New Books Network Mark Kaplan and Mason Donovan, "The Parenthood Advantage: Building Corporate Cultures That Value Working Parents" (Dg Press, 2025)
Nov 19, 2025
Join Mason Donovan, a consultant and wellness coach, and Mark Kaplan, a specialist in human resources and leadership, as they explore how parenthood can be a powerful asset in the workplace. They discuss how skills gained from parenting, like resilience and empathy, can enhance leadership qualities. The duo also shares practical strategies for supporting working parents, debunks the myth of the parent as a burden, and highlights companies like Salesforce and Patagonia that excel in parental support. Discover the transformative power of valuing parents at work!
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Three Phases Of Parental Transition
- Parenthood unfolds in three phases: nesting, the fourth trimester, and returnship, each needing distinct support.
- Employers who plan across these phases improve leaves and increase successful returns.
Use Nesting To Plan The Leave
- Do use the nesting period to plan work handoffs, career goals, and communication preferences with your manager.
- Create a concrete transition template so both employee and team know expectations before leave.
Stay Dark Then Schedule A Returnship
- Do go dark for the first month of leave unless policy requires check-ins; prioritize recovery and infant care.
- Schedule a formal one-hour returnship conversation about two weeks before returning to work.
