Parental leave as a manager: what's really at stake and how you as a company can be prepared

Published: February 19, 2026
Last updated: 21. October 2026

A team lead announces they're going on parental leave. In some companies that causes unease. Who takes over? For how long? What happens to the project?

Yes, it works. And when a company is well prepared, it's more than an interruption. It's an opportunity.

The key points at a glance

When managers go on parental leave, companies need clear handover and cover structures
The announcement of a manager's parental leave is a moment that makes company culture visible
Managers who take parental leave send a signal to the entire workforce
The absence is plannable: prepared in time with the right steps
The return of managers after parental leave also needs structure

How many managers take parental leave?

Exact figures for leadership positions are hard to pin down, because they aren't reported separately in statistics. What we know: according to the Federal Statistical Office 46.4% of fathers now claim parental allowance. At the same time, the proportion of women in leadership positions is rising continuously. Parental leave at leadership level is therefore long since no longer an exception.

It's a topic that occupies many but few address openly.

What makes managers different from other employees

A manager takes on responsibility that goes beyond their own role. They carry decisions, motivate a team, keep structures running. That makes the absence more noticeable. And it makes preparation more important.

That doesn't mean parental leave at leadership level should be avoided. It means the handover needs more lead time than for other positions.

What companies should concretely prepare

Start early

As soon as the parental leave is announced, ideally as early as possible but at the latest two to three months before it starts, planning should begin. Who takes on which tasks? Is there internal cover or is external support needed? Where do competencies need to be built up?

heyGuide reminds Managers and HR automatically of all the important steps in the run-up to parental leave, so nothing is forgotten and the handover runs in a structured way.

Document knowledge

Leadership knowledge is often in people's heads. Processes, background, relationships with customers or partners. This information must be made visible and transferable before the manager leaves.

Strengthen the stand-in

Whoever takes on the cover needs support, not a secondary role. That means: clear authority, enough time for onboarding, and a manager willing to develop the next generation.

Bring the team along

A manager's team experiences their absence directly. An open conversation about the transition phase, clear contact persons and a shared clarification of expectations help the team get through the time with confidence.

Parental leave as an internal signal

When a manager takes parental leave and the company actively supports this time, something important happens: the entire workforce sees that family-friendliness isn't just a promise on the website.

Employees who see their manager go on parental leave without a career setback and return welcomed feel more secure doing the same themselves.

The return after parental leave as a manager

The way back into the leadership role isn't trivial. A lot has changed: in the team, in projects, sometimes in the company structure. A structured return for managers includes:

A detailed return conversation with your own manager
A short onboarding phase on current topics and changes
A check-in with your own team
Clarifying expectations for the first three months

heyGuide actively supports the return: with automated reminders for return conversations, conversation guides for managers and a structured handover back into the role.

Conclusion

Parental leave as a manager is not a state of emergency. It's a real scenario that, in well-run companies, is plannable, structurable and ultimately enriching.

Companies that actively prepare managers for parental leave and design a good return keep valuable leadership personalities and show the entire workforce what really matters to them.

That's exactly what heyGuide is here for: as a digital assistant that supports managers, HR and employees through the entire parental leave, from the announcement to one year after the return. Feel free to arrange a free initial consultation or feel free to stay up to date with our Newsletter .!

Feel free to share this post with others: