There’s nothing like a poll to get an idea on what people want to hear from you when it comes to your content. So, when I popped one up on LinkedIn a little while ago it was no major surprise that ‘sharing good examples of parental support’ came at the top.
This topic still feels like a dark art to many of us, and I can understand why people want to read the ‘top tips’ and hear great, real life, examples from others. And, I will give you that in this article – but I also want to heavily caveat what I’m about to share with three things:
- Nobody knows your business better than you do. These examples are NOT tailored for you, so please don’t lull yourself into a false sense of security.
- It’s all a scale. A ‘small’ step for one organisation could be a giant leap for another. Know where you are and don’t trip into comparison-itis.
- Don’t expect a list of ‘this workshop’ or ‘this many coaching sessions’ – they will get a mention, but as the gal who is all about looking at strategy, we’re going a bit deeper into parental support strategies too.
So let’s get into it…
1. Policies
Ok, I’m picking this one off first for a few reasons. Many of you know my feelings towards them being hailed as the be all and end all when it comes to parental support – and they do play a huge part, generally keep you legal and give a framework for line managers. Here’s the thing though: they don’t save you from poor leadership and care. So, when it comes to what ‘good’ policies look like here are some of the things to consider:
- It’s not a hunt for clues. Make it really clear and obvious where someone can find the nitty gritty to read. Think about your comms channels and the tech you have internally to put them front and centre.
- Look through an intersectional lens. That doesn’t mean you will create policies that answer every single individual situation – what it does mean however, is that you need to be blunt about not assuming everybody is the same.
- Get feedback. Yep there are legal implications for many policies, which you won’t be able to compromise on. However, there are plenty of policy elements you CAN shape and therefore you need the voice of your people!
- Go BETA mode. It’s ok to test things (unless the aforementioned legal responsibility trumps it) and shift them around. Be honest with your valued team members that you’re giving something a go – policies aren’t something to be scared about.
2. Challenge stereotypes
Yes, really – this has made the list. Because when I’m asked what ‘good’ looks like for parental support, the organisations who really do it well are the ones who don’t stick with moment in time stuff.
Challenging stereotypes is an important one because they can wallop a parent metaphorically in the face. ‘Oh clocking off early are we?’ “can’t travel now you’ve got the little one really can you’ ‘how was your baby holiday?’. I could write a whole book dedicated to the stereotypes, beliefs and limiting language thrown at parents and carers. It wouldn’t be one many of us could read without squirming I don’t think!
So think about how you challenge situations like this in your organisation. One of the best ways to support your valued team members who happen to be parents is to call them out in a safe way. Establishing some boundaries and ways of sharing what you’ve been up against without fear of repercussion could be a great first step. Find the stories (anonymously if needed) and start to talk about them in an appropriate way.
3. Supporting your line managers
I’ve been working with a client for a little while now specifically in the space of returners, and the feedback is always great (pats self on the back). BUT. And it’s a big but. They are still hearing horror stories and feeling big challenges when it comes to the point of return. The line manager lottery is alive and well, and the examples of poor parental support boil down to someone in a leadership role fumbling at best, ignoring at worst.
Of course line managers don’t just support returners, it’s the whole lifecycle, but it could be a good place to start.
Explore the business case, show them the commercials, the ‘what’s in it for me’ side of things immediately, if not sooner. There’s a huge weight often felt by line managers and we don’t want them to buckle – but we do them to understand how pivotal their role is. If you’re only training or communicating policies, you’re missing the art of connecting up conversation and lived experiences.
It’s also not a moment in time – so consider things like line manager networks or regular coffee and catch up sessions to bring the learning to life and facilitate idea swapping.
4. Workshops and coaching
I think this might be what lots of us expect to see on these kinds of lists, so I’m going to give them a hot minute. Because they are important for parental support. Ideally if you’ve got the spends, let them be facilitated by an external company / coach, because it allows you to open up your organisation’s world a bit more.
As a bit of ‘best practice’ advice, don’t throw jelly at a wall and see what sticks. Don’t pop something in because you know it’s what your competitors are doing. Go and ask your people what it is they need. You might not be able to accommodate every request but at least you’re not walking through the dark with zero lights on.
5. Offering Equal Parental Leave
I’ve written previously about this so I won’t get repetitive (original article is here) but this has to feature on my list of what good looks like.
6. Recognising time for life moments
Sports days, exam periods, first and last days of nursery, celebration assemblies where the little darlings get a certificate to say what a great human they are, parents evening, medical reviews, assessments – there is no exhaustive list, so you’ll have to trust me when I say there are about a million different things a parent or carer might want / need to be present for over the course of their lives.
It can feel icky to ask for the time, and line managers are not clairvoyant (generally) so they may not know when something is going on for their team members who happen to be parents.
So, what’s the solution?
Well, making it abundantly clear you know folks have lives outside of work is a strong start. Using that kind of language when people join the organisation, or in how you write job ads for example sews that seed from the beginning. Yes of course there’s a job to do, but isn’t it better we do that with engaged people who actually want to be there?
Who are the role models?
I get asked this often. Like, really often. And I’m always a bit reluctant because there is no one size fits all, you might only be seeing the surface, things change quickly and nobody is perfect. However, some of the organisations I’ve come across who are doing some cracking stuff include:
- Zurich – for their work on flexible job applications
- Vodafone – returner support strategy
- John Lewis – for pretty much everything they do
- Suffolk County Council – they do lots to support all parents and change the narratives facing Dads
- West Mercia Police – for their work around miscarriage and baby loss
I’m definitely at risk of overwhelming some of you now, so I’m going to pause there and say there will be another list of what ‘good’ looks like in the future. These are snapshots and ideas that you can take and think about what it might look like in your organisation more specifically – so put down that cookie cutter, and think more bespoke. You and your valued team members deserve it.
If you’d like to talk about your company specifics with a view to working with Power of the Parent®, you can book a call here.