Benefits Think How employers can prevent a new parent penalty in the workplace

Published Updated 4 Min Read

Returning to work after parental leave is a rigorous experience for many employees. It can be a difficult time filled with adjustment pain points and career growth setbacks, all stemming from a surprising cause: the new parent penalty.

This penalty — or bias against new parents — presents itself by way of managers and colleagues assuming these individuals are no longer interested in or dedicated to upward growth in the company in the same way they were prior to taking time off. Unfortunately, this is an all-too-common hurdle. This bias often has a negative impact on the morale and career potential of employees who experience it.

Mary Beth Ferrante
CEO

Mary Beth Ferrante is a Maven Clinic Career coach and the CEO of WRK/360, a platform designed to retain and attract working parents.


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