Returning to work after parental leave is more than a schedule change, It’s an identity shift. In this post, we explore why supporting this transition boosts retention, engagement, and performance, as well as how HR and managers can respond strategically.

Returning to work after parental leave is more than a schedule change, It’s an identity shift. In this post, we explore why supporting this transition boosts retention, engagement, and performance, as well as how HR and managers can respond strategically.

Returning from maternity leave can shake confidence. Here are 5 proven ways to support new parents in rebuilding self-belief and thriving at work.

As someone who works closely with parents navigating the return to work, I get to witness something special. The shift from surviving to...

If you manage working parents, you’ve probably heard the phrase “It’s the school holidays again”  with a sigh, a nervous laugh, or a...

Returning to work after maternity leave is a significant transition, both professionally and personally. Many employees find themselves...

As a Maternity Return Coach, I’ve seen first-hand how coaching can be a game-changer for new parents navigating the transition back to...

The return to work after maternity leave is often framed as a simple transition—one where a mother resumes her role, picks up where she...

Parenting is a full-time job. Combine that with a demanding career, and the mental load can become unsustainable. Many working...

Imagine this.  You’re a manager, and one of your team members shares the news that they’re expecting a baby. You congratulate them, tell...

Having spent time working in HR before becoming a maternity return coach, I've seen the half-term challenge from every angle. As an HR...

We often hear the story of becoming a parent from the mothers perspective, from pregnancy to birth and then returning to work. I...

As someone who coaches both new parents and senior leaders, and is a parent themselves,  I’ve experienced how parenthood fosters the...

When an employee becomes a parent, work and family collide in ways that may not be expected or have been experienced before. We all know...

When a person becomes a parent, something profound happens—and it's far more complex than most organisations realise. This isn't just...