Across Australia, more organisations are recognising that supporting employees with caring responsibilities is part of building workplaces where people can truly thrive. At KPMG, this commitment is being brought to life through both leadership and partnership.

 

As a supporting partner of Family Friendly Workplaces (FFW), KPMG is helping drive greater awareness and action across Australian workplaces to support working parents and carers. Through this partnership, employees also have access to education and practical resources delivered by Parents At Work. These include expert webinars, workshops and guidance designed to help parents and carers navigate the realities of balancing work and family life.

 

During a recent conversation hosted by Parents At Work, Sarah Cleasby, Client Advisory Director, spoke with Michael Day, Partner in Finance Advisory and Executive Sponsor of KPMG’s Family & Caring Network, and Jessika Heynen Brookes, Partner on KPMG’s Family & Caring Network.

 

Both Michael and Jessika brought professional insight and lived experience to the conversation and discussed the role leadership plays in shaping workplaces where carers feel supported.

Together, their reflections reveal how leadership, community and open dialogue can help create workplaces where people feel supported through the many different stages of their lives.

 

 

Turning policy into real support

 

KPMG’s Family & Caring Network has become an important platform for connection and advocacy across the firm. But as Michael explains, policies alone are not enough to create meaningful change.

 

“You can have the best policies in the world,” he says. “But if people do not know about them, or if they do not feel comfortable using them, then they are not really achieving what they were designed to do.”

 

For Michael, leadership plays a critical role in bridging that gap. It begins with awareness, making sure people understand what support is available to them. But just as importantly, it continues through everyday conversations between leaders and their teams.

 

Leaders who ask questions, listen and show genuine understanding help create the conditions where people feel comfortable speaking up about what they need.

 

“It is about creating an environment where people feel they can have those conversations,” he says. “When people know they will be supported, they are much more likely to access the help that is available.”

 

This philosophy aligns with KPMG’s broader People Promise, which focuses on creating an environment where employees feel valued and able to bring their whole selves to work.

 

The role of community

 

While leadership support is important, Jessika emphasises that community also plays a powerful role in helping employees navigate caring responsibilities.

 

Employee networks like the Family & Caring Network provide a space where people can connect with colleagues who understand the challenges they may be facing.

 

For many employees, simply knowing that others are experiencing similar situations can be incredibly reassuring.

“Caring responsibilities can sometimes feel isolating,” Jessika explains. “Having a community where people can share experiences and learn from one another makes a big difference.”

 

The network brings together employees at different stages of life. Some are navigating the early years of parenting, others are supporting ageing parents or family members with complex needs. These experiences often evolve over time, which makes the ability to learn from colleagues especially valuable.

 

Through events, conversations and shared resources, the network creates opportunities for employees to connect and support each other in practical ways.

 

When leaders share their stories

 

One of the themes that came through strongly in the conversation was the importance of leaders sharing their own experiences.

 

Michael believes storytelling can be one of the most powerful ways to shift workplace culture.

 

“When leaders talk openly about their experiences, it makes the issue real,” he says. “It helps people see that these challenges are normal and that they are not alone.”

 

He recalls a moment from several years ago that stayed with him.

 

A partner arrived at the office one morning with her young son after childcare arrangements had unexpectedly fallen through. Rather than cancelling meetings or feeling uncomfortable about the situation, she simply brought him with her for the day.

 

“He spent the day drawing pictures, exploring the office and chatting to people,” Michael remembers. “The team treated him like a king.”

 

What struck Michael most was how natural the situation felt. No one questioned it. No one suggested she should not be there.

 

For him, moments like this show how culture is often shaped by small, everyday actions.

 

“It sent a clear message that being a parent and being a professional are not mutually exclusive,” he says.

 

Jessika agrees that visible examples like this matter.

 

“When leaders model that kind of openness and flexibility, it gives others permission to do the same,” she says.

 

Expanding the definition of care

 

Another important theme that emerged during the conversation was the need to broaden how workplaces think about caring responsibilities.

 

Parenting is often the most visible form of care, but it is far from the only one.

 

Employees may be supporting ageing parents, caring for partners with health conditions, helping children with additional needs or providing support to extended family members. In many cases, people are managing several caring responsibilities at once.

 

Jessika notes that these responsibilities often change across a person’s life and career, something that KPMG’s ‘For every life stage framework’ supports.

 

“The reality is that care can show up at many different points in life,” she says. “It is not something that only affects people at one stage of their careers.”

 

Recognising this helps organisations build workplaces that support employees across their entire working lives, taking a whole of life approach.

 

It also encourages more inclusive conversations about what flexibility and support might look like for different people.

 

What active sponsorship looks like

 

As Executive Sponsor of the Family & Caring Network, Michael believes leadership support needs to be visible and practical.

 

“For me, active sponsorship means actually being involved,” he says. “It is not just about having your name attached to something. It is about helping move things forward.”

 

That might involve advocating for policies, supporting network initiatives or simply making sure conversations about caring responsibilities remain visible within the organisation.

 

Michael sees these actions as part of a broader responsibility leaders have to help create workplaces where people can succeed both professionally and personally.

 

“When people feel supported in their personal lives, they are much more able to bring their best selves to work,” he says.

 

Looking beyond one organisation

 

Michael is quick to point out that supporting carers should not be something only a handful of organisations prioritise.

 

His hope is that conversations like this help contribute to a broader shift across workplaces.

 

“It shouldn’t just be about KPMG being recognised for doing the right thing,” he says. “The real success would be if this simply became the norm across organisations.”

 

For Jessika, the progress being made is encouraging. But like any cultural shift, it takes time and continued commitment.

 

Through leadership engagement, employee networks and partnerships such as Family Friendly Workplaces, KPMG is helping create an environment where people can build meaningful careers while caring for the people who matter most in their lives.

 

At its heart, the goal is simple. Ensuring that employees do not feel they have to choose between caring for their families and building their careers.

 

 

These insights were shared during a Leadership Spotlight conversation between Sarah Cleasby, Client Advisory Director at Parents At Work, Michael Day, Partner and Executive Sponsor of KPMG’s Family & Caring Network, and Jessika Heynen Brookes, Partner and leader of the Network.

 

 

Read more about KPMG’s commitment to family-friendly workplaces in their FFW case study here.