Balancing the competing needs of productivity, flexibility, and sustainability has never been more important, and the stakes have never been higher.

 

The needs of today’s workforce are rapidly evolving, and among the most critical shifts is the growing demand for flexibility, cost-of-living relief, and a greater focus on care, health, and wellbeing. As Australia’s workforce and broader population continue to age, this trend is only set to escalate.

 

During a recent Lessons from Leaders episode on CUPPA TV, leaders from Parents At Work and Deloitte shared insights into why investing in family-friendly policies isn’t just a matter of fairness or a nice-to-have perk—it’s a strategic business imperative.

 

Why Family-Friendly Policies Matter to Every Workplace

 

Traditionally, family-friendly policies have been narrowly framed, often focusing exclusively on mothers with young children while overlooking the broader caregiving and family responsibilities of other employees.

 

The reality is, every employee has a life outside of work with family needs and commitments they need to manage alongside work demands.  Thus, creating family-inclusive workplaces benefits all employees.

 

“Supporting employees to thrive at work and home makes business sense if we’re looking to drive productively and engagement from our workforce” says Emma Walsh, CEO of Parents At Work.

 

Family friendly workplace provisions directly influence an organisation’s ability to:

 

• Attract top talent (especially as flexibility becomes a key driver in job selection),
• Retain high-potential employees (especially at pipeline and leadership levels),
• Enhance productivity, and
• Build resilient, agile business models that adapt to workforce and economic challenges.

 

 

Challenging Misconceptions: Productivity and Flexibility Can Coexist

 

One persistent myth about family-friendly practices is that flexibility diminishes productivity. However, research commonly disputes this. Employees who feel supported in balancing their work and personal lives are:

 

• More engaged,
• Less likely to leave,
• More likely to return to work after parental leave, and
• Strong contributors to a positive workplace culture.

 

In fact, the Centre for Economic Development of Australia (CEDA) research demonstrated ‘strong improvement on bottom-line performance as a result of flexible work’ based on employer studies.

 

Workplaces that fail to offer flexibility often find themselves facing high turnover, loss of institutional knowledge, and added recruitment costs.

 

 “If we don’t support flexibility, we’re choosing an inflexible business model. In a rapidly changing world, that’s not just a bad HR decision, it’s a strategic risk”.  – Emma Walsh, CEO Parents At Work

 

 

Case Study: Deloitte’s Strategic Approach to Family Inclusion

 

Deloitte has emerged as a leading example of how large organisations can embed family-friendly policies across their culture, not as a superficial add-on but as a core part of their strategy.

 

“Family-friendly workplaces are a no-brainer. If you want to attract, retain, and progress great talent, you need to support them at all life stages.” – Kate Furlong, Head of Inclusion & Wellbeing, Deloitte

 

Understanding the Workforce and Acting on Data

 

Deloitte identified that 40% of their workforce has caring responsibilities, with many of those individuals being in the critical talent pipeline for future leadership. Through regular engagement and sentiment surveys, the organisation monitors how policies are impacting different demographic groups, including carers, and adjusts programs based on that data.

 

One finding stood out: Flexibility is consistently ranked as a top reason people stay with Deloitte.

 

 

Holistic Flexibility: More Than Just Working from Home

 

Deloitte’s Flex program goes beyond remote work, offering 13 distinct types of flexibility, including:

 

• Adjusted start and finish times,
• Microflex (short breaks during the day for personal responsibilities),
• Work-from-other-locations options,
• Reduced-hour return-to-work transitions post-parental leave.

 

Notably, the firm encourages flexibility for everyone, not just those with direct caring responsibilities. This normalisation helps build trust and inclusion across all employee demographics.

 

“Flexibility isn’t about working from home. It’s about empowering people to manage their work, their team, and their life holistically.” –  Kate Furlong, Deloitte

 

 

 

Leading the Way with Parental Leave and Return Support

 

Deloitte’s progressive parental leave policy includes:

 

• Up to 28.4 weeks of paid leave, inclusive of an 18-week block and a return-to-work support program,
• The option to work 4 days while being paid for 5 for the first 12 months post-leave,
• Adjusted performance expectations during the return period to accommodate real-life challenges like childcare logistics and early illness cycles.

 

This approach has significantly increased male uptake of extended parental leave, which in turn promotes greater gender equity both at home and in the workplace.

 

 

Driving Systemic Change Through Certification

 

The development of family-friendly workplace policies requires a collaborative approach, integrating efforts from governments, the private sector, and civil society. This collaboration ensures that policies and provisions support a workplace culture that is inclusive, evidence-based, and aligned with global standards on best practice.

 

But progress is too slow. Greater investment in workplace family-friendly policies are urgently needed. The Family Friendly Workplaces certification initiative has been developed to accelerate progress, create real change and recognise a commitment to family-inclusive ways of working.

 

“You can’t expect people to perform at their best at work if you don’t care about what’s going on at home.” – Emma Walsh, Parents At Work

 

The Family Friendly Workplaces Certification assessment tool, allows organisations to:

 

• Assess and benchmark their current practices against global standards,
• Identify strengths and gaps,
• Overtime measures social impact that evaluates the effectiveness of their HR policies and practices.

 

Over 650 organisations across Australia and the UK have already engaged with the tool, making it a growing movement with momentum across both large enterprises and small to mid-sized businesses.

 

 

Take Action: Your First Step Toward a Family-Friendly Workplace

 

Assess your organisation’s policies with the Benchmarking Assessment.

 

Because when we support families, we support the future – of our people, our organisations, and our communities.

 

Watch the full session of Lessons from Leaders with CUPPA TV now!