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Top 7 Global Companies Setting New Standards with Parental Leave in 2025

Top 7 Global Companies Setting New Standards with Parental Leave in 2025 In an era where attracting top talent often means having attractive parental leave policies, some global giants are leading the charge with groundbreaking approaches. Discover which companies are setting the gold standard and how they're changing the game for working parents around the world. Summary As companies compete for talent in 2025, a small group of global giants are rewriting the rulebook on parental leave — offering longer, gender‑neutral, and more flexible packages that go beyond statutory minimums and include caregiver, fertility and adoption support. Over the last 12 months many multinationals have harmonised richer leave across jurisdictions where possible, used top‑ups and flexible return programs to retain parents, and positioned family‑friendly bene...

The Science Behind the Optimal Duration of Parental Leave

The Science Behind the Optimal Duration of Parental Leave As policies vary globally, so do opinions on the ideal duration of parental leave. Scientists and researchers are diving into the data to discover what timeframe benefits families most from both psychological and developmental perspectives. Learn how this research is guiding policy transformations worldwide. Summary Scientists and policymakers are increasingly treating parental leave duration as a public-health and economic policy lever rather than just an employment benefit. Research over the last few years—synthesising infant brain development, maternal mental health, breastfeeding outcomes and labour-market data—points to concentrated benefits in the months after birth, while also showing diminishing returns and important equity trade-offs when leave is too short, unpaid, or unequa...

Parental Leave in the Gig Economy: What’s Changing in 2025?

Parental Leave in the Gig Economy: What’s Changing in 2025? The gig economy is thriving, but parental leave policies for freelancers and gig workers are only beginning to catch up. Delve into this evolving landscape to explore what changes are happening now and how they might shape the future for gig-working parents. Summary As the gig economy continues to grow, 2025 is shaping up as a tipping point for parental leave policy for freelancers and platform workers. Over the past year policymakers, courts and some platforms have moved from treating parental leave as an employee-only issue toward experiments and proposals that would extend protections — through state-level paid family leave expansions, pilot portable-benefit schemes, and targeted platform programs — while persistent legal and fiscal questions keep full coverage out of reach. The...

How Millennials are Influencing Parental Leave Policies

How Millennials are Influencing Parental Leave Policies The millennial generation is known for advocating for work-life balance, and their influence is reshaping parental leave policies worldwide. From innovative startups to major corporations, find out how millennials are demanding and securing changes that benefit modern families. Summary Millennials—now the largest share of the workforce and entering peak parenting years—are reshaping expectations around parental leave. Their values (work-life balance, gender equity, mental health), purchasing power, and growing presence in management have nudged employers to experiment with longer, more flexible, and gender-neutral leave, even where national policy lags. Over the last year employers in both the U.S. and U.K. have continued to expand voluntary parental benefits, while millennial employee...