What HR can do in every phase of parental leave

Published: June 30, 2026
Last updated: 21. October 2026

This article is based on the heyGuide hey!TALK of 15 June 2026 with Karolin Gaßmann and Marielle Schäfer from Beziehungsinvestor*innen. If you prefer listening to reading: the key insights are also available here as a short audio summary.

hey!TALK

Parental leave planning: what HR has to do with it

All the key insights from the hey!TALK, compact in 5 minutes. Perfect for on the go.

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Day one after the pregnancy announcement. HR desk, a short conversation and then the sentence that expectant mothers have prepared before they even come into the office: “But I'll be back soon.” Not to inform, but as an apology.

This moment reveals more about the company culture than any guideline in the handbook. And it's the starting point for everything that follows: whether someone really returns, how loyally that person comes back and whether they recommend the company to others.

Why parental leave planning is a task for people development

18 months after the birth, only one in three mothers returns to her old position (Federal Institute for Population Research). When fathers take no parental leave, 75 percent of women interrupt their employment for at least two years. In most jobs, two years means a complete re-induction (BiB).

At the same time, most companies don't know how often parental leave is the actual reason for a resignation. In exit interviews, the connection is rarely made. Those who have quit internally but stay also cost money.

According to surveys by the BMFSFJ , 450,000 fathers have already left their employer for a more family-friendly company. The argument “no one here has ever quit because of that” is rarely provable.

Supporting parental leave in a structured way is not a social-benefits programme. It's employee retention.

What matters before parental leave: set the framework before it starts

The most effective measure in this phase costs nothing: introduce extended protection against dismissal for expectant fathers that applies from the moment the pregnancy is announced. Legally, this protection only takes effect eight weeks before parental leave begins. Those who set it earlier internally get earlier predictability in return. Fathers who know their job is secure come forward sooner, and early notice creates a buffer for handovers, cover and team planning.

Managers need orientation in this phase, not a collection of PDFs. What exactly does a pregnancy announcement trigger? How do I conduct the first conversation? Parental leave is the most plannable absence in working life, if HR and managers are prepared early.

What makes a difference at the pregnancy announcement

The reaction to a pregnancy announcement shapes the relationship with the company for months. Those who first ask “how do we organise this now?”, send a clear signal. Those who ask “how do you imagine it?”, do too.

Many expectant mothers come into the conversation with the prepared sentence: “I'll be back soon.” – but not as a promise; it's much more a protective reaction. Those who instead actively listen and discuss prospects build trust from day one.

Concrete support in this phase: a compact overview of the legal framework, a clear overview of the next steps, and the offer to talk openly about return prospects. Talking about it early prevents doubts from piling up during parental leave with no one to turn to.

Contact during parental leave: ask the right thing before it starts

Before the first day of leave, clarify a question that's often forgotten: what kind of contact does the person want during their absence? That's not only appreciation, it's also the right way in terms of data protection. Obtain consent, ask for private contact details, and then really stay in touch.

Invite them to company events when that fits. Send bonus letters not only to actively working staff. Send important information to the private email too. And sometimes a postcardis enough: a sign that someone hasn't been forgotten.

Small gestures have a disproportionately large effect in this phase.

Three months before the return: act right now

Those who wait until someone gets in touch on their own after parental leave miss the most important phase of retention. Make active contact three months before the planned end, plan the return together, discuss the conditions.

This prevents someone from turning up on the first day and the team seeming as surprised as by a new colleague. And it creates room for real conversations about hours models, changed wishes or childcare situations.

Important here: actively raise part-time options, including with fathers. Many don't know that they too have a legal right to part-time work during parental leave, between 15 and 32 hours. Communicating that changes decisions.

A Parent Certificate on return honours what someone has achieved and learned during this time: prioritisation, resilience, leadership under pressure. Making that visible is more than a nice gesture.

Conclusion

HR has levers in every phase of parental leave that are often underestimated. The most effective ones aren't the most elaborate. They need attention, a bit of structure and the willingness to handle the topic proactively.

Where your own knowledge isn't enough, it's worth bringing in experts. heyGuide supports companies over the entire period, from pregnancy through parental leave to one year after the return, with time-triggered nudges for parents and managers at the same time.
Companies that support parental leave well retain people. And attract new ones.

Here learn more about how heyGuide supports HR teams, or Book an appointment and get personalised advice.

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