Children are everywhere at work these days. The most-watched example is nearly 10 years old, when political scientist Robert E Kelly was being interviewed by the BBC from his home office in Busan, South Korea, only for his children to waddle into the room, one after the other, before being removed by his wife, Jung-a Kim. ‘BBC Dad’ remained composed on air, and the show went on.

Closer to home, Queensland Labor senator Corinne Mulholland was sworn into parliament last year, with her eight-month-old son on her hip. When the former lawyer and disaster management specialist spoke candidly of “the mess, the chaos, the juggle, [and] the struggle”, it drew knowing nods. When she said, “I am praying Augie and I make it through this speech unscathed, so godspeed,” it hit a note with every working parent who has ever hesitated before pushing ‘join’ on a Microsoft Teams call.

While one was a spontaneous moment and the other a somewhat premeditated statement, both demonstrated that family life inevitably surfaces in professional spaces. In the last decade, parental leave has moved from a ‘soft’ perk to a central focus of company policy, which comes on top of government initiatives.

Financial considerations

In Australia, families share a single pool of 26 weeks (A$948.10 per week before tax, from July 2026), with four weeks reserved for each parent. In New Zealand, parents receive 26 weeks of paid leave (NZ$788.66 per week gross) for the primary carer, who can transfer it to a partner. Secondary carers receive one to two weeks of unpaid leave. For many households on both sides of the Tasman Sea, this can result in a significant reduction in pay.

In Australia, companies like EY, PwC, and KPMG offer 26 weeks of leave at full pay with no waiting period, while Deloitte Australia provides up to 28.4 weeks, including leave for fertility treatment and miscarriage. Deloitte's arrangement is a combination of 18 weeks of paid parental leave for parents of all genders and the ability to receive up to 10.4 weeks of additional pay, as part of its return-to-work support payment. New Zealand-based policies for the big four differ slightly, including Deloitte offering 26 weeks after a 12-month waiting period.

“Our commitment to supporting our people during these moments that matter most is central to our culture,” says Michael Day CA, partner, Finance Advisory and executive sponsor – Family and Carers Network, KPMG. “This approach not only enhances wellbeing and engagement, it strengthens our business and ensures we grow alongside our people.”

The business case for better parental support

Supporting employees as they build a family is essential to retain mid-career talent. The hard data for this, too, is stacking up. Robin Davies CA, an Auckland-based HR consultant, argues that the business case for these programs requires a shift from short-term cost to long-term strategic value.

“Keeping everybody in the workforce so that we have that diversity is a really big lever for return on investment,” she says. This serves to counter the “leaky pipeline” that often drains firms of mid-career expertise.

Davies notes that many women leave the workforce immediately after parental leave, resulting in significant losses for companies, beyond hard metrics like time and money. The 2023 McKinsey report, Diversity Matters Even More, says that companies in the top quartile for gender diversity on executive teams are 39% more likely to outperform financial expectations.

The Fair Work Ombudsman’s Parental Leave Best Practice Guide emphasises that employees who feel supported are more likely to be loyal to their workplace. “They are more likely to go above and beyond, give discretionary effort,” Davies says.

The benefits also extend to a firm’s social impact and brand. In a market where top talent is selective, a comprehensive parental policy is a competitive advantage. Davies says candidates are actively making employment decisions based on the support provided. “Companies with really strong parental policies will attract and keep top talent.”

The psychological safety gap: beyond “congrats”

The Parental Leave Best Practice Guide suggests that the first step to helping an employee feel comfortable is simply to offer congratulations. Then, treating the financial aspect with the same rigour as a client forecast helps reduce anxiety.

Stephanie Pow is CEO of New Zealand-based Crayon, which she established to bring transparency to the system. She helps organisations and employees navigate the complicated financial “blind spots” of parenthood.

She points out that hidden costs, such as superannuation contributions that may have been missed, can affect an employee decades later. For firms, addressing this requires moving beyond statutory minimums and having transparent conversations about salary reviews and bonuses.

To address the retirement savings deficit often faced by parents, the Australian Government now contributes a 12% superannuation payment on top of publicly funded parental leave. This program applies to families with new arrivals or adoptions following the policy’s commencement, with funds deposited into super accounts once leave distributions are complete.

The New Zealand equivalent, KiwiSaver, operates on a voluntary opt-in basis for parental leave. In 2024, the New Zealand Government began providing a 3% ‘employer’ contribution to recipients of paid parental leave, but only if the recipient also matches with at least 3% from their leave payments. It is worth noting that only 25% of parents opt in to contribute to KiwiSaver.

Pow says that while large firms often have comprehensive policies, employees still find the mental load of navigating pregnancy, career and parental leave planning overwhelming.

“We’re seeing leading employers turn their focus to the experience once their policy foundations are in place,” Pow says. “More organisations recognise that having someone who supports you along that way and gives you a bit of a nudge or accountability when you need it paves the way for their successful return.

“In the financial coaching work we do with expecting parents, we see questions abound: ‘How do I make the most of our government and employer entitlements?’ ‘And what about my partner?’ ‘What will this mean for our family’s income and expenses?’ ‘In what other ways will having a child change our financial picture?’”

Tactical transitions: handovers, contracts, communication

Davies says that a well-structured framework spanning the pregnancy, parental leave and return-to-work period is vital for success. For CAs, whose value is tied to deep client knowledge, the ‘before’ phase requires a tactical handover to ensure the client feels reassured and the accountant feels their portfolio is safe.

Davies also advises establishing a ‘communication contract’ before parental leave begins to determine how the employee wants to engage, including through regular updates or strategy days.

The return-to-work period is arguably the most sensitive time. Emma Walsh, CEO of Parents At Work, notes that a “flexibility stigma” remains in accounting, where long hours have been equated with commitment.

“Overcoming this stigma requires a shift in how ambition is defined,” Walsh says. “Flexibility should be seen as a performance strategy, not a concession.”

A major risk during this phase is ‘benevolent discrimination’, where well-meaning managers make assumptions that can stall an employee’s career. As an example, Pow says a manager might withhold a travel-heavy project from a new mother without asking, effectively creating a motherhood penalty. Both Pow and Davies agree that managers must not assume needs are static. As Davies notes, the flexible working required in the first six months is often quite different from what is needed a year later.

Ultimately, the ROI is outlined at a global scale. Davies cites the McKinsey Global Institute report, Advancing Women’s Equality Can Add $12 Trillion to Global Growth, which notes that, in a full-potential scenario in which women play an identical role to men, as much as US$28 trillion could be added to global annual GDP. By treating leave as essential infrastructure, firms secure their own performance and contribute to this wider economic gain.

“When senior men take their full partner leave and do so visibly, it normalises shared care and removes the fear factor for others.”

Breaking the breadwinner bias: the future of shared care

An essential part of retention is making sure that parental leave is not viewed solely as a ‘mother’s issue’. While Australia has introduced ‘use it or lose it’ provisions to encourage shared care, Walsh notes that deep-seated cultural assumptions about “breadwinning” versus “caregiving” still deter many men.

Davies points out that men often worry that taking leave will affect how their leadership potential is perceived. “In environments where availability and visibility are still rewarded, stepping away can feel risky, particularly during peak career or earning years,” she says.

Pow’s observations support this, noting that fathers and partners often fear appearing less committed to their roles. “It’s not until you have separate, ring-fenced parental leave for dads and partners that that really starts to tick up,” Pow says.

She notes that in New Zealand, where there is no such legislated partner leave, transfer rates of leave from primary carers to partners remain as low as 2%.

The Parental Leave Best Practice Guide emphasises that inclusive workplaces provide these benefits to all parents, to level the playing field. Pow says more progressive employers are now offering “new parent sick leave” to both mothers and fathers, recognising the high frequency of illness when children first enter daycare.

Davies reinforces that addressing breadwinner bias requires visible leadership. “When senior men take their full partner leave and do so visibly, it normalises shared care and removes the fear factor for others,” she says.

Reframing this time as a performance investment, rather than a concession, is crucial for long-term gender equity and talent retention.

“Taking nine to 12 months off is actually such a small portion of your career if you think about [an employee’s] whole career journey,” says Davies. “I’ve learned new skills that are so valuable in the workplace. You come back bigger and better.”