Work-life balance is the term of the decade as employees grapple with the ever-increasing demands of work and home life. But as workplaces adapt to the call from career savvy professionals to be rewarded with flexibility and wellbeing support for the commitment to their work, never before have we seen such an opportunity to integrate the two.

How do you turn a Career v Life tension into a more seamless ‘one life’ reality that supports you, your employer and your family. Join Emma Walsh and Gill McLaren as they address the obstacles that get in the way from living an all-round productive, meaningful life.

Join Emma Walsh and Lucy Dahill as they break this down a further and share your various options for keeping in touch whilst on parental leave.

Join Kiri Stejko and Lucy Dahill in this short audio which provides some top practical tips and key considerations to make the preparation easier.

Join Emma Walsh, Kiri Stejko and Lucy Dahill as they provide some practical examples of how you can optimise your preparation for parental leave.

Join Emma Walsh, Kiri Stejko and Lucy Dahill as they share some great real life examples of how this can play out in the workplace.

Join Emma Walsh, Kiri Stejko and Lucy Dahill in this short audio as they discuss some of the essential requirements you will need to know along with some practical tips on self care at work during your pregnancy.

Flexible work practices can vary for each individual depending upon the type of work, work pattern available to employees, and the effect flexibility has on the employer.

A flexible work arrangement can be classified as a variation to the standard full-time core job functions including a change of location as to where you perform some of your job functions or a change in the hours you perform your work activities.

Flexible work arrangements come in all shapes and sizes and are often innovative in design and structure, having both formal and informal elements. When flexible work practices are agreed between an employee and manager, the flexible work approach is made workable by a high degree of trust and with the consideration to the needs of the individual employee, the team, and the manager involved.

It is about you having the opportunity to design and decide how your work will be done and how you will coordinate your schedule with your own needs, the needs of your team and of the wider organisation.

Join Lucy Dahill as she takes you through some key points when considering to work more flexibly.

With the understanding that our day impacts our night and our night, in turn, impacts our day, start by examining your own sleep and waking cycle. Is there anything you could improve upon in your day, to support a more rejuvenating sleep at night?

Becoming a parent is a life changing experience and many employees find that their life needs and career goals shift and change during this time. 

Planning and communication is critical for both the employee and employer. The better connected you are with your employee the more likely you will both experience a smoother transition for the employee back to into work.

Employees receiving paid parental leave have the option to keep in touch with the workplace. The purpose of the keeping in touch provision is to allow an employee to remain connected with their workplace and help them transition back into work, without losing their entitlement to paid parental leave.

In this episode, youth advocate, teen expert, and mother of three teenagers, Lucy Dahill, discusses the importance of self-care for parents - including the consequences on the family due to lack of self-care, and the ways that parents can incorporate self-care WITHOUT having to add anything into their already busy schedules.

Lucy explores the interesting concept of time vs. space, and how allowing ourselves time to do even the most simple tasks during the day can then give us the space that we are in need of for our self-care. She teaches us how to prevent stressing about how we will fit in time for ourselves within our busy schedule, but instead plan how will we fit our busy schedule around taking time for ourselves. There are simple ways that allow you to be more present in the activities you are already taking on in your day in order to fulfil the need for self-care. Some of these suggestions are as simple as drinking more water, but it is the attitude towards these suggestions that make all the difference.

With the findings from the National Working Families Survey showing that working parents' most challenging issue is finding time to look after their own physical and mental health (two-thirds of working parents reporting feeling too emotionally and physically drained after work to contribute to the family), this podcast is more important than ever.

In this episode youth advocate, teen expert, and mother of three teenagers - Lucy Dahill from Why Be You - discusses the pressure teens feel from impending exams and how parents can help them cope with their desire to succeed and fear of failure.

Lucy explores the sources of exam stress including teachers, parents, peer-pressure, self-expectations, and societal-expectations. Furthermore, she encourages you to look at the coping mechanisms teens are using (such as alcohol and comfort food) and get a feel for whether they are beneficial for your teen (or not) even if you believe they personally help you to reduce stress. Lucy reminds us that your teen’s perspective of exams won’t change overnight and that it will take patience and role-modelling to make any notable shifts in teen behaviour.

In this latest episode, The Father Hood team interview Rory Brown about his experience with being a stay-at-home dad in today's climate. They ask about the benefits of being a stay-at-home dad, if he has experienced any negative stigma surrounding his role, what his personal experience has been like, and what he has learned or gained from being a stay-at-home dad.

Rory talks about the opportunity to spend in depth time with your children as they grow right before your eyes. He also discusses the feeling of joint success when watching his wife strive for and meet her career goals, something that would have been harder to achieve without Rory being the stay-at-home parent. Through his role, Rory has also come to appreciate and understand the difficulties involved in managing a household, something that his wife had predominantly been in charge of early in their marriage. He feels it has been a massive learning experience for both partners gaining experience in their respective family roles and also in how today's society reacts to the idea of a dad being the primary carer.

Rory hopes that fathers continue to take on the role of the stay-at-home parent, that people will begin to understand the difficulties associated with the role, and that it starts to be viewed as a very accessible role for both mothers and fathers.

What does a healthy relationship with your teens look like? Why is it important to support your teen with understanding how they relate to tension? How do you rebuild trust between you and your teen if the relationship hasn’t been what you’d like it to be?

In the Teen Clinic Podcast youth advocate, teen expert and mother of three teenagers – Lucy Dahill – discusses the changing relationships teens experience with their friends and family, more notably their parents, as they become more independent.

Lucy explores the correlation between the relationships parents have with the people around them and how that modelling of behaviour influences the way teens develop their own relationships during this crucial time. On top of this, she looks at how the digital world changes the dynamics of teen’s relationships and teen’s use of certain coping mechanisms, encouraging parents to target the source of these problems rather than the actual coping strategy. Lucy encourages you to support your teens to create new relationships and to set the standards of what is appropriate and respectful.

We know that asking for paid parental leave at your workplace can be difficult. 50% of employers offer paid parental leave schemes, and Emma Walsh stresses the idea for fathers that "if you don't ask, you won't get".

We talk about the current trends in Aussie fathers taking parental leave, what's happening globally and why taking parental leave doesn't hinder - but rather - benefits your career.

Tom opens up about why he started the Dads Group, stating that the opportunity to talk and listen to other dads is a very restorative experience and provides the chance to heal from the challenges involved in the transition to becoming a parent. He has found that dads retain information and pick up on parenting advice more efficiently when it is in the context of a dads group and that his aim is to make all the wonderful parenting content available to dads through this medium so that it is not just sitting there "collecting dust".

Tom hopes that through these dad groups that he can help encourage the perspective that fatherhood is more than just a responsibility, its an opportunity, and he believes that’s the direction that fatherhood is moving into the future.

Learn more about Dads Group:

www.dadsgroup.org

www.facebook.com/dadsgroupincorporated

www.instagram.com/dadsgroupinc

www.twitter.com/dadsgroupinc

Join Karitane toddler expert Sharlene Vlahos as she takes us through the art of slowing down, understanding your toddler and how the magic of co-operation- it is possible!

Join Katie and Sam for what’s sure to be an explorative and expansive discussion.

Danielle discusses what our practical and realistic options are as well as how we can open up the conversation to reduce stigma in the workplace surrounding people with caring responsibilities.

The weeks and months have whizzed by in a blur and it’s time to go back to work – you’re likely feeling a wave of emotions; sleep deprived, still possibly breastfeeding or about to swap parental leave with your partner and join the working parent brigade and wondering ‘how am I doing to manage this? What if I can’t do it, what happens if my child doesn’t cope with child care?'.

Emma Walsh, CEO of Parents At Work and Catherine Brooks, Associate Director, Law Squared and Author of “Let’s Make it Work, Baby” will look at the emotional adjustment required when transitioning back and why it’s such a wonderful opportunity to reset what you want and go back with a new approach that’s going to work for you.

We love including you in the conversation! As always, we invite you to send in your questions on this topic and we will do our best to answer them during the podcast.

Sharon is a mother of 7, is a registered nurse, adult educator, counsellor and manages a team of 17. She also supports businesses to implement healthcare-related strategies to better serve organisations and their employees.

And so, with this monumental wealth of experience in caring for others she is the perfect person to speak to about just how she does it.

But it hasn’t all been smooth sailing, as Sharon shares.

Join complementary wellbeing practitioner Katie Walls and executive work life wellbeing coach Sam Eddy as they explore the minutiae details of guilt . . . in all its deceptive masks.

In this podcast youth advocate, teen expert, and mother of three Lucy Dahill explores the prevalence of gaming in the life of teenagers and how parents can support their teens to engage in gaming in a safe and responsible way.

Lucy discusses cyberbullying through online gaming, setting boundaries with your teenager in relation to gaming, and teaching them skills that can help them become a discerning gamer – which they can also use in other situations in life. She clarifies that this podcast episode does not advise parents on how to ban their teen from engaging in gaming altogether. Lucy states that gaming it is a part of a teen’s life, can be used to self-soothe, is enjoyable, helps to create connections, and that a parent’s responsibility involves equipping their teens with the skills to deal with the negative aspects of gaming.

What is it really like being a modern dad? Jon Tindale stayed at home with his newborn daughter and decided to write a book about it – Daddy Day Care – in the hope he could inspire other dads to take up the challenge (and joy) of the experience.

But is it really more interesting than being air dropped into Kabul or climbing Kathmandu, as Jon intimated?

“The bond that I nurtured and created spending that amount of time with my daughter – my sidekick – she just kind of became a part of me. . . it sounds a bit mushy but it sometimes feels like you’re falling in love everyday with this little person.”

“It is absolutely relentless from dawn until dusk …. then through the night you’re constantly on . .. the cycle of it is extraordinary. How little time you have is a staggering surprise. The sleep deprivation – that’s the hardest thing.”

“I was surprised. I really did expect to get my leg pulled mercilessly. But there were very, very few comments. Everyone knew this wasn’t going to be a walk in the park. None of the dads I knew had done [extended] parental leave but they’d done enough of parenting that they knew what was involved.”

In his book Jon lays out an hour by hour basis what he experienced. He shares in this interview with Emma Walsh (CEO, Parents At Work) the highs and lows of his experience including singing his lullaby version of Purple Rain plus his revelation about slip-on shoes. He also shares how parental leave impacted his return to work and what it feels like to be an involved father.

The couple are continuing to progress through their alternating blocks of leave, with Peter about to start his second block of parental leave once Sarah heads back to work. This episode, Peter discusses his preparation for parental leave and his experience with balancing caring for his daughter and keeping up with work through this arrangement.

Why do people decide to freeze eggs? What are the things to consider before embarking on this journey? What is medical egg freezing vs social egg freezing?

Join Parents At Work Chief Services Officer Kiri Stejko, as she talks to Dr Rachael Rodgers, a fertility and IVF specialist with Genea as they discuss why more and more women are choosing to freeze their eggs, what is involved in the egg freezing process, how does it feel, what are the physical and emotional impacts.

In Episode 8, Katie and Sam explore how perfectionism and over doing it can affect our lives, our health and our relationships, plus the signs to look out for and – most importantly – what the antidote is!

There are many opinions about what constitutes a good diet. There are also new superfoods on the market just about every other week. This can be confusing (and expensive!) for the health conscious person who simply wants to feel healthy and vital. In Episode 7, Lucy Dahill joins Katie Walls to explore how to eat in a way that supports your body and overall well-being throughout the day (without the magical cures or fad diets!). They'll also bust a few foodie myths and look at the difference between medicating with food vs living as if food is thy medicine.

During this podcast Sharlene discusses teaching your toddler about emotions and most importantly how to manage your own emotions whilst helping your toddler manage theirs.

Donte discusses how gender and parental roles have changed and that mothers aren't just the caretakers anymore, that "strong men with strong attitudes or strong personalities – can also be sensitive" to support and take care of their kids. He also talks about social media as a driver of change as fathers can use the platform to demonstrate them being active, speaking up as fathers, and working as a team with their partner so that both parents share responsibility and have that time for self-care.

To find out more visit squatforchange.com/ or follow him on Instagram: @3boys_1goal www.instagram.com/3boys_1goal/?hl=en

We discuss how the responsibility to make the internet a safer place for our children and even ourselves, belongs to everybody and shouldn’t solely fall on one particular person or groups such as schools or the police force. Yasmin discusses how parents have a responsibility to positively role model safe internet use to their children as “you can’t be what you can’t see” and that we should equip ourselves with the skills and knowledge needed to manage what happens in the online environment. 

Here are links to the resources Yasmin references in this podcast:

e-Safety Commissioner - https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents

Kids helpline - https://kidshelpline.com.au/

E headspace - https://headspace.org.au/eheadspace/

In this Teen Clinic Podcast, youth advocate, teen expert and mother of three Lucy Dahill answers your questions about how to set fair, manageable boundaries.

Lucy says as a parent, being “consistent, predictable and reliable” will be your keys to successful boundaries and communication with your teen.

In this episode of The Father Hood podcast the team talks to Ashley Scott about his personal experience with being a gay dad and his interaction with other LGBTQI+ families through his work as Executive Officer at Rainbow Families. Rainbow Families aims to 'build a community which fosters resiliency by connecting, supporting and empowering' LGBTQI+ families.

Ashley talks about the challenges and opportunities he has experienced as a gay dad, especially how the freedom from traditional gender roles has allowed himself and his partner to divvy up the household and parenting work in a unique way that best suits each person. He also discusses his work at Rainbow Families and how his interactions with other LGBTQI+ families has allowed his two daughters to interact with children sharing similar family dynamics as well as have access to positive female role models, which he feels is important to provide.

Ashley feels that his work with Rainbow Families is helping LGBTQI+ families feel more accepted in their community and provides a unique support for parents outside the usual social circles.

In this episode youth advocate, teen expert and mother of three teenagers – Lucy Dahill – looks at some of the key skills to share with your teen in order to help them become independent young adults who have the ability to handle whatever life throws at them.

Life skills, also termed as psycho-social competence, is the ability to show adaptive and positive behaviour that enable humans to deal effectively with the demands and challenges of life. Lucy discusses how teaching your teens these life skills involves first embedding them in yourself and the way that you parent. She also states that life skills are important so that your teen can be responsible and accountable, they know who they are, they know what love is and that they are loved, they know truth and joy, they know how to be engaged in life, how to be committed to their job, how to care, and most of all how to be themselves in every situation.

In this Teen Clinic Podcast, youth advocate, teen expert and mother of three Lucy Dahill tackles hot topics such as respect, trust, and how to effectively get talking with your teen.

As Lucy always says, all behaviour is a form of communication. Teens are working with a brain that is rejigging to deal with upcoming independence and more complex relationships, and it's always better to work on a health and balance model than to try and fix situations that have already exploded.

In the fourth episode of the Teen Clinic Podcast, youth advocate, teen expert and mother of three Lucy Dahill discusses parent's roles and responsibilities when it comes to their teen's social media usage.

Lucy reinforces the age old wisdom of 'walking the talk' in terms of setting a good example of social media use for teens. She also points out that where parents would use other methods, teens use social media as a way to fulfil their need for connection and also as a way to self-soothe.

Emma and Catherine explore some of the common questions parents ask when they are about to go on leave such as 'how much leave should I take off?' and 'what are the ins and outs of talking to my manager about returning on a flex basis?'. Catherine also provides great resource links around finding out your legal entitlements during the parental leave transition time.

The pair also address the personal reflections often experienced at work during pregnancy or on a return from leave including the expectations and judgements we have that put pressure on ourselves.

This 1-hour webinar will include:

- Starting with a Gentle Breathe Meditation

- What is meditation exactly?

- Dispelling meditation myths – anyone can do it

- Why meditation is so effective in developing self-care and improving vitality

- How to find time to meditate in your every day – however busy you are - Finishing with a Gentle Breathe Meditation

During this podcast, Sharlene Vlahos, the Director of Education and Business Development at leading experts in parenting support, Karitane, discusses brain development and how it impacts your toddler’s behaviour- once you understand why it makes it so much easier to deal with your toddler!

In this podcast, The Father Hood team talk to Rob Sturrock about the changing definitions of masculinity in the modern world and how a man's approach to fatherhood is at the forefront of this societal discussion. Rob talks about how there is no one way to 'provide' for your family, contrary to long-established beliefs, and that the active participation of a father in his children's lives is not a sign of weakness or lack of success in his career. In fact, he believes that a father's ability to balance work and family in his own way is one of the most masculine things a father can do and encourages all father’s out there to find the right balance for themselves and their family.

Rob's new book 'Man Raises Boy' takes a deep dive into the themes discussed in this podcast and explores a new era of fathering that balances strength and vulnerability. If you would like to find out more about his book then click here:

https://www.booktopia.com.au/man-raises-boy-rob-sturrock/book/9781760875213.html

Do you feel you are being yourself in all your relationships? Are there any relationships you would like to change or improve that may currently be quite negative or destructive? Does how you relate to others impact on your health and wellbeing?

When we are free to be our real selves we connect more deeply with others and we enjoy life more - we feel more fulfilled in our jobs and we are naturally enriching as parents. Life doesn't feel hard and problems don͛t feel like big issues to tackle. Why isn͛t this a reality for most of us, most of the time? It comes down to our relationships. We have a relationship with every aspect of our life. We say, this is what my relationship is with my partner, my kids, my clothes, my dog, nature, our house– every aspect in life. Therefore, doesn't it make sense to stop and reflect on the quality of our relationships if, indeed, everything is about relationships? Yet most of us are not approaching life this way. This month Katie and Sam look at how we measure our relationships, whether we are holding back in any areas or have different versions of ourselves with different people? What happens

if we are and what impact does this have on our overall health and wellbeing? Most importantly, how can we work with any issues that arise so that we not only have fulfilling relationships with others but also ourselves.

Do you wake up thinking about your to-do list?

Does your mind and heart race?

Do others comment on how calm you are yet you still feel the pressures of modern day life?

How can you support yourself when you feel overwhelmed, stressed and tired?

Chances are you have experienced some level of anxiety or stress in your lifetime, and you are not alone. Over 2 million Australians a year suffer from anxiety, according to beyondblue... and that͛s only the people that have been diagnosed.

Given the increasing demands of work and family responsibilities it͛s not surprising that every parent has experienced some level of anxiety.

The question is – what is normal? And what is the flow on effect to our health? What are we role modelling to our children and colleagues?

Complementary Health Practitioner Katie Walls and Executive Work Life Wellbeing Coach Sam Eddy address anxiety and overwhelm by helping us expose its root cause and discussing the effects of allowing it to accumulate (despite thinking we͛re getting away with it!) They will also help us assess where we are at with our anxiety, what sets us off and some practical ideas about how we can support ourselves in our every day.

Given most of us spend more time at work than we do with friends and family, we’d like to hope the hours we spend at work are worthwhile, enjoyable and rewarding – at least most of the time. But what happens when we give too much to work, it’s no longer enjoyable, it’s demanding, overwhelming and there seems to be no end in sight? What do we do next? Do we quit, downsize, put up with it and suffer in silence? How do you deal with career fatigue before burnout sets in?

‘One day’ or ‘I wish’ are common phrases for a person who is unhappy in their job and continually hoping for more from their job or career. But what if getting somewhere or being successful isn’t necessarily about getting a new job? What if your relationship with work and all you bring to it is what’s actually at the core of feeling enriched and empowered in whatever role you are in?

Join Emma Walsh (Founder of Parents At Work) and Gill McLaren (Executive Career Coach) as they explore ways that can help you reignite your passion for your career as well as some top tips for sustaining it!

The couple are alternating their blocks of leave, with Sarah having just returned to work after her first block of leave, handing over to Peter for his first block. In this Episode, Sarah shares why she found her transition back to work relatively smooth, and she is excited and looking forward to second next block of parental leave which is only a few weeks away now.

What makes this series so unique is that we're following Sarah & Peter over a number of months, and hearing first-hand about how they're finding the experience. It's fantastic to see parental leave equality in action from the parent point of view.

- Why does change feel hard? i.e. losing weight, getting fitter, new job roles, finding time to connect with the kids?

- Is it possible to feel well and full of vitality every day?

Most of us start the year with the intention to keep New Year’s resolutions. The genuine desire to support ourselves is there yet most of the time these intentions fall by the wayside a few months or even days later.

So what is getting in the way of being sustainable and consistent when it comes to our health? This podcast will look at why embracing flexibility and dropping the rigid approach to health and wellbeing is key in consideration of modern day living, families and work.

Katie and Sam start the year by addressing these foundational questions. They will also be looking at common pictures we have around what we think we need to do to be healthy, busting some of the biggest myths about what true wellbeing and balance is.

Given that women aged over 45 comprise 17% of the Australian workforce and menopause typically occurs between the ages of 45 and 55 – you would think that conversations about such a natural event would be common place.

In this podcast, Parents At Work’s Customer Experience Director, Fiona Hitchiner, interviews workplace wellbeing practitioner Thea O’Connor to learn more about menopause, some of the signs and symptoms, what we can do to prepare for this phase of life, and even find joy in it. Thea O’Connor is a senior advisor on workplace wellbeing and productivity, helping leaders, teams and individuals improve their workplace engagement and effectiveness through body intelligence and better health. She draws on 30 years experience in health promotion including in the fields of nutrition (as a dietitian), body image, sleep science and workplace health. 

Here are some useful resources to learn more about menopause:

https://www.thea.com.au/menopause/

https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause

https://www.menopause.org.au/

How do children learn and why is this important for us to know as parents?

What biological aspects should we be aware of in our child’s learning development?

What’s going on for our children when they get frustrated with making mistakes or are find something challenging?

Responses vs. reactions

How do we help children foster a connection with themselves and feel secure?

Even if we know this, which in most cases we do, why do we stay in this seemingly perpetual cycle of self-sabotage? And if we do manage to break the cycle for even one day, how do we make lasting shifts in our behaviour? Wellbeing Coach, Lucy Dahill and Complementary Health Practitioner Katie Walls explore what’s behind this set-up and provide tips on how to break away from it once and for all.

Hear Parents At Work, CEO, Emma Walsh and Work Life Wellbeing Executive Coach Gill McLaren address the big challenges both men and women face when it comes to taking a career to the next level. What do you really want your career to look like? What holds you back? Where can you bring more clarity to the direction your heading with work? Can you really do it? Yes is the simple answer.

Join the latest Career Wellbeing Podcast episode for some great tips to take you there.

Self-love is not a bad word. In fact, it's our number one job as role models to showcase a loving me for all it's worth. In this episode, Katie and Sam look at why prioristing you is not only good for 'you', but for your children, your relationships and your work too!

In our first episode of the Teen Clinic Podcast youth advocate, teen expert and mother of three, Lucy Dahill from Why Be You, answers some common questions from parents of teenagers.

It’s a jam packed episode for parents that includes: “how do we deal with parties”, “how do I support my teenager to do homework?”, “why isn’t my son eating at school?”, “what if I don’t like my kids friends or think they are a good influence?”, and “what about wearing make up to school?”

Parents At Work, CEO, Emma Walsh talks to Executive Career Coach and Author, Gill McLaren on how to have a fulfilling career that integrates well with your life.  

Emma and Gill address how you bring clarity and purpose to your career including what this concept of ‘career wellbeing’ is and how to do a health check on your career. They talk about finding clues about what needs recalibrating, reflecting on and moving forward with.

Aaron is a counsellor who has worked closely with many couples to help them adjust to this change in relationship dynamic. He has found that many people upon becoming parents, had difficulty balancing work and family and found that their personal wellbeing and relationships with their partners is what suffers the most.

Aaron states "to be that bloke you want to be it takes a lot of work and a lot of balance… it takes self discipline and self leadership”. 

Join Aaron and the team at The Father Hood as they explore how we can keep a strong connection with our partners amongst family life with kids.

But what if the other 98% of our body has an intelligence that could give us the wisest of answers? Could each cell of our body be housing a wealth of information about the our self-loving (or not so loving) choices we make? Epigenetics and cellular science would say so.

Join Katie and Sam as they explore the magic of body intelligence and how you can use it to your full advantage for both your physical and mental wellbeing.

1. Covering the basics – what’s practically needed before school starts, in the first two weeks and throughout the year

2. Parent protocol – your involvement, teacher contact, volunteer options, P&C

3. What to prioritise and what not

4. Flexibility – having a flexible mindset and allowing for adjustments

5. Practical strategies to support children in their first few years of school ie. nutritional and sleep needs, family discussions, support with homework etc.

6. Supporting your child to accept the changes and new routine

7. How to approach anxiety and behavioural or learning challenges

8. The power networking - who and where to ask for support

Jean provides some great real life examples, including her own experience and what she commonly sees in her practice, to assist you to develop or revive the relationships in your life so that you find them more fulfilling.

Their plan is to alternate in taking blocks of time off, with Sarah taking a block of 6-8 weeks off, then Peter taking 6-8 weeks, then Sarah will take a second block, then Peter will take a second block – up until 6-8 months when they will put their baby in care and both return to work.

They both love their work, and are both passionate about being fully committed, hands-on parents, sharing the care for their child.

What makes this series so unique is that we'll be able to follow Sarah & Peter over the coming months, and hear first-hand about how they're finding the experience. It's fantastic to see parental leave equality in action from the parent point of view.

Join Sharlene Vlahos, parenting expert from Karitane who will discuss exactly that- how to spend quality time with your toddler that ensures your relationship remains connected even through very busy days!

How many of us make wellbeing decisions based on what others (the media, friends, health products) say are the ‘good’ things to do? What if there was another way of approaching our health goals? And what if, more importantly perhaps, there was a way to make changes that are sustained through the year?

Join complementary health practitioner Katie Walls and executive career coach Sam Eddy as they explore some of the common roadblocks to making real change in your wellbeing choices as well as how one might go about finding true motivation without a quick fix fad diet or ‘resolution’.

In this episode youth advocate, teen expert and mother of three teenagers, Lucy Dahill, presents what expectations are, the flavour of fear teenagers have of disappointing their parents in the face of expectations, and how parents should understand the source of expectations so as to avoid unnecessary disappointment.

Lucy talks about the three key areas that expectations appear in our lives as parents: expectations on ourselves, expectations on others, and expectations for ourselves. She also asks us to think about what WE do when we don’t meet expectations. Do we then set expectations on others so as to alleviate some of the pressure from the expectations that we are living under? She talks about how the expectations we set on others may clash with the expectations they have of us, and to understand that the communication of the underlying values within expectations is more important than just knowing what is right and wrong.

1) The Food Pyramid / diet is for everyone

2) Superfood XYZ will make me healthy

3) If he/she can then I can

4) Everything in good balance (hint: who measures the good exactly?).

Join Complementary Health Practitioner Katie Walls and Executive Career Coach Sam Eddy as they myth bust these four biggies and explore ways you can remove the barriers that get in the way of you being able to make food a ‘non-issue’ for your mental and physical health.

During this podcast, join Sharlene Vlahos, toddler expert from Karitane who shares the recommendations around screen time and provides you with helpful information that will allow you to make an informed decision around screen use for you and your family.

Parenting expert Sharlene Vlahos from parenting experts Karitane joins Emma Walsh, CEO, Parents At Work about how to get into a supportive sleeping rhythm in the early months of your new borns life.

Sharlene and Emma explore what works for baby and you.

In this episode complementary health practitioner Katie Walls and executive career coach Sam Eddy explore the images we’re fed of the perfect parent and how we can avoid its pitfalls.

Sleep is one of the most popular questions Karitane receive. This episode Sharlene Vlahos talks to one of their experienced child and family health nurses – Karitane Kaz (Karen Willcocks) about getting toddlers to sleep!

Emma Walsh shares the biggest trends she sees play out when it comes to supporting parents and other carers, including how the pandemic and rising cost of living have contributed to greater implementation of key policies in Australian businesses.

She also gives her thoughts on what more needs to be done at a government level to support people and her top tips for businesses obtaining family-friendly certification.

https://www.hrleader.com.au/people/24061-the-benefits-of-obtaining-family-friendly-workplace-certification

A classically trained singer who got into a career in winemaking after working part-time in a local wine store, he is now a champion for family-friendly workplaces and aims to actively demonstrate the value of taking time out for the family. 

Pelquest-Hunt started with Pernod Ricard Winemakers ten years ago and has risen up the ranks to become one of the company’s top winemakers. He’s also been a witness to significant demographic shifts in winemaking, in terms of more diversity and representation that’s come into the sector which also brings valuable new perspectives, opportunities, and the ability to learn from others. 

Speaking to the Family Friendly Workplace Podcast, an initiative between Parents At Work and UNICEF Australia, Pelquest-Hunt shared how he came into winemaking – discovering he had a passion and a great taste for wine almost accidentally – and went on to study the science and art of the process in New Zealand. 

Revamped in 2021, the policy builds on offering paid domestic and family violence leave to now also providing emergency short term accommodation for individuals and their immediate families in crisis.

They also provide loaner phones for team members who believe their phone may have been compromised and have upskilled their “Respect at Lion Champions” to become “First Responders” – individuals with specialised training who become “tellable people” for survivors and at-risk individuals to approach for support.

For this episode we spoke to Lion’s Global Inclusion and Diversity Leader Sarah Abbott asking how leaders are creating more supportive workplaces that acknowledge the needs and caring responsibilities staff have outside of work.

But while flexibility may often be available to staff – accessing it in the way parents and carers actually need it can often come down to a team leader or manager, or the specific culture that these parents experience within their own team.  

At the global healthcare company Novartis, flexible work practices were available well before the pandemic. 

But it more recently moved to formalise flexibility, via a program enabling team member to choose their own working arrangements. 

They’ve also recently revamped their paid parental leave, taken the 2023 Equal Pay Pledge, addressed recruitment processes, and introduced ‘wellness days’ to support staff in getting the health checks they may have missed during COVID. 

My guest today is Sue Whipps, the Country Head of People and Organisation for Novartis Australia and New Zealand, which became an accredited family friendly workplaces employer almost a year ago.

Our podcast today will discuss sibling rivalry, why it happens, how you can support your toddler and strategies to manage the unhelpful behaviour.

“I have a 20 year old child and I’ve been working flexibly the whole time. I’ve just come to expect it.” 

Now the Chief People and Culture Officer for Mercer Pacific, Morris says she speaks openly with her team about “being in charge of their own flexibility story and how they make it work” and she advocates for the “co creation approach” where employees help determine what their working life will be.

Listen to the latest Family Friendly Workplace podcast from Women's Agenda.

It’s a move that outgoing CEO Stuart Irvine, who has also kickstarted a number of other gender equality initiatives during his eight years at the helm, has more than paid for itself in terms of the level of talent they’ve been able to attract and retain.

Listen to what Irvine has to share about this in this interview for the Family Friendly Workplaces podcast.

As the Managing Partner of Cube Group, a Melbourne-based consultancy employing around 30 people and offering generous employee entitlements including 12 weeks of paid parental leave to all new parents, he’s seen the power firsthand of putting culture at the heart of how the business operates and the role of small to medium-sized businesses (SMEs) in creating family-friendly workplaces.

She sees storytelling as an opportunity to share lived experiences and empathise with staff who are currently experiencing similar challenges in managing a family, in whatever shape or form that comes.

Alison speaks particularly about the early days, when she was one of the first partners to take parental leave and return to work part time – a rarity 17 years ago when she had her daughter.

Listen to Alison's inspiring story here on the Family Friendly Workplaces Podcast Series

ING CEO Melanie Evans speaks with Angela Priestley from Women's Agenda on how she banished the ‘primary’ and ‘secondary’ carer labels in ING.

With organisations investing in gender equality outcomes, as well as health and wellbeing – why has the link not been made yet to supporting women (as well as trans gender and non-binary people) through menopause.

In this podcast Fiona Hitchiner, I am the Customer Experience Director at Parents At Work chats to Thea O’Connor, senior advisor on workplace wellbeing and productivity and founder of Menopause@work to discuss how to become a menopause friendly workplace.

 For your interest here are the links to her programs: 

• The program for women: The Change - a 7 week confidential online program for individual working women who can participate from the privacy of their homes.  https://www.thea.com.au/the-change/
• The Menopause@Work Training Program - I have a public training starting in July, with early bird ending on June 4th. https://www.thea.com.au/menopause/manager-training/ 

Katrina speaks candidly about her own experience as a working parent of three children and describes some of the benefits she received to help support her family whilst working at IBM in her 28-year career with the company. 

The discussion highlights how the right conversation helps employees share their own ideas about how their role can work in line with their caring responsibilities. 

He says it's time to get rid of outdated ideals of what masculinity looks like, and start letting boys and men know that it's ok to be vulnerable and emotional. And not just letting them know it's ok, showing them it's ok.

Gus is the founder of the a fantastic non-for-profit foundation, Gotcha4Life, which fundamentally works to save lives of males throughout Australia.

"Medibank wanted to "make a stand" for their people, and "create an exceptional experience around parental leave," Kylie explains. 

In this podcast, Medibank’s Kylie Bishop (Group Executive, People & Culture) is interviewed by the Parents At Work CEO, Emma Walsh.

This podcast is sure to inspire other HR & Diversity practitioners who are looking to enhance their own Parental Leave Policies. Kylie outlines and reflects on the policies put in place in March, and how they are changing behaviours and cultures within the business.

In this podcast Fiona Hitchiner from Parents At Work interviews Adrian Rokman, co-founder of KidsCo, known for their award winning School holiday programs in the workplace and recently named as one of the most innovative companies in Australia by the Australian Financial Review. Together they will provide ideas and inspiration to families to provide fun and educational ways to keep the kids busy and entertained which will also create space for a bit of me-time for the grown ups! You will also get to take away practical resources for the kids.

National Carers Week aims to recognise the 2.65 million unpaid carers in Australia and the work they provide for their loved ones. It aims to raise awareness of this crucial role and the incredibly impactful service they are providing for not only those they are caring for, but the community as a whole.

Ultimately, Carers Australia wants to see unpaid care recognised as a shared responsibility between family, community businesses, and government especially as the role of unpaid carers seems to be invisible to many.

The lack of recognition leads to insufficient support of carers, especially during this pandemic where this already isolating role has become even more distant from society and existing support networks shutting down.

To put things into perspective, the replacement value of all unpaid care this year (prior to COVID-19) is nearly 78 billion dollars - that's nearly 1.5 billion dollars per week!

This Carers Week we aim to raise awareness to create more carer friendly options within employment and the general community.

In this podcast, Parents At Work talk to Nadine Richardson from She Births about what expecting parents should know at this time. Nadine is a childbirth educator, doula and prenatal yoga specialist. She is the director of The Birthing Institute and creator of She Births® (2008), the world’s only scientifically verified childbirth education program.

Enjoy 10% off the She Births® Full Online Course with the code PAWPODCAST10. You and your partner can prepare together via desktop or app making learning as easy and comfortable as possible.

https://shebirths.com/full-online-birthing-class/

Image: Jerusha Sutton, www.jerusha.com.au

Remote work is radically reshaping how we work and live. As organisations busily plan to welcome employees back to the office post COVID-19, they are fast re-imaging how and what 'working from the office' will actually mean in reality.

Workplaces acknowledge we're still months away from having everyone back behind their desks as they used to be, prompting some employers to drastically rethink how and where their people will work.

In this well-worth-the-time webinar Parents At Work invited a number of experts to explore exactly this - the future of workplace design and flexibility in our organisations.

Our panel included:

• Shiona Watson, General Manager, Human Resources at QBE Insurance.

• Kristen Miller, Head of Workplace, Westpac Group.

• Stephen Barrow-Yu, Executive Director, People and Change, KPMG & Director, Diversity Council of Australia.

• Emma Walsh, CEO, Parents At Work

To keep up to date with all our free webinars and resources for HR professionals and leaders sign up to our Supporter Newsletter visit www.parentsandcarersatwork.com.au

To find out more on how to become an Employer Member contact info@parentsatwork.com.au

Contributors include:

- Kate Jenkins, Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Australian Human Rights Commission

- Sarah McCann Bartlett, CEO, Australian Human Resources Institute

- Kellie-Ann McDade, Partner Employment Law, Baker McKenzie

- Grant Wardell-Johnson, Lead Tax Partner, KPMG

- Emma Walsh, CEO, Parents At Work

- Angela Priestley, Founder, Women's Agenda

Employers are key to revolutionising the way we design work and family policy and practices. To ensure Australia is both responsive and progressive in meeting the changing nature of caring needs in our society, we must advance the way we combine work and caring responsibilities. This means identifying and addressing the cultural, gender and economic barriers that prevent progress and result in poor health and wellbeing outcomes for Australian families.

This recording also explores recommendations for engaging the wider business community on what is needed to support both men and women manage work and caring responsibilities including:

- Key research findings on the work and family challenges that impact wellbeing and gender equality outcomes

- Insights from employees on what is needed to better manage work and care

- The business and community benefits of advancing work and family policies

- Key recommendations - how to progress employer-supported family friendly policies

About the Report

The 2019 National Working Families Report is a not-for-profit initiative undertaken by Parents At Work as an APLEN initiative in partnership with Karitane, HSBC, Baker McKenzie, Deloitte, KPMG, IKEA and QBE.

The report details the survey findings and considers how workplaces can better support women and men to effectively balance their work and caring commitments, giving employees equal opportunities to fulfil their work responsibilities and career goals while looking after their family and personal wellbeing. 6,289 parents and carers across Australia completed the survey. The results reveal that parents and carers across Australia are finding it difficult to balance work and family commitments and report their personal wellbeing and family relationships suffer as a result.

To read the full report with a summary of the key recommendations visit - parentsandcarersatwork.com/wpcontent/uploads/2019/12/National-Working-Families-Report-2019_1.pdf

For more information about the report and to read the Executive Summary visit - aplen.pages.ontraport.net/WorkingFamiliesReport2019

About APLEN

APLEN is a network of organisations established as part of a commitment to lead UN global gender equality efforts to advocate and advance parental leave equality in Australia. To find out more visit aplen.com.au

In this special podcast, Emma Walsh talks to UNICEF’s Nicole Breeze about the devastating effects of the recent bushfires on the children of Australia, and what we can do to not only help support these children and families, but how to talk to other children who have been witness to these events and may be feeling distressed. Nicole outlines how to spot underlying stress in your children - such as changes in their play, nightmares or trouble sleeping, anxiety about sleeping alone, withdrawal, and problems concentrating at school. She also talks about the different ways parents can support their children in these initial stages of healing - and that it’s okay for children to be more dependent on their parents during this time, while routines are being re-established. It is also important for parents to find out what their children know in case there are any misconceptions that are causing stress that can then be corrected, and when it’s important to actually minimise media viewing.

From the research conducted after Black Saturday in 2009, we understand how fundamentally important it is to concentrate on children's mental health in the recovery process of a natural disaster, and how important it is that they are able to receive support in the medium to long term. This is why UNICEF is teaming up with experienced clinical partners to provide appropriately targeted mental health services and are hoping that parents are able to provide some support for their children, while also making sure they themselves are receiving the help they need.

Their story demonstrates the importance of flexible and inclusive parental leave policies, like those implemented at Deloitte, for both the employee AND the business. Hearing about these positive experiences can aid new families in deciding how to juggle the balance of work and family life, and answer any concerns about how taking parental leave may affect their career.

Join Fiona Hitchiner, Strategic Partnership Director at Parents at Work, as she interviews Annaliese and Michael about their experience of becoming new parents and how Deloitte's parental policies have made achieving a balance between work and family easier, ultimately cementing their position as an employer of choice for working parents.

In this podcast Emma Walsh, CEO of Parents at Work, and Arabella Gibson, CEO of Gidget Foundation, discuss the impact of perinatal anxiety and depression on the workplace. Arabella emphasises the importance of employers identifying employees who are going through a tough time and supporting them by demonstrating understanding and allowing for more flexible working hours. She also recommends developing strong policies surrounding the support new parents receive at their workplace, in particular setting up regular check-in points starting from when the employee announces they are pregnant. These suggestions aid in helping the employee feel supported and combat those feelings of isolation most people feel when they go on parental leave, making the transition back to work easier, and increasing the chance of spotting any mental health issues early on.

To help raise awareness of why this week is important to acknowledge, Emma Walsh, CEO of Parents at Work, and Arabella Gibson, CEO of Gidget Foundation, discuss the impact of perinatal anxiety and depression on the individual. Arabella talks about the effects a new baby has on a person’s life and how the corresponding stressors and disruptions to routine can have significant mental health implications. She also explores how multiple risk factors including financial, emotional, and physical external stressors can increase the chance of emotional distress. This podcast discussion helps parents identify the risks and guide them where to look for support including free services both face to face and online.

There is a new generation of fathers redefining what it means to be a dad and combine work and family life. Join Parents At Work’s new ‘Dad Time’ team and The Father Hood in this one off ’special event’ live webinar as the guys offer personal insights, latest research and top tips from some ‘famous dads’ on what they’ve learnt on the road to being a modern, imperfectly awesome kind of dad.

In this interview, Kiri Stejko discusses this new policy with HR Director, Geraldine Joanes. We also hear from Diageo employee Matt DerSarkissian about his experience being a new dad on parental leave, and how he work’s flexibly with his new dual responsibilities.

Join Katie and Sam as they go beyond the common ‘just accept it and manage it’ approach by asking us to explore what a more comprehensive and self-loving care plan would look and feel like.

Katie and Sam will address some of the common reactions we have when we are faced with adversity and how we might reduce these. They will also explore the roles that acceptance and appreciation play in working with the achy and tense ‘lemons’ of life.

This month, Emma Walsh interviews Vanessa Vanderhoek, founder of Flexible Working Day, and discusses Vanessa’s journey to how she started her advocacy project and why.

Emma and Vanessa consider the benefits of flexible working for both individuals and companies, and explore the impact Flexible Working Day has had on overcoming Flexism in the working environment.

When we do or say things from a place of wanting to make others happy or be seen as doing a ‘good job’ it often comes at the expense of our self-worth. Being fixed on achieving a particular outcome also has its effect. If we push ourselves in a way that denies any part of our personal health and wellbeing (mental, physical or otherwise) we run the risk of placing ourselves second fiddle to the demands and expectations of the world.

In this episode Katie and Sam look at why and how keeping it real holds you (and everyone around you) in better stead long term than ‘faking it till you make it’.

We also welcome special guest, author and journalist, Megan Blandford sharing her Insights from her new book "I'm fine and Other Lies".

As always, we invite you to send in your questions on this topic and we will do our best to answer them during the podcast. We love including you in the conversation!

There can be no perfection, particularly in those early years of adapting to being the chief decision maker and carer of a small person, however as we all know if we exhaust all our care on others our health and wellbeing will inevitably be impacted. The question is how is it possible to take great care of ourselves (‘great’ as in beyond the basics of healthy food and ‘enough’ sleep) when we have children – especially very young ones?

Join Katie and Sam as they explore the not so unicorn concept of self-care in parenthood.

Join Emma Walsh as she interviews Nikki about the process she went through as a small business owner to make it happen.

Emma and Christina explore how organisations can support their female employees to build financial security and bring greater focus to their wealth development.

All our relationships are affected, including the one with ourselves. This can lead to a range of issues including pressure on our nervous system (which can lead to serious health issues later down the track), lack of intimacy with our partner, reduced ability to work at our optimum, lack of confidence in our parenting ability and a low sense of self-worth (even if seemingly confident on the outside).

Katie and Sam will explore how you can crack self-doubt and nervous tension to support the restoration of your mojo – the real you that feels amazing no matter the circumstance you’re in.

Inevitably, even if we take one of these tactics, there is always another situation that presents in a very similar flavour until we’re ready to address it. How do we take the front foot in these tense situations in a way that is constructively responsive rather than reactionary? Is it possible to actually improve our relationships and the way we work in stressful environment that harbour a lot of tension?

In this episode Sam and Katie look at these questions and more including how to raise tricky conversations at home (addressing childcare, housework, finance arrangements) and at work (addressing flex arrangements, conflicts with colleagues, mistakes on the job).

Cathy served for 20 years as Global Vice President, and Australia CEO for The Hunger Project, a global organisation working to end hunger through empowering women. She now works with organisations to find and unlock the leadership potential hidden in their people. Over the years, Cathy has developed leadership capacity in the most difficult conditions in the world, as well as working with executives in large banks, firms and Silicon Valley tech. She is the author of Unlikely Leaders: Lessons in Leadership from the Village Classroom, and a 2014 winner of AFI Women of Influence award.

Some of the topics Sam and I cover in this podcast include:

• Facing fears as you start your caring journey as a man

• Dropping expectations and the ‘Superman’ syndrome

• Confidence in caring – as a man

• Taking the lead to claim your values and honour your personal needs – both in the workplace and at home

Samuel says he’s pleased to see men are starting to get more involved on a practical level with caring.

“Men are starting to get their head around that they have the opportunity to care, there has been that real mindset shift”

In the podcast, Samuel discusses the main challenges he sees in men who are taking time to care, mainly “the fear of doing something different, and the fear of what people will think” which are still entrenched in people’s minds.

The typical image for men, as it is for women, is “what will happen to my career?”, says Samuel. 

Samuel also talks about the huge benefits for men in talking to a coach about figuring out the practicalities of taking on a caring role. “It’s around confidence, to help them make the decisions they really want and figure out what’s important to them.”

The podcast talks about where men can find support, and practical examples of how men can make their caring role a sustainable reality for them.

In this episode, we talk to Danielle Robertson – a recognised leader in carer support for organisations and carers alike.

Danielle has worked in the caring industry for over 3 decades. She was the CEO of Dial-An-Angel – leading company supporting families with Home, Aged, Child and Family care. In 2016 Danielle became Chairman of the NSW/ACT Chapter of Family Business Australia and is a national board member of the Association.

Some of the topics we will cover with Danielle include:

• The business case for supporting employees

• The reality of what it’s like to be carer today

• Challenges faced by carers who are balancing their caring responsibilities with work responsibilities

• Practical examples of how organisations can bring ‘the caring conversation’ out into the open

• Policies and benefits that support employees who are carers

- How do you feel when you wake up in the morning? Do you need caffeine to get you started?

- Are you staying up late just to have time with yourself but know you should be getting to bed?

- How do you deal with outside interruptions to sleep?

According to the Great British Sleep Survey (2015): “The worst effect of sleep isn’t how it affects us at night it is how it affects us during the day, on a physical level and emotionally.” Any parent can attest this to be true. Sleep deprivation is one of the biggest challenges new parents face. And for some, this can carry on into the toddler years and beyond. Add a busy career in the mix and any relationship or health issues and you have the perfect set up for insomnia or simply just poor-quality sleep.

The common mistake many people make when it comes to sleep is focusing on whether they are getting enough. What really matters is the quality. It is absolutely possible to have four hours of quality sleep and feel better for it afterwards. In this podcast Katie and Sam take a deep dive into how parents can improve the quality of sleep including looking at how what you do in your day effects your evening sleep.

There is nothing selfish about putting yourself at the top of the priority list. In fact, it's taking responsibility. Think about the emergency procedure on a flight - you are instructed to put the oxygen mask on yourself before helping another, right?

However, what tends to happen as parents is that we adjust ourselves to fit in with our family rather than listening to what we need. This is usually due to a picture we have of how we 'should parent' and it unfortunately puts us further down the list when it comes to treating ourselves with as much consideration and care as we do for others? This podcast Katie and Sam take a look at what we truly need to look after ourselves as a parent and the effect this can have on everyone around us.

This month, Parents At Work CEO, Emma Walsh, interviews Sophia Symeou, CEO and co-founder, and Adam Aaron, Learning and Development Manager of the Sydney company leading by example.

There aren't many small or medium size businesses that can claim to be as family friendly as INS. Emma Walsh, says "the fact is that often they feel like they don't have the resources and funding required to offer generous paid parental leave and wonderful flexible work arrangements."

But this small Aussie company has been compared to Google - except, as Adam Aaroon puts it, "We're Google without the hammocks. We're Google with the cots."

In an inspiring news.com article, Sophia says "creating workforces for the future is about creating flexibility in the workforce, and if you want Mums and Dads to be able to work equally, you need to provide the basic structure for them to do that".

In this podcast interview, Emma finds out exactly what they're doing, and how they're making their family friendly workplace a reality for their business.

Supporting your body in your work environment is a great place to start when it comes to self-care at work. Katie and Sam look at some practical ways that can support you through your day to reduce stress levels, stay steadier and be more in the moment amidst the many tasks and issues that arise. They will also discuss examples that may sway you from caring for yourself at work – be that stressed out colleagues, expectations from or of others, high task load etc.

In recent years there has been a lot of discussion about women who take an extended period of leave from the workforce to care for their young family however we don't often hear about men doing it. And rarely do we hear about how having children may impact a man's career. Some argue that having a family boosts a males career but is that the reality for every dad, especially the modern dad who often spends equal time to his partner with caring and domestic responsibilities?

Join Alex Laguna from Better Dads, Samuel Eddy, counsellor and Emma Walsh, CEO and Executive Coach, as they explore:

- The positive impact raising a family can have on a man's career

- The challenges of balancing caring responsibilities with a busy career

- Barriers to evolving the conversation around men and caring responsibilities

- How to continue a thriving career (and life) and be the dad you want to be

Belinda talks to us about her journey from high school marks and air hostess dreams to parenting as a single mother and becoming a lawyer - from the self-doubt, the doubt of others, the challenges of being a woman in law and balancing this with parenthood and how to do what you want to do anyway.

"Finding it within you is your way forward. Finding that strength is going to take you where you want to go on life's journey."

Sally discusses:

- Her personal story of raising her child and becoming a partner with her 2nd child

- The importance of leadership in supporting women to return to work - The business case for gender equality, diversity and inclusion

- How organisations can increase the representation of women in firms

- How working parents can be open and communicate with clients, team and staff to make it work for everyone

- Programs and strategies to take the next step

Hear our CEO, Emma Walsh, interview Gill McLaren, author of Think, Plan, Live; a step- by- step workbook and coaching guide to defining and designing your best life.

Sally Hasler is an International Engagement Manager for the Victorian Government. She is a passionate advocate for gender equality and has held a number of policy and advisory roles including with the Department of Foreign Affairs. Sally has had a varied and diverse career and now is experiencing the next phase of her career – working parent to her 6-month-old daughter Hope. Currently on parental leave Sally is about to return to work in her new role.

But to get to this point Sally has been through a soul-searching process to find the right role and employer to support her with her new caring responsibilities - all whilst pregnant. Although it sounds unusual Sally’s story is not unique and unfortunately not all stories work out quite the success hers did with 1 in 2 women and 1 in 4 men still experiencing discrimination whilst pregnant or in the first year of a child’s life.

Join Sally and Parents At Work CEO Emma Walsh as they explore how and why Sally’s story has a happy ending. The discussion includes:

- What it is like to interview for a new job when you are expecting

- What is required to successfully manage a change in jobs whilst pregnant

- What to address with your prospective employer or manager – and when?

- Top tips for making the transition to a new role easier

“There are some organisations who will be more willing and open to this conversation than others and that’s important for me.

I want to work for someone who managers parents and parenthood and people returning to work professionally and responsibly and I’ll choose my employers accordingly. I value employers that ‘get this’.”Sally Hasler

In 2016, a landmark study found that the conflict of managing work and family life experienced by parents and carers is costing the Australian economy $23 billion a year.

So how is business responding to this?

According to WGEA an average of 15.7% of Australian employers have a strategy for supporting caring responsibilities1 with only 15% having a strategy for flexible working arrangements so the likelihood is that very few organisations are making a positive dent to improve the work life stress many employees experience when balancing a busy job with family. However, there are some progressive organisations determined to buck the trend – particularly when it comes to designing parental transition solutions to ensure both women and men can sustain their career and family life.

In this special event we interview PeopleCare and Deloitte to hear more about their effective parental leave programs and how they’re making a difference.

“The ‘new reality’ of family structures means that working parenthood is an 18-year job shared by both men and women, gay and straight, biological and adoptive. Aligning your organisation’s programmes to this reality … better targets the issue in its broad-spectrum reality, and it sends a more inclusive message.” Daisy Wademan Dowling, Harvard Business Review

As more and more studies (and companies, by way of example) are revealing, it’s clear the benefits of working parent programs far outweigh the costs. It has been found that parental leave programs: improve the productivity and health of employees, reduce the cost of staff turnover, enhance the company’s reputation as an employer of choice, reduce legal risks and incidence of pregnancy discrimination, and increase the likelihood of women reaching leadership positions. These are just a few reasons why an increasing number of companies are choosing to support their working parents through the preparing for parental leave and returning to work transition.

Join Emma Walsh, CEO, Parents At Work, as she interviews Maree Morgan-Monk, Head of People and Culture at People Care and Catherine McNair, National Diversity and Inclusion Manager at Deloitte about the parental leave programs they have put in place to support their working parents.

The 1-hour podcast will cover:

- What is a Parental Leave Program and why should your company have one?

- What role do CEO’s, diversity professionals, people leaders and HR teams have in this process?

- Where do you start in implementing a Parental Leave Program and what steps are involved in a full roll out?

- What resources are required?

- What are the challenges involved when introducing a Parental Leave Program?

- Working examples from companies Peoplecare and Deloitte including the direct benefits they have experienced.

This podcast is intended as a useful introduction for diversity professionals and HR practitioners to either start you on the way to creating a Parental Leave Program or improve how you may be currently supporting employees during their parental leave and return to work transition.

This month on Working Dads Connect we focus on being a modern working dad who has a major role in the caring responsibilities in raising his children.

The fact is being a parent in 2017 is not always easy. Life is not always perfect and there are ups and down along the parenting journey which doesn't always leave you feeling in your prime. From managing childcare drop offs to relationship issues, workplace stigma and career pressures – theres a lot to juggle for the modern working dad.

We will interview father of four and founder of Better Dads Alex Laguna about being a modern conscientious dad. Alex has interviewed dads in an array circumstances and has rich insight on what dads today are working with in the workplace as well as on the home front.

Alex will be joined by Samuel Eddy, an executive coach who works with fathers and their families to support them overcome professional or personal challenges.

Some areas we will explore with Alex and Sam include:

- The reality of being a modern working dad - balancing a successful career with family responsibilities

- Building stronger relationships with your kids and partner whilst juggling a demanding job

- Coping when relationships breakdown and you find yourself a single dad

- The challenges and opportunities as a father when you separate from your partner – how to do shared care

- Broaching tricky subjects with your partner or ex-partner around raising your kids together

- Making time for your mates and other important things in your life

- Scott Behson

Most fathers today strive to be successful in their careers and to be loving, involved dads. However, the reality is, modern men are under immense pressure to be ‘the everything’ at work and at home. They are expected to be the diligent and dedicated employee, the icon of stability and strength, the financial provider, the easy going best mate, the fitness buff, the awesome chef, the helpful housecleaner, the nappy changer, the future planner, the dad that volunteers in the school canteen. Superdad syndrome is fast becoming a pressure – their compatriots – the Supermums have been feeling for many years.

Managing career and family can sometimes seem like an impossible tug-of-war. But it doesn’t have to be.

For this special event webinar Parents At Work CEO, Emma Walsh will interview Scott Behson, working parent advocate and author of The Working Dad’s Survival Guide: How to Succeed at Work and at Home.

The Working Dad’s Survival Guide helps men understand they are not alone. During this special event Scott will:

- Identify the unique challenges unique to working dads

- Share how dads can feel more confident balancing both career and family life

- Provide time and life management strategies that enable dads to succeed in their careers while also being a present, involved father

- Give tips on reducing stress amidst the juggle of work and family responsibilities

- Share how you can approach employers about working more flexibly and other needs related to caring related responsibilities

- Provide advice on how men can support partners without compromising their own needs

The Working Dad’s Survival Guide was an Amazon #1 best-seller for both fatherhood and career advice. The content has struck a chord. Here’s what one dad had to say about it…

“I wish I had this book when I was taking heat in the corporate world for being an active parent! The suggestions and exercises would have made a big difference, to both support the choices I was making, and help me build a community of other working dads so I would not feel alone.” – Greg Marcus

This special event will launch the beginning of Working Dads Connect – a bi-monthly online ‘men’s shed’ style group delivered by Parents At Work coaches and guest speakers.

Drawing from her experience as a teacher, researcher and mum Dr Goodwin translates essential, research-based information so today’s parents can make informed choices about how they can harness technology with their children (and ditch their techno-guilt in return). Modern kids actually need really simple things for healthy development and screens can be part of their world.

This special 1-hour podcast covers the following topics:

- The latest research on technology and children

- How much screen time is the right amount?

- Tips for parents to support children to manage their own online usage

- The World Wide Web and children - what parents should know about what’s really going on.

- Cybersafety basics – educating your children

- Online programs and activities to support learning development

- How to drop the techno-guilt

- What do our own online habits reflect to our children?