Parental leave is a given occurrence in any sector, but especially in the nonprofit sector. In Canada, an estimated almost 80% of the nonprofit sector is made up of women. This is disproportionately higher than the 47% portion of the general labour force that women make up in Canada (The Philanthropist Journal, 2023).*
Some simple calculations can tell us that 1.5 million women in the nonprofit sector are working moms, so back to my first point: parent leave is a given occurrence in our sector.
If you lead a team, I’m sure you’ve felt the mixed feelings that come when learning your teammate’s expecting a child. Of course, you are thrilled for your team member, they are creating the future generation of changemakers in our world. But the questions start piling up in your mind:
- When will their leave start? If they are growing their family through adoption this could be quite soon!
- Will it be 12 months? Or 18 months?
- What if they need additional time off during their pregnancy (it is hard work growing a human after all)?
- How will we continue to meet our fundraising goals? Or support the clients and causes we serve?
- How will this impact the entire team’s workflow?
- How can I show my team member I value them while also ensuring this is a smooth, productive transition?
In 1981, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers embarked on a 42-day strike and postal workers across Canada were provided a ground-breaking 17 weeks of paid maternity leave. Since then, our country (and its employers) has had the honour of navigating how to support working parents. However, even with 40+ years of experience, those mixed feelings and questions still enter your mind when you hear the words “parental leave”.
There must be a better way to show your team that you value them and that you want to support them.
After years of focusing solely on understanding and supporting the cycles of parental leave coverage in our sector, Balanced Good has identified a few key ways to ensure your organization thrives, while authentically celebrating and supporting your team member when plans for a parental leave are announced:
- Prepare yourself for this scenario before you even know it’s coming. This handy checklist outlines what you need to do to support your employees. The reality is, as a leader, you will face this situation.
- Have your tools ready and be proactive. Show you’re excited for your team member by giving them the tools to help them plan for their leave, like this downloadable parental leave planning handbook.
- If you are thinking about not filling the position, consider the long-term cost. This includes loss of progress, work, and potential revenue; potential turnover of the employee on leave (which will cost your organization much more than properly filling the leave); and burning out other team members by asking them to “pick-up” the handed off workload.
When you invest in people and talent in your organization, you invest in culture, you invest in success, and ultimately you invest in your mission.
It really is time to change how we navigate parental leave. Our causes, and the people our organizations serve, deserve it. As a leader, your planning, foresight, and desire to make an impact are likely what drives you in your day-to-day work and we need to apply those skills to how we better support our staff teams.
No longer should you have mixed feelings when you hear the words “parental leave”. Start planning today so that when your teammate comes to you with this news, you can share in their joy and know your team is supported.
Lacey Kempinski, CFRE, the founder and owner of Balanced Good. She is a graduate of McMaster University and Georgian College’s Fundraising and Resource Development Program.
She is a mission-driven fundraiser, with nearly 15 years of experience, fueled by a passion to make an impact for the cause she is championing. As an entrepreneur and business owner of Balanced Good, she is now focused on changing the way our sector supports parental leaves and working parents.
Lacey is also a mom of three kids aged 7, 5, and 2, a lover of all things outdoors, and has a really long list of books she wants to read, but never gets to.
*Please note that these statistics do not represent non-binary individuals, additional research is required to accurately include this important demographic.
