"When Allison Whalen returned from parental leave years ago, she found her corner of the business in shambles. Her direct reports were frustrated, her projects had stalled, and she felt the weight of disruption on both sides. Curious whether her experience was unique, she asked around. The response was striking: The number-one reason employees left their companies after parental leave wasn't lack of policy-it was career derailment caused by how leave was managed."
"That "aha" moment led her to found Parentaly, a company that helps thousands of employees and managers navigate parental leave through pre-leave planning, return-to-work support, and manager training. With clients ranging from Zoom to PwC to Hershey, Whalen has built a front-row seat to how leading companies are rethinking leave. Have you noticed any emerging trends in how leading companies are approaching parental leave in 2025?"
"I think a lot of companies raced to expand their paid leave policies a couple of years ago, which was a really positive step. But now they're facing the challenges of implementation. Many expanded without putting enough thought into how to actually manage these longer leaves effectively. More than ever, I'm hearing HR and leadership teams say they're fielding concerns from managers about how to support the business when critical employees are out for extended periods."
Allison Whalen returned from parental leave to find her team frustrated, projects stalled, and operations disrupted. The main reason employees left after leave was career derailment caused by poor leave management. Whalen founded Parentaly to help thousands of employees and managers with pre-leave planning, return-to-work support, and manager training. Clients include Zoom, PwC, and Hershey. Companies expanded paid leave but now face implementation challenges and manager concerns about supporting the business during extended absences. Parental leave is increasingly viewed as a business event and can become a career accelerator when managed proactively.
Read at Fast Company
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