Parental leave isn’t a perk. It’s a turning point. Handled well, it strengthens loyalty, retention and belonging. Handled poorly, it drives talent straight into the arms of competitors.
In the UK, every employer is legally required to provide maternity and paternity leave. That is the baseline. Some businesses go further with enhanced policies, but the real test is not what is written down. It is how organisations support parents before, during and most importantly after leave.
The Reality of the Numbers
Around 3% of employees take parental leave each year. It may sound small, but the long-term impact is anything but.
Perhaps more shocking is that 85% of women leave full-time work within three years of having a baby. Behind that number are thousands of careers cut short, and organisations losing skilled, ambitious people they have invested heavily in.
When your business does not support returners, you are not just watching great employees walk away. You are effectively funding someone else’s talent pipeline.
Why the Return Is the Crucial Moment
Having a child is one of the biggest life transitions anyone will ever go through. Coming back to work is not just about childcare logistics. It is about confidence, identity and belonging. Many returners ask themselves:
Do I still fit in?
Does my career still matter?
Am I valued here?
If organisations do not actively support them through that moment, losing good people becomes almost inevitable. With the right approach, it becomes an opportunity to build long-term loyalty and leadership.
A Story That Brings It Home
I recently spoke to a solicitor who had taken her maternity leave with every intention of returning after nine months. She loved her job and was brilliant at it.
Just before her planned return, she learned that the company had been bought out. Overnight, the workplace she knew had changed hands and she would be coming back to work for people she had never met.
The lack of communication and support left her feeling unsettled, invisible and undervalued. Instead of returning at nine months, she chose to extend her leave to a full year.
The question is: will her employer use that extra time to rebuild trust and put the right support in place? Or will they risk losing a highly valued employee because they did not think to engage her during a critical transition?
Stories like this highlight a simple truth. Employees on parental leave are often “out of sight, out of mind” until it is too late. Yet those moments of transition are exactly when thoughtful communication and support make all the difference.
Coaching as a Game-Changer
A coaching-led return programme gives parents the space and support they need to re-find their feet and their voice. Coaching programmes help them:
- Rebuild confidence and a sense of professional identity
- Manage the emotional and practical challenges of re-entry
- Feel truly seen and valued by their employer
For your business, the benefits are clear: lower turnover, higher engagement and a stronger, more diverse leadership pipeline.
The Bottom Line
Parental leave is not a “nice to have” or a legal tick box. It is a chance to show people they matter, not only when they join but when life changes too.
Companies that invest in returners do not just keep great people. They build loyalty, protect hard-earned talent and create workplaces where people want to stay and grow.
Parental leave is not a perk. It is a strategic investment, and it pays dividends.