How small businesses can support new and expectant parents in three simple ways

We’ve all seen the headlines, ‘Big corporate offers 26 weeks of leave for both parents’, or heard the stories about on-site childcare, school holiday programs or other incredible financial incentives offered to parents and carers. 

And, most of us can agree, these all sound very good on paper. Some small businesses may even be in a position to offer these incentives. But, for many of us, we don’t have the cashflow — or the resources — to be able to offer them. 

The question is: Is this what it takes to support parents in your business?

The answer is, not necessarily.

Having a baby is a big deal, whether you’re having your first child or another, whether you’re the one carrying the child or not. Any transition brings with it an increased risk to mental health, and the transition to working parent is no exception. 

One of the biggest ways you can support expectant and new parents in your business is to build a culture that puts their wellbeing front and centre. Best of all? It doesn’t cost a cent!

So, where do you start?

Put simply, we recommend breaking it down into three essential steps:

1. Plan — before the baby arrives.
2. Connect — during parental leave or after the baby arrives.
3. Set up –or the return to work.

Let’s look at it step-by-step.

Plan

Before the baby arrives, your team member might be feeling a little uncertain, worried about what this means for their job security, and even what the changes might mean for your business.    

Planning can help alleviate some of this uncertainty, thereby supporting wellbeing. 

For a parent taking parental leave, there are two important things to do during this phase: create a Handover Plan and agree on a Keeping in Touch Plan. These two simple steps can help an employee feel valued and in control. It’s also a nice way to acknowledge that you’re looking forward to their return to work and that they won’t be forgotten. 

If your team member isn’t going on parental leave, it’s still important to lay some groundwork. This means starting conversations about flexibility and what support they might need to manage their family and work commitments, such as how they are supporting their partner, any childcare logistics, and whether they intend to take parental leave later in the baby’s first year. Chances are they’re already thinking about it, and addressing this early may alleviate some stress for them. 

Connect

In this phase, be thoughtful about how often you get in touch, and when you do. Remember, not all employees are going to want to maintain a connection after they’ve had their baby, but it is really important to do so if they wish.  

This is where you utilise the Keeping in Touch Plan. You should both have already given thought to how often you’ll connect if your employee is taking time away from work. Now that the baby is here, it’s time to implement it (and if you didn’t discuss it before their leave, it’s not too late to do that now!).

By making time to connect with your employee you’re — again — demonstrating that they’re valued. It’s also a good way to keep them connected with your business and any changes they need to be aware of. It goes a long way to making them feel like part of the team for their return. 

If they choose not to be contacted during leave, it’s important to respect that. Keep in mind you will still need to get in touch as their return-to-work date approaches. 

Set up

Returning to work as a new parent is a unique experience, no matter how much time you’ve had off. You walk into — often — what was a familiar environment, a completely different person. As a manager, making time to set things up for your team member in those early weeks can go a long way to unpicking that feeling of disorientation. 

First, confirm all return dates and discuss the role they are returning to. What’s changed, and what do they need to know in order to settle back into the role — e.g. new clients, new processes, new systems?  

Next, map out their activities for Week 1 back at work, and make sure someone is there to greet them when they arrive on the first day. Check that their IT access is up to date, and that they have security passes, passwords, or keys if needed. If possible, make time to catch up in person to welcome them back.  

Even if your employee had little to no time off, it’s still important to check in at this point. Their life has changed. In all likelihood, their needs will have too. 

Keep checking in regularly over the first year back. And keep in mind that it’s always good to have trial periods for any new arrangements, such as flexible working arrangements — this leaves the door open as both of you see what works and what needs tweaking.   

For expectant small business owners

If you’re a small business owner expecting, the above needs to be adapted to suit your needs. For you, delegation and support may become more of a focus. Think about how you’re going to get the support you need to manage your business and the needs of a newborn. Even though it can be hard to think about sharing the load, preparing yourself early will help you set yourself up for success. 

Want more?

Thanks to funding from the Federal Government’s Department of Health and Aged Care, and feedback from other small business owners, we’re piloting a digital platform for small businesses, the Parent Well. 

We’ll help answer questions like, “What are my legal obligations?”, “How do I ask about breastfeeding needs?”, “What should I say if my employee experiences a miscarriage?”, “How can I create a culture of support?”, “How do I tell my staff I’m pregnant?” and “What is a Keeping in Touch Plan, and where do I get one?”. 

We also have a Planner tool to notify you when it’s time to check in with your team member, what you should cover, and the resources you need to support them at this time.

The Parent Well is currently in the pilot phase. We’re welcoming as much input from people in small businesses as we can get. Like what you see? Please tell us. Looking for something different? Let us know that too. Ultimately, this is something we’re building for you. Help us shape it by registering now and offering your feedback.

Vanessa Miles is a registered psychologist and head of perinatal workplace wellbeing at Transitioning Well.