{"id":22876,"date":"2021-12-21T07:17:54","date_gmt":"2021-12-20T21:17:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/resources\/working-parents-guide\/"},"modified":"2025-10-03T01:54:47","modified_gmt":"2025-10-03T01:54:47","slug":"working-parents-guide","status":"publish","type":"resources","link":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/resources\/working-parents-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"Guide to supporting working parents"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull resource-sticky-downloadable-template has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull blog-template-header has-light-violet-50-background-color has-background has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\"><div style=\"--bb--crumb-gap:.4em;\" class=\"blog-template-breadcrumb wp-block-employmentherocom2025-breadcrumb-block\"><nav role=\"navigation\" aria-label=\"Breadcrumbs\" class=\"breadcrumb\"><ol class=\"breadcrumb-items\"><li class=\"breadcrumb-item breadcrumb-item--current breadcrumb-item--home\"><span class=\"breadcrumb-item-name\">Home<\/span><\/li><\/ol><\/nav><script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"item\":{\"name\":\"Home\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/employmenthero.com\\\/nz\\\/\"}}]}<\/script><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group blog-template-tags-row is-content-justification-space-between is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-4 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\" style=\"padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--9)\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group blog-template-tags is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-1 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\"><div style=\"font-style:normal;font-weight:600\" class=\"taxonomy-resource-type eh-resource-type wp-block-post-terms\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-block-post-terms-icon\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" alt=\"icon-blog\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2025\/04\/Blog.png\"><a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/resources\/guides-and-playbooks\/\" rel=\"tag\">Guides and Playbooks<\/a><\/div>\n\n<ul style=\"display: flex; gap: var(--wp--preset--spacing--2); padding-left: 0; flex-wrap: wrap;\"><li style=\"background-color: #e8e7e8;padding: var(--wp--preset--spacing--0-5) var(--wp--preset--spacing--3);border-radius: var(--wp--preset--spacing--8);margin: 0;display: inline-flex;align-self: center;\">\n                <span class=\"has-sm-font-size\" >\n                    <a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/resources\/people-and-culture\" title=\"People and Culture\" style=\"font-weight: 500;\">People and Culture<\/a>\n                <\/span>\n                <\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group social-icons-mobile is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-3 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-2 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\" style=\"margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--2);margin-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--2)\"><div \n    class=\"eh-social-sharing-button wp-block-employmentherocom2025-eh-social-sharing-button\" data-icon=\"facebook\" data-social-type=\"facebook\">\n    <span style=\"display: flex;\">\n        <svg class=\"icon\" width=\"24px\" height=\"24px\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"> <title>Group<\/title> <path d=\"M14.4446 6.47609H11.4173V4.40033C11.4173 3.62078 11.9115 3.43904 12.2596 3.43904C12.6068 3.43904 14.3958 3.43904 14.3958 3.43904V0.0120058L11.4537 0C8.18772 0 7.44447 2.55599 7.44447 4.19168V6.47609H5.55566V10.0075H7.44447C7.44447 14.5394 7.44447 20 7.44447 20H11.4173C11.4173 20 11.4173 14.4856 11.4173 10.0075H14.0981L14.4446 6.47609Z\"><\/path><\/svg> \n    <\/span>\n    <\/div>\n\n<div \n    class=\"eh-social-sharing-button wp-block-employmentherocom2025-eh-social-sharing-button\" data-icon=\"twitter\" data-social-type=\"twitter\">\n    <span style=\"display: flex;\">\n        <svg class=\"icon\" width=\"17\" height=\"18\" viewBox=\"0 0 17 18\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"> <g clip-path=\"url(#clip0_2187_1527)\"> <path d=\"M6.88269 10.3821L0.554058 18H2.05374L7.54889 11.3855L11.9379 18H17L10.363 7.99774L17 0.00924304H15.5002L9.69721 6.99436L5.06215 0.00924304H-5.51343e-07L6.88306 10.3821H6.88269ZM8.93683 7.90961L9.60929 8.90561L14.9598 16.8309H12.6563L8.33833 10.4349L7.66587 9.43894L2.05303 1.12518H4.35659L8.93683 7.90923V7.90961Z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path> <\/g> <defs> <clipPath id=\"clip0_2187_1527\"> <rect width=\"17\" height=\"18\" fill=\"white\" transform=\"matrix(-1 0 0 -1 17 18)\"><\/rect> <\/clipPath> <\/defs> <\/svg> \n    <\/span>\n    <\/div>\n\n<div \n    class=\"eh-social-sharing-button wp-block-employmentherocom2025-eh-social-sharing-button\" data-icon=\"linkedin\" data-social-type=\"linkedin\">\n    <span style=\"display: flex;\">\n        <svg class=\"icon\" width=\"17px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"0 0 17 16\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"> <title>Shape<\/title> <g id=\"Symbols\" stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"> <g id=\"Icons\/Social\" transform=\"translate(-74.000000, -2.000000)\" fill=\"#000000\" fill-rule=\"nonzero\"> <path d=\"M74.2155762,7.20409322 L77.8588786,7.20409322 L77.8588786,18 L74.2155762,18 L74.2155762,7.20409322 Z M76.0616143,2 C74.8146643,2 74,2.80609002 74,3.86411056 C74,4.90036967 74.7908238,5.72989508 76.0139333,5.72989508 L76.0371667,5.72989508 C77.3079571,5.72989508 78.0993476,4.90032981 78.0993476,3.86411056 C78.0755071,2.80609002 77.3079976,2 76.0616143,2 Z M86.8041976,6.95048874 C84.8702857,6.95048874 84.0038929,7.99790755 83.5205667,8.73245583 L83.5205667,7.20409322 L79.8761714,7.20409322 C79.924419,8.21687707 79.8761714,18 79.8761714,18 L83.5205667,18 L83.5205667,11.9708054 C83.5205667,11.6478911 83.5444071,11.3261725 83.6402952,11.0948476 C83.9041595,10.4502147 84.5037738,9.78266458 85.5095667,9.78266458 C86.8291714,9.78266458 87.3561714,10.773129 87.3561714,12.2237722 L87.3561714,18 L91,18 L91,11.8093881 C91,8.49339883 89.2027762,6.95048874 86.8041976,6.95048874 Z\" id=\"Shape\"><\/path> <\/g> <\/g> <\/svg> \n    <\/span>\n    <\/div>\n\n<div \n    class=\"eh-social-sharing-button wp-block-employmentherocom2025-eh-social-sharing-button\" data-icon=\"link\" data-social-type=\"copy\">\n    <span style=\"display: flex;\">\n        <svg class=\"icon\" width=\"18px\" height=\"19px\" viewBox=\"0 0 18 19\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"> <title>Group 7<\/title> <defs> <polygon id=\"path-1\" points=\"0 0 11.3597146 0 11.3597146 13.250495 0 13.250495\"><\/polygon> <polygon id=\"path-3\" points=\"0 0 11.4438464 0 11.4438464 13.237235 0 13.237235\"><\/polygon> <\/defs> <g id=\"Symbols\" stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"> <g id=\"Icons\/Social\" transform=\"translate(-115.000000, 0.000000)\"> <g id=\"Group-7\" transform=\"translate(115.000000, 0.000000)\"> <g id=\"Group-3\" transform=\"translate(6.640285, 0.000000)\"> <mask id=\"mask-2\" fill=\"white\"> <use xlink:href=\"#path-1\"><\/use> <\/mask> <g id=\"Clip-2\"><\/g> <path d=\"M9.6365839,1.06427739 L9.6365839,1.06407143 C7.63313006,-0.581342526 4.71799441,-0.287025772 3.06469376,1.72767436 L1.68152847,3.42787366 C1.2637913,3.94153775 1.3305731,4.70585509 1.8305341,5.13486964 C2.33069565,5.56409016 3.0749216,5.4955055 3.49265877,4.98184141 L4.8760246,3.28143615 C5.71089731,2.25863908 7.1949372,2.1243532 8.19104884,2.98176443 C8.20769415,2.99597567 8.22413891,3.01059882 8.24038313,3.02522198 C9.18174573,3.92361924 9.26838157,5.42383144 8.43691815,6.43015171 L5.5610895,9.96627791 L5.53461744,9.99634806 C5.38079871,10.1792405 5.20090901,10.3370058 5.00076417,10.4640831 C4.04676718,11.0718709 2.80719278,10.901748 2.04211006,10.0579301 C1.59709864,9.56877523 0.850065046,9.54303024 0.374169553,10.0002613 C-0.100522665,10.4562566 -0.127195273,11.2205739 0.315008503,11.7099348 C1.3991598,12.9045024 2.99670869,13.4575049 4.56377459,13.1800768 C4.80503134,13.1364133 5.04287882,13.0742134 5.27470991,12.9934771 C6.09434113,12.7094584 6.82152068,12.1980598 7.37542854,11.5155086 L10.2440375,7.98947441 C11.0680808,6.96832503 11.4617524,5.65182909 11.3372134,4.33183184 C11.2235039,3.05137889 10.6100339,1.87267016 9.6365839,1.06427739\" id=\"Fill-1\" fill=\"#000000\" mask=\"url(#mask-2)\"><\/path> <\/g> <g id=\"Group-6\" transform=\"translate(0.000000, 5.762765)\"> <mask id=\"mask-4\" fill=\"white\"> <use xlink:href=\"#path-3\"><\/use> <\/mask> <g id=\"Clip-5\"><\/g> <path d=\"M7.78481199,8.39527139 L6.54864687,9.91484383 C5.73222439,10.9339336 4.27946967,11.1129128 3.25127068,10.3214088 C2.2300908,9.49612727 2.05361038,7.97696676 2.85719793,6.92821874 C2.87083505,6.91050619 2.88447217,6.89299959 2.89851039,6.87569896 L5.82387388,3.27984437 L5.84553284,3.25492322 C5.99915102,3.07203079 6.17924127,2.91447144 6.37938611,2.78739415 C7.23972815,2.23645131 8.34754387,2.31595185 9.12506044,2.98449782 C9.2157072,3.06235067 9.30073868,3.14700021 9.37915214,3.23782854 C9.60657122,3.50207514 9.93486491,3.6513961 10.2784001,3.64665902 C10.6175233,3.64171598 10.9377951,3.48498047 11.155588,3.21764447 L11.1696262,3.20034383 C11.5426416,2.74620216 11.5342187,2.07930388 11.1497722,1.63546021 C9.42768425,-0.367088286 6.45118155,-0.55698335 4.50107292,1.21159465 C4.32298813,1.37306725 4.15713665,1.54813319 4.00472174,1.73555674 L1.08738009,5.32173121 C-0.548874157,7.35084854 -0.312430505,10.3492133 1.62043117,12.0813364 C2.56821124,12.921447 3.80678291,13.3317192 5.05377751,13.2188532 C5.20097822,13.2064956 5.34697566,13.1875473 5.49176982,13.1613904 C6.61362375,12.9593437 7.63039162,12.3585585 8.36398864,11.4636626 L9.59594229,9.94923914 C10.0136795,9.43578101 9.94709821,8.67146367 9.44693666,8.24224316 C8.94677511,7.81302264 8.20254916,7.8816073 7.78481199,8.39527139\" id=\"Fill-4\" fill=\"#000000\" mask=\"url(#mask-4)\"><\/path> <\/g> <\/g> <\/g> <\/g> <\/svg> \n    <\/span>\n            <span class=\"eh-social-sharing-button__copied_text\">\n            URL copied for sharing!        <\/span>\n    <\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group post-title-mobile has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-6 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\"><h2 class=\"blog-template-title wp-block-post-title\">Guide to supporting working parents<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-5 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<p class=\"has-sm-font-size\">Published<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-date has-sm-font-size\"><time datetime=\"2021-12-21T07:17:54+00:00\">21 Dec 2021<\/time><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns content-flex is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-1 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:55%\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group sticky-downloadable-title has-light-violet-50-background-color has-background has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-10 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--24)\"><h1 class=\"blog-template-title wp-block-post-title\">Guide to supporting working parents<\/h1>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-9 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-sm-font-size\" style=\"border-left-style:none;border-left-width:0px;padding-left:0\">Published<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-date has-sm-font-size\"><time datetime=\"2021-12-21T07:17:54+00:00\">Dec 21, 2021<\/time><\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-sm-font-size\" style=\"border-left-color:var(--wp--preset--color--neutral-700);border-left-width:1px;padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--2)\">1 min read<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group content-wrapper content-single-content wysiwyg has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\nBeing a working parent can be an incredible balancing act. With days made up of school drop-offs, deadlines, meetings, family time and household responsibilities, our working parents are clocking up some serious overtime.\n\nWe want to help businesses, especially small to medium sized businesses (SMBs), create the best possible environment for working parents. In doing this, we not only make a difference to parents\u2019 lives and boost retention, we create a space for <a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/blog\/make-employees-feel-valued\/\">everyone to feel valued<\/a>.\n\nThe guide covers;\n\n\n<ul class=\"listitem\">\n \t<li>Understanding Fair Work compliance around working parent entitlements<\/li>\n \t<li>How to set up flexible working<\/li>\n \t<li>Creating a culture that celebrates parenthood<\/li>\n \t<li>Empathetic leadership<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"p1 legal\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>Disclaimer:<\/strong><\/span><em><span class=\"s1\"> While due care has been taken in preparing the document, no responsibility is accepted by the author for the accuracy or suitability of the information contained. All liability is expressly disclaimed for any loss or damage which may arise from any person relying on, using or acting on any information contained therein.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n&nbsp;\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group content-wrapper content-single-content_secondary_container wysiwyg has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h2>How can people and culture support new parents?<\/h2>\nOver the last decade, immense pressure has been placed on businesses &#8211; their people and their culture, to be more accommodating towards working parents. Whether this has been through large-scale adjustments to remote work or smaller-scale changes such as workplace aesthetics.\n\nAlmost all businesses have implemented <a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/blog\/what-is-a-workplace-policy\/\">policies and procedures<\/a> to support working families. By investing time and energy into designing a more caring, nurturing and encouraging environment for new parents, you help <a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/resources\/workplace-culture-bundle\/\">create a strong workplace culture<\/a> where all employees are <a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/resources\/psychological-safety-survey-template\/\">free to be their authentic selves<\/a>.\n\nMeaning not just the side which shows up to work five days a week, but the person that extends to their family at home. If a manager or colleague fails to show support, being a working parent can be a highly demoralising and debilitating experience.\n\nSo, building a more supportive community and culture within the workplace can help new parents create a healthy work-life balance. <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-34358\" style=\"font-size: 16px;\" src=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/new-parents-with-their-child-1024x683.jpeg\" alt=\"Image of new parents reading with this child\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" \/>\n<h2>Why is it important to support new parents?<\/h2>\nBeing a working parent is the greatest juggling act of them all. Not only are you responsible for raising a family, but also for maintaining a full or part-time career. Trying to find the perfect balance can be a struggle in itself and requires assistance from businesses, their people and culture.\n\nAll leaders need to learn how they can do their bit to encourage greater support and help make the load a little lighter. There&#8217;s no denying that being a new parent comes with many unexpected challenges. However, one challenge they should never have to face at work is <a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/blog\/7-signs-of-a-toxic-workplace-culture\/\">unsupportive people and culture<\/a>.\n\nWhen your employees feel comfortable at work, it can lead to <a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/resources\/employee-experience-guide\/\">greater work satisfaction<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/resources\/employee-engagement-guide\/\">engagement and productivity<\/a>; in turn, helping boost your bottom line results. In 2019, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.abs.gov.au\/statistics\/labour\/employment-and-unemployment\/labour-force-status-families\/latest-release\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The Australian Bureau of Statistics<\/a> found 21% of couples with children aged 0-4 both work full-time.\n\nNot to mention the rise in families with employed mothers has jumped to 70%. Working families make up <a href=\"https:\/\/www.abs.gov.au\/ausstats\/abs@.nsf\/lookup\/6224.0.55.001Media%20Release1June%202017\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">a significant portion of Australia&#8217;s current labour force<\/a>.\n\nSo, providing parental benefits, having family-friendly policies and setting the tone for a more supportive work environment is essential for all businesses.\n<h3>The importance of having your people and culture team on board<\/h3>\nHaving your people and culture onboard with accommodating new parents will prove to be advantageous in the fight for talent. Companies will also experience lower turnover and higher levels of productivity.\n\nLet&#8217;s not forget the many skills a working parent can bring to the table, such as multitasking, conflict resolution, <a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/blog\/how-to-delegate-effectively\/\">task delegation<\/a> and organisation. These skills are critical to your business&#8217; function, so you want to try and support their development as much as possible.\n\nTake Google for example. By increasing their paid maternity leave period, <a href=\"https:\/\/qz.com\/604723\/when-google-increased-paid-maternity-leave-the-rate-at-which-new-mothers-quit-dropped-50\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Google saw a 50% reduction<\/a> in the number of working mothers walking out the door.\n\nThis initiative ultimately helped boost Google&#8217;s bottom line while simultaneously retaining top talent.\n\nInterested in learning how your people and culture can help support new parents in the workplace? Well, we&#8217;ve got you covered.\n<h2>How to build a more supportive workplace and culture<\/h2>\nTo craft a supportive culture, you must first have the support of your people. Regardless of their role or level within the company, your people are responsible for embodying the kind of culture you wish to create.\n\nWithout their commitment and dedication, no amount of policies or procedures will help you craft a more supportive environment for parents.\n<h3>Put an end to discrimination<\/h3>\nUnder the Australian <a href=\"https:\/\/www.legislation.gov.au\/Details\/C2014C00002\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Sex Discrimination Act<\/a>, it&#8217;s against the law to discriminate against a person because of their parental status and family responsibilities. Studies reveal <a href=\"https:\/\/humanrights.gov.au\/our-work\/sex-discrimination\/projects\/supporting-working-parents-pregnancy-and-return-work-national\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">one in two working mothers<\/a> experience workplace discrimination.\n\nNot to mention, <a href=\"https:\/\/humanrights.gov.au\/sites\/default\/files\/2014Factsheet_Resources_for_SupportingWorkingParents.pdf?_ga=2.99692310.924060681.1596515095-1831820472.1596515095\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">27% of fathers<\/a> also experience discrimination in relation to parental leave and the return to work.\n\nThe <a href=\"https:\/\/humanrights.gov.au\/our-work\/chapter-2-results-national-prevalence-survey#fn79\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Australian Human Rights Commission<\/a> conducted a study on discrimination against women in the workplace and found one in five mothers are made redundant, restructured or dismissed during pregnancy after requesting parental leave or upon the return to work.\n\nShaping a more <a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/blog\/inclusive-workplace\/\">inclusive and family-friendly workplace<\/a> is now considered an essential foundation for organisational success. Unfortunately, we still hear of horror stories where companies have failed working families.\n<h3>Let&#8217;s take a look at this&#8230;<\/h3>\nLast year, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.smartcompany.com.au\/startupsmart\/news\/envato-accused-failing-working-mothers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">SmartCompany<\/a> reported on the unfair treatment of working mothers by Australian start-up, <a href=\"https:\/\/envato.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Envato<\/a>. The company was accused of using maternity leave as a means to restructure the business, drastically changing roles upon the return to work and denying opportunities for career development.\n\nEnvato&#8217;s mid-to-executive management failed to address employee concerns and were dismissive of the needs of new working mothers. To eradicate this kind of discrimination, employers and their employees must have a thorough understanding of various legal obligations and entitlements for families.\n\nBe sure to clearly articulate the type of behaviour that is both acceptable and unacceptable in the workplace.\n<h3>Help normalise breastfeeding<\/h3>\nUnder anti-discrimination legislation, breastfeeding is a protected right. Breastfeeding and pumping are critical to the health of mothers and their newborns. Start by reflecting on how your culture caters to the breastfeeding needs of mothers when returning to work.\n\nDo they have a secure, comfortable and private place to express milk? Is there a refrigerator where this can be stored? Taking the necessary steps to provide a secure and comfortable place for nursing mothers will have a long-lasting impact on their <a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/resources\/wellness-at-work\/\">physical and emotional wellbeing<\/a>.\n\nIt also shows your people and culture care about their health.\n<h3>Offer paid parental leave<\/h3>\nLike any new parent might say \u2014 the first few days, weeks and months are the most important. Providing your employees with the time and opportunity to celebrate their new bundle of joy is essential for <a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/blog\/healthy-workplace-environment\/\">creating a more supportive company culture<\/a>.\n\nThe last thing you want is for any new parent to dread the return to work. Paid parental leave is key to creating a more nurturing and supportive workplace. These kinds of policies show your company not only cares but values your employees and their family.\n\nResearch shows the numerous benefits paid parental leave can have on parents and children, for example:\n<ul>\n \t<li>Mothers have additional time to recover from childbirth and strengthen their mental\/physical wellbeing<\/li>\n \t<li>Mothers can breastfeed their babies for longer<\/li>\n \t<li>Working parents receive greater financial\/job security<\/li>\n \t<li>Reduced stress levels in working parents<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nLet&#8217;s not forget the many advantages paid parental leave can provide your business, such as:\n<ul>\n \t<li>Reduced turnover as employees are more incentivised to return to their work<\/li>\n \t<li>Attracting to a wider talent pool<\/li>\n \t<li>Greater work-life balance for employees leading to higher engagement and productivity<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Embedding policies into your culture<\/h3>\nPolicies must be <a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/resources\/leaders-guide-company-culture\/\">embedded into your company culture<\/a> to ensure they&#8217;re successful and sustainable. In doing so, you can also establish workplace \u2018norms&#8217; that protect and support working parents. Parental leave policies are an excellent way to make an impact on working families.\n\nNote that the policies shouldn&#8217;t just focus their energy on the specified time off, as the transition period is equally important. The period between finishing maternity leave and easing back into full, part-time or remote work can be highly stressful for new parents.\n\nEncourage an open dialogue between HR or team leads with the new parents. This can be throughout the application for parental leave and the return to work. By doing so, you can help your employees feel less alienated and more comfortable in their first few weeks back on the job.\n\nNote, all parental policies should aim to be as inclusive as possible. These days, caregivers aren&#8217;t just limited to biological parents; instead, raising a child can involve all kinds of mothers, fathers, relatives, adoptive and foster parents. Companies need to consider how they will craft their policies accordingly.\n\nYour goal should be to support all parents and families, regardless of their gender or structure. That way, new parents and caregivers can play equal roles in nurturing their families.\n\nDid you know that <a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/\">91±¬ΑΟ<\/a> has a policy library with access to many great templates? These policy templates can help support your team and build a great company culture. <strong>Want to learn more?<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/request-a-demo\/\">Get in touch with one of our small business specialists here<\/a>.\n<h3>Encourage parents to speak freely about their family<\/h3>\nBrown University Economist, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theatlantic.com\/ideas\/archive\/2021\/07\/normalize-parenthood-workplace-dont-hide-it\/589822\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Emily Oster<\/a>, recently observed the \u201csecretive\u201d nature of returned parents after taking parental leave. Rather than speaking openly and freely about their children and home life, new parents prefer to remain silent out of fear of jeopardising their careers.\n\nThere were also fears of being undermined in their role or being perceived as less committed. We no longer need to view work and family as two opposite ends of the spectrum. The two can coexist peacefully without being at odds, and it starts with encouraging a more supportive community and culture within the workplace.\n\nSadly many working parents feel the need to hide or minimise evidence of their children in the office. If your company has its own head office, create a comfortable and inviting space for parents to talk freely about their family and experiences\n\nIf you want to show that your managers and team leads are also on board, encourage them to be a part of the group if they have children of their own. Perhaps they can decorate the space with pictures and drawings so their teams feel encouraged to do the same.\n\nBy personalising the workplace, your employees will find it easier to connect and exchange stories. In doing so, you can ensure both people and culture are creating a more open, cohesive and collaborative working environment for new parents.\n\nIf you&#8217;re a remote-first organisation, offering a team support network for new parents is a must.\n\nTry a <a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/blog\/remote-working-software\/\">community Slack channel<\/a> for mums and dads to share any experiences, feelings, advice or milestones. Virtual channels act as a safe place for your remote teams to talk about all things family and people-related.\n<h3>Offer flexible working arrangements<\/h3>\nIn today&#8217;s rapidly changing workforce, remote set-ups have now become the everyday norm. However, the perception of flexible and remote work needs to be reframed, not just by senior management level but also amongst the team level. These arrangements should no longer be perceived as a way for staff to slack off.\n\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.wgea.gov.au\/flexible-work\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Countless research and pieces of evidence<\/a> suggest work flexibility is linked to higher levels of diversity, productivity, engagement and retention. By fostering a culture that encourages these flexible work set-ups, you can help new parents feel more secure in getting the job done from the comfort of their own home.\n\nIf your business is in a position to offer <a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/resources\/flexible-working-policy-template\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">flexible working arrangements<\/a>, you&#8217;re already better equipped to support new working parents.\n\nFor starters, parents have more time to bond with their children; mothers can breastfeed or pump in the comfort of their own home and greater flexibility for medical appointments or health-checkups.\n\nWhere feasible, start by allowing new parents to work flexibly. The focus here should be on productivity rather than hours in seat. This can help your employees take any necessary time off for personal health reasons or to look after their children.\n\nRemote work allows new parents to work the hours which are best suited to theirs and their family&#8217;s needs.<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-34353 size-large\" style=\"font-size: 16px;\" src=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2025\/06\/Father-working-while-holding-his-child.jpg\" alt=\"Image of a father working remotely while holding his child\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" \/>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Source: <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">LifeWorks<\/span><\/p>\n\n<h3>Teach and practice empathy<\/h3>\n\u2018Empathy&#8217; is a word we often hear being thrown around, but how many of us truly know what that word encompasses? And how many of us practise empathy daily? We can never be sure of what happens behind closed doors, so it&#8217;s important to learn how to be judgement-free and show people empathy\n\nIt&#8217;s all about putting yourself in another person&#8217;s shoes, feeling what they feel and seeing the world through their eyes. Empathy is about understanding how other people live and the experiences they have which shape their ideas, thoughts and opinions.\n\nUnless you&#8217;re a new parent yourself, it&#8217;s hard to understand what that might look like. That being said, each and every experience as a new parent is different.\n\nSome families may have children who struggle sleeping through the night, or perhaps they&#8217;re fussy eaters; some require constant companionship, while others may face major health complications.\n<h3>Consider changing team events<\/h3>\nAs fun as Friday night drinks at the office might be, they&#8217;re not so inclusive for parents needing to rush home for their children. Catching up with your colleagues outside of work hours is crucial in building long-lasting relationships and healthy team dynamics.\n\nWhen organising team events, try to consider a parent&#8217;s schedule. Perhaps an early-morning breakfast or lunch will be better suited to the entire team<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-34367\" style=\"font-size: 16px;\" src=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Team-breakfast-in-the-workplace-1024x683.jpeg\" alt=\"Image showing an example of a healthy team culture that is accomodating for working parents\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" \/>\n<h2>It takes a village to raise a child<\/h2>\nToday, with diversity and inclusion at the forefront of many business&#8217; priorities, it&#8217;s crucial we involve working parents and caregivers in that discussion. Having a work-family life balance is a core component of the <a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/resources\/diversity-inclusion-handbook\/\">Diversity and Inclusion (D&amp;I) movement<\/a>. So a warm, welcoming and supportive space for new parents is critical to your company&#8217;s success.\n\nIt&#8217;s safe to say, our personal and family lives are of great importance to our wellbeing. So if we can embrace that side and nurture it in the workplace we will see a more devoted, hands-on and productive workforce.\n\nIf your people and culture can create a highly supportive and welcoming environment for working parents, it will give you that distinctive edge over competitors. It&#8217;s time we all recognise the numerous benefits a parent-friendly workplace can provide for everyone.\n\nDespite the overwhelming progress people and culture have made in generating greater inclusivity for working parents, we still have a long road ahead.\n\nDownload our guide to supporting working parents to learn more.\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column form-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group form-v2-violet-box-shadow-pattern is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-employmentherocom2025-marketo-form-v2 is-layout-flow wp-block-marketo-form-v2-is-layout-flow\">\n                                                            <section class=\"eh_marketo_form-title-section eh_marketo_form-title-section--small\" aria-labelledby=\"marketo-form-title\">\n        <div class=\"eh_marketo_form-title-container\">\n                                        <h2 id=\"marketo-form-title\" class=\"eh_marketo_form-title\">Register for the guide.<\/h2>\n                    <\/div>\n            <\/section>\n                            <div class=\"eh_marketo_form-container_v2\" data-marketo-form=\"{&quot;is_multi_steps&quot;:false,&quot;form_data&quot;:[{&quot;base_url&quot;:&quot;\/\/hr.employmenthero.io&quot;,&quot;munchkin_id&quot;:&quot;387-SZZ-170&quot;,&quot;form_id&quot;:&quot;1737&quot;,&quot;css_classes&quot;:&quot;&quot;}],&quot;submit_text&quot;:&quot;Download now&quot;,&quot;success_handling_method&quot;:&quot;thank_you_page&quot;,&quot;redirect_url&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;thank_you_message&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;add_lead_linking_id&quot;:false,&quot;add_drift_campaign_id&quot;:false,&quot;drift_campaign_id&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;thank_you_page_id&quot;:&quot;41811&quot;,&quot;thank_you_page_url&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/thank-you\/downloadable\/resources\/?origin=working-parents-guide&amp;origin_id=sWyNryVe7mNsuObki5mlo4maPEYvKMbdEE%2BXOFs9eOknEhrBXJTDG5trnNPNuYYloIPbG%2B8xNyizmgwpzo%2BUiA%3D%3D&quot;,&quot;progress_indicator_type&quot;:&quot;progress-bar&quot;,&quot;enable_revenue_hero&quot;:false,&quot;revenue_hero_router_id&quot;:&quot;4668&quot;,&quot;revenue_hero_thank_you_message&quot;:&quot;Thank you for booking!&quot;}\"><\/div>\n                                <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group social-icons-desktop is-content-justification-center is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-14 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\" style=\"margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--2);margin-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--2);padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--4);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--4)\"><div \n    class=\"eh-social-sharing-button wp-block-employmentherocom2025-eh-social-sharing-button\" data-icon=\"facebook\" data-social-type=\"facebook\">\n    <span style=\"display: flex;\">\n        <svg class=\"icon\" width=\"24px\" height=\"24px\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"> <title>Group<\/title> <path d=\"M14.4446 6.47609H11.4173V4.40033C11.4173 3.62078 11.9115 3.43904 12.2596 3.43904C12.6068 3.43904 14.3958 3.43904 14.3958 3.43904V0.0120058L11.4537 0C8.18772 0 7.44447 2.55599 7.44447 4.19168V6.47609H5.55566V10.0075H7.44447C7.44447 14.5394 7.44447 20 7.44447 20H11.4173C11.4173 20 11.4173 14.4856 11.4173 10.0075H14.0981L14.4446 6.47609Z\"><\/path><\/svg> \n    <\/span>\n    <\/div>\n\n<div \n    class=\"eh-social-sharing-button wp-block-employmentherocom2025-eh-social-sharing-button\" data-icon=\"twitter\" data-social-type=\"twitter\">\n    <span style=\"display: flex;\">\n        <svg class=\"icon\" width=\"17\" height=\"18\" viewBox=\"0 0 17 18\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"> <g clip-path=\"url(#clip0_2187_1527)\"> <path d=\"M6.88269 10.3821L0.554058 18H2.05374L7.54889 11.3855L11.9379 18H17L10.363 7.99774L17 0.00924304H15.5002L9.69721 6.99436L5.06215 0.00924304H-5.51343e-07L6.88306 10.3821H6.88269ZM8.93683 7.90961L9.60929 8.90561L14.9598 16.8309H12.6563L8.33833 10.4349L7.66587 9.43894L2.05303 1.12518H4.35659L8.93683 7.90923V7.90961Z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path> <\/g> <defs> <clipPath id=\"clip0_2187_1527\"> <rect width=\"17\" height=\"18\" fill=\"white\" transform=\"matrix(-1 0 0 -1 17 18)\"><\/rect> <\/clipPath> <\/defs> <\/svg> \n    <\/span>\n    <\/div>\n\n<div \n    class=\"eh-social-sharing-button wp-block-employmentherocom2025-eh-social-sharing-button\" data-icon=\"linkedin\" data-social-type=\"linkedin\">\n    <span style=\"display: flex;\">\n        <svg class=\"icon\" width=\"17px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"0 0 17 16\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"> <title>Shape<\/title> <g id=\"Symbols\" stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"> <g id=\"Icons\/Social\" transform=\"translate(-74.000000, -2.000000)\" fill=\"#000000\" fill-rule=\"nonzero\"> <path d=\"M74.2155762,7.20409322 L77.8588786,7.20409322 L77.8588786,18 L74.2155762,18 L74.2155762,7.20409322 Z M76.0616143,2 C74.8146643,2 74,2.80609002 74,3.86411056 C74,4.90036967 74.7908238,5.72989508 76.0139333,5.72989508 L76.0371667,5.72989508 C77.3079571,5.72989508 78.0993476,4.90032981 78.0993476,3.86411056 C78.0755071,2.80609002 77.3079976,2 76.0616143,2 Z M86.8041976,6.95048874 C84.8702857,6.95048874 84.0038929,7.99790755 83.5205667,8.73245583 L83.5205667,7.20409322 L79.8761714,7.20409322 C79.924419,8.21687707 79.8761714,18 79.8761714,18 L83.5205667,18 L83.5205667,11.9708054 C83.5205667,11.6478911 83.5444071,11.3261725 83.6402952,11.0948476 C83.9041595,10.4502147 84.5037738,9.78266458 85.5095667,9.78266458 C86.8291714,9.78266458 87.3561714,10.773129 87.3561714,12.2237722 L87.3561714,18 L91,18 L91,11.8093881 C91,8.49339883 89.2027762,6.95048874 86.8041976,6.95048874 Z\" id=\"Shape\"><\/path> <\/g> <\/g> <\/svg> \n    <\/span>\n    <\/div>\n\n<div \n    class=\"eh-social-sharing-button wp-block-employmentherocom2025-eh-social-sharing-button\" data-icon=\"link\" data-social-type=\"copy\">\n    <span style=\"display: flex;\">\n        <svg class=\"icon\" width=\"18px\" height=\"19px\" viewBox=\"0 0 18 19\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"> <title>Group 7<\/title> <defs> <polygon id=\"path-1\" points=\"0 0 11.3597146 0 11.3597146 13.250495 0 13.250495\"><\/polygon> <polygon id=\"path-3\" points=\"0 0 11.4438464 0 11.4438464 13.237235 0 13.237235\"><\/polygon> <\/defs> <g id=\"Symbols\" stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"> <g id=\"Icons\/Social\" transform=\"translate(-115.000000, 0.000000)\"> <g id=\"Group-7\" transform=\"translate(115.000000, 0.000000)\"> <g id=\"Group-3\" transform=\"translate(6.640285, 0.000000)\"> <mask id=\"mask-2\" fill=\"white\"> <use xlink:href=\"#path-1\"><\/use> <\/mask> <g id=\"Clip-2\"><\/g> <path d=\"M9.6365839,1.06427739 L9.6365839,1.06407143 C7.63313006,-0.581342526 4.71799441,-0.287025772 3.06469376,1.72767436 L1.68152847,3.42787366 C1.2637913,3.94153775 1.3305731,4.70585509 1.8305341,5.13486964 C2.33069565,5.56409016 3.0749216,5.4955055 3.49265877,4.98184141 L4.8760246,3.28143615 C5.71089731,2.25863908 7.1949372,2.1243532 8.19104884,2.98176443 C8.20769415,2.99597567 8.22413891,3.01059882 8.24038313,3.02522198 C9.18174573,3.92361924 9.26838157,5.42383144 8.43691815,6.43015171 L5.5610895,9.96627791 L5.53461744,9.99634806 C5.38079871,10.1792405 5.20090901,10.3370058 5.00076417,10.4640831 C4.04676718,11.0718709 2.80719278,10.901748 2.04211006,10.0579301 C1.59709864,9.56877523 0.850065046,9.54303024 0.374169553,10.0002613 C-0.100522665,10.4562566 -0.127195273,11.2205739 0.315008503,11.7099348 C1.3991598,12.9045024 2.99670869,13.4575049 4.56377459,13.1800768 C4.80503134,13.1364133 5.04287882,13.0742134 5.27470991,12.9934771 C6.09434113,12.7094584 6.82152068,12.1980598 7.37542854,11.5155086 L10.2440375,7.98947441 C11.0680808,6.96832503 11.4617524,5.65182909 11.3372134,4.33183184 C11.2235039,3.05137889 10.6100339,1.87267016 9.6365839,1.06427739\" id=\"Fill-1\" fill=\"#000000\" mask=\"url(#mask-2)\"><\/path> <\/g> <g id=\"Group-6\" transform=\"translate(0.000000, 5.762765)\"> <mask id=\"mask-4\" fill=\"white\"> <use xlink:href=\"#path-3\"><\/use> <\/mask> <g id=\"Clip-5\"><\/g> <path d=\"M7.78481199,8.39527139 L6.54864687,9.91484383 C5.73222439,10.9339336 4.27946967,11.1129128 3.25127068,10.3214088 C2.2300908,9.49612727 2.05361038,7.97696676 2.85719793,6.92821874 C2.87083505,6.91050619 2.88447217,6.89299959 2.89851039,6.87569896 L5.82387388,3.27984437 L5.84553284,3.25492322 C5.99915102,3.07203079 6.17924127,2.91447144 6.37938611,2.78739415 C7.23972815,2.23645131 8.34754387,2.31595185 9.12506044,2.98449782 C9.2157072,3.06235067 9.30073868,3.14700021 9.37915214,3.23782854 C9.60657122,3.50207514 9.93486491,3.6513961 10.2784001,3.64665902 C10.6175233,3.64171598 10.9377951,3.48498047 11.155588,3.21764447 L11.1696262,3.20034383 C11.5426416,2.74620216 11.5342187,2.07930388 11.1497722,1.63546021 C9.42768425,-0.367088286 6.45118155,-0.55698335 4.50107292,1.21159465 C4.32298813,1.37306725 4.15713665,1.54813319 4.00472174,1.73555674 L1.08738009,5.32173121 C-0.548874157,7.35084854 -0.312430505,10.3492133 1.62043117,12.0813364 C2.56821124,12.921447 3.80678291,13.3317192 5.05377751,13.2188532 C5.20097822,13.2064956 5.34697566,13.1875473 5.49176982,13.1613904 C6.61362375,12.9593437 7.63039162,12.3585585 8.36398864,11.4636626 L9.59594229,9.94923914 C10.0136795,9.43578101 9.94709821,8.67146367 9.44693666,8.24224316 C8.94677511,7.81302264 8.20254916,7.8816073 7.78481199,8.39527139\" id=\"Fill-4\" fill=\"#000000\" mask=\"url(#mask-4)\"><\/path> <\/g> <\/g> <\/g> <\/g> <\/svg> \n    <\/span>\n            <span class=\"eh-social-sharing-button__copied_text\">\n            URL copied for sharing!        <\/span>\n    <\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull eh-single-resource-whitepapers-layout has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull has-light-violet-50-background-color has-background has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div id=\"stop-el\" class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20)\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-content-justification-space-between is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-16 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\" style=\"margin-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10)\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Related Resources<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button is-style-link-arrow is-style-link-arrow--3\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-btn-brand-background-color has-background wp-element-button\" href=\"\/resources\/\">View all<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-query blog-3-col-query-loop is-layout-flow wp-block-query-is-layout-flow\"><ul class=\"columns-3 alignfull wp-block-post-template is-layout-grid wp-container-core-post-template-is-layout-1 wp-block-post-template-is-layout-grid\"><li class=\"wp-block-post post-57097 resources type-resources status-publish has-post-thumbnail hentry resource-type-guides-and-playbooks\">\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-border-color has-neutral-100-border-color has-white-background-color has-background is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-19 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\" style=\"border-width:1px;min-height:100%\"><figure style=\"aspect-ratio:16\/9;width:100%;height:100%; padding-bottom:0;padding-top:0;margin-bottom:0;\" class=\"wp-block-post-featured-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/resources\/executive-faq-new-technology-leadership-questions\/\" target=\"_self\"  style=\"height:100%\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" src=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/05\/exec-faqs-thumbnail-NZ.webp\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"How to secure executive sign-off on new people technology\" style=\"width:100%;height:100%;object-fit:cover;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/05\/exec-faqs-thumbnail-NZ.webp 1600w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/05\/exec-faqs-thumbnail-NZ-300x169.webp 300w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/05\/exec-faqs-thumbnail-NZ-1024x576.webp 1024w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/05\/exec-faqs-thumbnail-NZ-768x432.webp 768w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/05\/exec-faqs-thumbnail-NZ-1536x864.webp 1536w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/05\/exec-faqs-thumbnail-NZ-440x248.webp 440w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group blog-3-col-details wp-container-content-3 is-vertical is-content-justification-left is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-18 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\" style=\"margin-top:0;padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10)\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-17 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\"><div style=\"font-style:normal;font-weight:600\" class=\"taxonomy-resource-type eh-resource-type wp-block-post-terms\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-block-post-terms-icon\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" alt=\"icon-blog\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2025\/04\/Blog.png\"><a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/resources\/guides-and-playbooks\/\" rel=\"tag\">Guides and Playbooks<\/a><\/div>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-post-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/resources\/executive-faq-new-technology-leadership-questions\/\" target=\"_self\" >How to secure executive sign-off on new people technology<\/a><\/h3>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-excerpt has-text-color has-contrast-2-color has-small-font-size wp-container-content-2\"><p class=\"wp-block-post-excerpt__excerpt\">Get clear, confident answers to leadership\u2019s toughest questions about bringing in new technology. Address risk, strategy, cost, and workforce decisions. <\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<a style=\"font-style:normal;font-weight:600;\" class=\"wp-elements-9dfcbcb7662772ecb2d671e8976a6c51 wp-block-read-more has-text-color has-violet-500-color\" href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/resources\/executive-faq-new-technology-leadership-questions\/\" target=\"_self\">Read more<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">: How to secure executive sign-off on new people technology<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/resources\/executive-faq-new-technology-leadership-questions\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"group-block-link\"><\/a>\n<\/li><li class=\"wp-block-post post-57080 resources type-resources status-publish has-post-thumbnail hentry resource-type-templates\">\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-border-color has-neutral-100-border-color has-white-background-color has-background is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-22 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\" style=\"border-width:1px;min-height:100%\"><figure style=\"aspect-ratio:16\/9;width:100%;height:100%; padding-bottom:0;padding-top:0;margin-bottom:0;\" class=\"wp-block-post-featured-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/resources\/ai-policy-template\/\" target=\"_self\"  style=\"height:100%\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" src=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/05\/ai-policy-thumbnail.webp\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"AI policy template and guide\" style=\"width:100%;height:100%;object-fit:cover;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/05\/ai-policy-thumbnail.webp 1600w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/05\/ai-policy-thumbnail-300x169.webp 300w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/05\/ai-policy-thumbnail-1024x576.webp 1024w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/05\/ai-policy-thumbnail-768x432.webp 768w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/05\/ai-policy-thumbnail-1536x864.webp 1536w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/05\/ai-policy-thumbnail-440x248.webp 440w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group blog-3-col-details wp-container-content-6 is-vertical is-content-justification-left is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-21 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\" style=\"margin-top:0;padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10)\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-20 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\"><div style=\"font-style:normal;font-weight:600\" class=\"taxonomy-resource-type eh-resource-type wp-block-post-terms\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-block-post-terms-icon\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" alt=\"icon-blog\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2025\/04\/Blog.png\"><a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/resources\/templates\/\" rel=\"tag\">Templates<\/a><\/div>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-post-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/resources\/ai-policy-template\/\" target=\"_self\" >AI policy template and guide<\/a><\/h3>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-excerpt has-text-color has-contrast-2-color has-small-font-size wp-container-content-5\"><p class=\"wp-block-post-excerpt__excerpt\">Discover the essential components of an AI policy template to ensure effective governance. Download the template. <\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<a style=\"font-style:normal;font-weight:600;\" class=\"wp-elements-9dfcbcb7662772ecb2d671e8976a6c51 wp-block-read-more has-text-color has-violet-500-color\" href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/resources\/ai-policy-template\/\" target=\"_self\">Read more<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">: AI policy template and guide<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/resources\/ai-policy-template\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"group-block-link\"><\/a>\n<\/li><li class=\"wp-block-post post-57047 resources type-resources status-publish has-post-thumbnail hentry resource-type-guides-and-playbooks\">\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-border-color has-neutral-100-border-color has-white-background-color has-background is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-25 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\" style=\"border-width:1px;min-height:100%\"><figure style=\"aspect-ratio:16\/9;width:100%;height:100%; padding-bottom:0;padding-top:0;margin-bottom:0;\" class=\"wp-block-post-featured-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/resources\/ai-policy-guide\/\" target=\"_self\"  style=\"height:100%\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" src=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/05\/NZ-thumbnail-ai-policy.webp\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"Building a corporate AI policy that actually works\" style=\"width:100%;height:100%;object-fit:cover;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/05\/NZ-thumbnail-ai-policy.webp 1600w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/05\/NZ-thumbnail-ai-policy-300x169.webp 300w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/05\/NZ-thumbnail-ai-policy-1024x576.webp 1024w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/05\/NZ-thumbnail-ai-policy-768x432.webp 768w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/05\/NZ-thumbnail-ai-policy-1536x864.webp 1536w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/05\/NZ-thumbnail-ai-policy-440x248.webp 440w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group blog-3-col-details wp-container-content-9 is-vertical is-content-justification-left is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-24 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\" style=\"margin-top:0;padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10)\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-23 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\"><div style=\"font-style:normal;font-weight:600\" class=\"taxonomy-resource-type eh-resource-type wp-block-post-terms\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-block-post-terms-icon\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" alt=\"icon-blog\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2025\/04\/Blog.png\"><a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/resources\/guides-and-playbooks\/\" rel=\"tag\">Guides and Playbooks<\/a><\/div>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-post-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/resources\/ai-policy-guide\/\" target=\"_self\" >Building a corporate AI policy that actually works<\/a><\/h3>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-excerpt has-text-color has-contrast-2-color has-small-font-size wp-container-content-8\"><p class=\"wp-block-post-excerpt__excerpt\">Most corporate AI policies fail in practice. Learn what actually makes an AI policy work in real organisations, and how&hellip; <\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<a style=\"font-style:normal;font-weight:600;\" class=\"wp-elements-9dfcbcb7662772ecb2d671e8976a6c51 wp-block-read-more has-text-color has-violet-500-color\" href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/resources\/ai-policy-guide\/\" target=\"_self\">Read more<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">: Building a corporate AI policy that actually works<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/resources\/ai-policy-guide\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"group-block-link\"><\/a>\n<\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Create the best environment for working parents to improve your company culture and boost retention.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":24156,"menu_order":0,"template":"","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"_lite_auth_enabled":false,"_lite_auth_trigger_method":"scroll","_lite_auth_scroll_percent":25,"_lite_auth_click_element_query":"","exclude_from_algolia":false,"reading_time":"9 min read","display_reading_time":false,"registration_open_datetime":"","registration_close_datetime":"","event_start_datetime":"","event_end_datetime":"","time_zone":"","location":"","link_video":"","video_type":"","file_video":"","download_content_type":"file","download_file":"21484","download_url":"","download_cta_label":"","footnotes":""},"resource-type":[161],"topic":[97],"industry":[61,38,54,57,53,28,50,66,40,41,62,44,43,42,64,56,45,46,51,63,47,48,52,70,73,58,65,69,68,75,67,74,55],"search-tags":[],"audience":[],"business-size":[],"product-tag":[],"funnel-stage":[],"region":[],"pain-point":[],"persona":[],"post_features":[],"class_list":["post-22876","resources","type-resources","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","resource-type-guides-and-playbooks","topic-people-and-culture","industry-agriculture","industry-automotive","industry-business-consulting","industry-childcare","industry-colleges-and-sporting-clubs","industry-construction","industry-consumer-services","industry-early-education","industry-ecommerce","industry-education","industry-entertainment","industry-finance","industry-financial-services","industry-franchises","industry-health-and-fitness","industry-health-services","industry-healthcare","industry-hospitality","industry-it-and-technology","industry-legal","industry-logistics-manufacturing","industry-media-communications","industry-not-for-profit","industry-public-relations","industry-real-estate","industry-real-estate-and-strata-management","industry-recruitment","industry-retail","industry-stem","industry-technology","industry-utilities-public-services","industry-veterinary-services","industry-youth-services"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resources\/22876","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resources"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/resources"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resources\/22876\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":51775,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resources\/22876\/revisions\/51775"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/24156"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22876"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"resource-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resource-type?post=22876"},{"taxonomy":"topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/topic?post=22876"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=22876"},{"taxonomy":"search-tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/search-tags?post=22876"},{"taxonomy":"audience","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/audience?post=22876"},{"taxonomy":"business-size","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/business-size?post=22876"},{"taxonomy":"product-tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product-tag?post=22876"},{"taxonomy":"funnel-stage","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/funnel-stage?post=22876"},{"taxonomy":"region","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/region?post=22876"},{"taxonomy":"pain-point","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pain-point?post=22876"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=22876"},{"taxonomy":"post_features","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post_features?post=22876"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}