The Big Think: How Adland Can Do More to Support Parents and Parents-to-Be
I am not the same person I was just over a year ago. In September 2023, I became a first-time mum, and overnight, my priorities, my beliefs, my life, instantly changed. It’s the best thing that ever happened to me but it also brings with it personal and professional challenges that I had no idea were coming.
That’s what makes the topic of how parents can be better supported – in any industry – such a difficult one. You don’t know what you don’t know. Open discussion is vital in order to help others understand and to improve circumstances for both parents and for businesses.
The ad industry, in particular, is notorious for its long hours and unpredictable schedules – two things that can have a huge impact on family life, particularly for those with very young children.
“We’ve built a hustle culture where long hours are worn like a badge of honour,” observes BUCK CEO, Emily Rickard. “Not only does it clash with what working parents actually need, but it’s completely unsustainable. You shouldn’t have to choose between your career and being a present parent.”
Ling Ly, head of post production and lead editor at FIN Studios agrees. “Advertising demands your time and attention – which, coincidentally, are exactly what young children demand, too. Parenting feels like a full-time job in itself. I’m lucky to have a partner (not in the business) who covers a lot of ground day-to-day, but I can’t imagine parenting solo in this industry.”
For Hannah Williams, ECD at Chemistry, who has recently returned from maternity leave, the topic brings up a lot of feelings. “The truth is, yes, being a working parent, especially in this industry, IS HARD. There are times I feel like I’m failing as a mother because I’m travelling for work, or taking a last-minute edit session over dinner time. And there are also times I feel guilty dropping a call because I have to make it to daycare pickup by 6pm.”
This sentiment is felt by many across the board. “After my first child, I came back to work brimming with confidence – I’d kept a tiny human alive for nearly a year, surely I could handle anything?” Iris’ chief growth officer, Elisha Pearce recounts. “But within three months, I hit a massive wall. I believed that unless I returned full-time, I wouldn’t be promoted. I saw my child for just an hour in the morning and evening, and it felt like grief. At work, I tried to act like nothing had changed, but I was exhausted, sleep-deprived, and mentally drained. With my second, I was more prepared, but new challenges arose – particularly the endless cycle of illnesses.”
At No Single Individual, CEO Christine Olivas reveals that “mothers and caregivers in advertising are burning out at higher rates and leaving the industry in alarming numbers, as our original research shows. But empathetic, solutions-focused leadership can change that trajectory. This isn’t just about doing what’s right, it’s about recognising the value parents bring. Their lived experience, clarity of conviction and diverse skill sets enrich the workplace and elevate the work.”
Do I Stay or Do I Go?
Research like that of No Single Individual’s spotlights one of the biggest catastrophes of the current state of affairs. The industry is losing experienced talent unnecessarily, for the disheartening reason of a lack of support. Lola Milner-Barry, marketing manager at True Digital confesses, “While pregnant with my first and suffering from extreme pelvic pain, I asked my then employer (a big network agency) for a flexible working policy – just a couple of days a week working from home. The answer was a firm ‘no’.
“I watched my senior female colleagues, all with children, miss pickups, often bedtimes, constantly trying to juggle it all at the expense of their family life. I knew something had to change, and quickly.
"Fast forward a couple of years and I decided to move out of London and find an employer who genuinely offered a supportive working environment – one with a hybrid structure, where autonomy sits with the individual. There’s complete trust and open conversations without the pretence that we can do 12-hour office days and still live a fulfilling family life. It is out there – perhaps it just takes stepping outside the M25 to find it…"
Stories like these don’t give parents-to-be much hope. It’s saddening. But this isn’t just a problem for the individuals involved – losing experienced talent has a knock-on effect through the rest of the company, as Kate Luxton, brand director at Familiar Creatures, describes: "Throughout my 18 years in advertising, many of my peers have left the agency world to go client-side, freelance, or change careers entirely. Why? Because agencies suck at supporting parents. Which means agencies lose lots of great senior talent. And younger agency employees have lost experienced leaders to learn from.
“Why hasn’t the industry worked harder to keep high performers who just happen to be caring for a kid now? Why not stand up for them and give them the support they need, instead of thinking of them as numbers on a spreadsheet? When people feel supported and invested in, they will show up to do the best work of their lives.”
Emily believes that “more generous paid family leave policies for all parents, not just mothers, will make the biggest difference. Coming back to work when your baby is 12 weeks old should be a choice, not a necessity. A more parent-friendly approach is essential to future-proofing the industry. Without it, we’ll never close the gender gap.
“Having a child should not derail a career, nor should taking time off to care for a family be treated as a liability. We need to start treating caregiving as a normal, valuable part of life, not a professional setback.”
The need for genuine parental support feels “very real” for Sophy Vanner Critoph, head of strategy, culture and communications at Amplify, who recently returned to work after six months of maternity leave with her second child. “Parental leave policies desperately need an upgrade. Comprehensive, fully paid leave for all parents and actively encouraged shared leave are essential. Subsidised childcare, especially in London's high-cost environment, would be transformative. The current expense forces many to relocate, ironically often increasing commute times and reducing family time.
“Having kids is amazing,” she continues, “but the current system risks making this choice unaffordable for many in our industry. It's time for adland to move beyond lip service and implement meaningful changes that support parents, recognising that this isn't just compassionate – it's crucial for a sustainable and diverse future.”
Kate expands on this, “Parents need space to adjust to their new normal without financial penalty. Transitioning from a regularly functioning adult to a parent are the most vulnerable months of a person’s life. Your body changes. Emotions run wild. Lack of sleep. Disconnection from the outside world. Total loss of control. And the burden of childcare costs. To work for a company that dismisses any of these changes feels demotivating and personal.”
The F Word
“One bold change I’d love to see is fertility coverage and flexible time off for treatments like IVF,” Ling states. “Many women, myself included, build their careers for over a decade before considering starting a family and then face fertility challenges later. Normalising these benefits would show that adland is truly invested in its talent and its future.”
Mariah Haberman, VP, communications director at BarkleyOKRP shares, “My parenting journey started long before my daughter was born. After two miscarriages, the first flowers came from my team. I knew then that I was supported, not just by policies, but by people.
“That support only deepened when I announced my pregnancy, especially from the many working moms on our PR team who had been in my shoes. And it didn’t stop when my daughter arrived. With 14 weeks of fully paid parental leave – offered to both moms and dads, and equally to adoptive parents – I had the time to focus on my family without the pressure to rush back.”
One of the first agencies to be fertility accredited was Iris. “Our fertility policy demonstrates genuine support for employees navigating challenges. I’ll never forget a talk where people shared personal experiences – like daily hormone injections and scans during full-time work. It opened my eyes and made me a more compassionate leader,” reveals Elisha.
This support can also be seen at Venables Bell & Partners. “For employees facing challenges in becoming parents, we help cover IVF and egg-freezing costs, offering paid leave during the process for the employee or their spouse,” explains associate partner and CCO, Mary Johnstone. “Once pregnancy begins, we ensure our benefits cover a significant portion of parental leave. Many parents feel forced to return to work early due to financial pressures, so we offer 10 weeks of fully paid parental leave for both men and women. Birth parents also receive an additional six weeks of fully paid disability leave. This benefit applies to children through birth, adoption, or even pro-rated for foster care. When combined with state benefits, short-term disability, sick, and vacation time, many parents are fully paid for five to six months. We also offer paid leave for employees who experience pregnancy loss, and we’re committed to providing paid time off for safe abortion access, should it be needed.”
“Ultimately,” Elisha says, “lasting change comes from building a culture of openness and trust – led from the top and embraced throughout. We need honest feedback, in-hours parent networks, proactive HR guidance, and accessible financial support. But most of all, we need understanding – and that starts with keeping working parents in the industry, so their presence becomes the norm, not the exception.”
More than a Broom Cupboard
So, what does an inclusive and supportive workplace for parents look like at a practical level?
First, “education for managers is key,” Emily states. “Coming back to work after having a baby is hard! You might still be breastfeeding, your hormones are all over the place, and you’re probably missing your baby like mad. This is where empathy really matters. Flexibility is important, yes, but so is understanding what that transition actually feels like.
“Managers need the right tools to support people properly. And let’s be honest, having a clean, comfortable space to breastfeed or pump isn’t a ‘nice to have’. It can’t be a windowless broom cupboard down a hallway. It has to be built-in, not tacked-on.”
Annick Mayer, executive producer at BUTTER Music and Sound offers, “If your employee is a birthing parent, make sure there are resources for them upon return – a pump station, a private area to store breast milk, and honestly a private place to cry. Postpartum is no joke. Check in on your people and make sure they’re okay. Accept that the hours between 5pm and 7pm are sacred. Respect boundaries. Be kind. Listen. In return, you’ll earn loyalty.”
Gravy Films director, Laura Murphy says, “I have seen so many bad-ass agency creative and crew women pumping while on travel jobs, and then having to facilitate temperature-controlled storage as well as shipping their breastmilk back home. I feel like that is something agencies could make some sort of deal for or help cover. It would just be one less thing to think about when you are already working incredibly hard and away from home.”
As a freelancer, Laura notes that she can’t take too long off from work after having a baby because she could lose her union benefits. “It’s a terrifying thought when you have a new dependent! So having an option to continue working after having a kid and having your baby or child nearby to visit, deliver breast milk to, etc, would be incredibly helpful and alleviate one big hurdle.
“In the UK, I’ve heard that there’s a company that sets up a mobile childcare unit near set, staffed with nurses, childcare workers, or teachers, and is there from call to wrap. Parents have the option to pay to bring their kids there for the day (or days) while they are shooting. Production doesn’t even have to pay for it, they just have to facilitate the parking. Something like that would be incredibly helpful for working parents with babies and very young children.”
Courtney Nelson, president at TBWA\Chiat\Day LA highlights “people’s needs vary, and it helps when we stop trying to solve for ‘parents’ as one big group and instead just ask, ‘What would make this work better for you?’”
As a first-time dad, Kevin Nelson, account supervisor at GLOW has found working from home to be a game-changer. “I'm appreciative of a flexible work-from-home policy that allows parents with small children like me to be present and supportive with those critical first few years in their life. Summer Fridays help me juggle family time and client needs, but the industry needs more.
“Some companies like Buzzfeed offer 18-week leave where they see 95% of parents return, far above the 57% national average. At GLOW, we’ve established close-knit relationships and trust with big name brands. Retaining valuable clients means supporting parents before and after their parental leave. It’s not just inclusive, it’s how we keep adland's edge sharp and future-ready."
“Creating a flexible work environment not only supports working parents, but all employees,” adds Megan Brittain, director of account management at THE MAYOR. “You may have employees who are new parents or employees taking care of aging parents. Or both. Flexibility helps when life gets big.”
She recounts, “I was five months pregnant with my second kid when I interviewed at THE MAYOR and seven months pregnant when we launched. Needless to say, creating a helpful policy was very much on my mind (and cankles). No matter what, we wanted THE MAYOR to have the kind of culture we dreamed about – one that was ready to meet our team where they were in their lives.
“For me, it was realising that my old schedule no longer applied. My mind is much sharper in the morning than late afternoon. So, I start my day earlier, which allows me to do daycare pick up and get those sweaty end-of-day hugs from my boys. Then after a few hours pass, I check back in at night.”
To make this type of flexible working a success, Megan highlights “communication is everything. Fewer surprises mean people can plan their day and keep boundaries. Let morning people be morning people. Let night owls be night owls. A great agency takes all kinds.”
At Party Land, the company has fully transitioned to remote work with a 4.5-day work week. “It’s been our model since 2020 and we’re never going back,” claims co-founder and chief operating officer, Haley Hunter. “The biggest advantage: each and every Party Lander gets to put themselves and their families first. Employees can live wherever they feel their own sense of community. This has led to an increase in diverse talent and a near-perfect talent retention rate.
“It’s not about ‘making exceptions’ or special treatment for parents, it’s about creating an entire system around respect for everyone’s life outside of work. Burnout doesn’t discriminate between parents and non-parents.”
Beyond flexibility, Perri Grinberg, SVP, director of talent experience at MullenLowe US says, “We’ve enhanced our offerings to provide truly comprehensive support. This includes extended paid leave, sensitivity training, parental coaches, and gradual transition plans to ease parents into their new reality. Because everyone’s path to parenthood is unique, we also introduced reimbursement for adoption, surrogacy, and elective egg freezing, as well as bereavement leave for the loss of a pregnancy or adoption, acknowledging the full spectrum of the parenting experience.”
At Seen Presents, group HR director, Lisa Bent has come up with a variety of resources, including a visual maternity planner that helps employees map out their leave, understand holiday entitlements, and track what they’ll accrue during their time away. “I also offer to pair expectant parents with those who have recently returned to work, giving them the chance to gain lived guidance from someone who’s walked the path before – while also easing their workload and offering the option to work remotely before they go on mat leave.
“Once back, reintegration into a creative, fast-paced industry isn’t always easy. Parents return changed – but the demands of the job remain, which must be remembered. To provide additional support, I launched Seen Parents, a peer-led network that brings together parents and stepparents at various stages of both career and family life. I’m not a parent myself, so this initiative will hopefully help individuals feel heard and supported through lived experiences, shared stories and practical advice. The more we listen and adapt, the closer we get to an adland where parenthood and thriving careers are not at odds, but entirely compatible.”
It Starts from the Top
While policies are key, Mariah believes that “culture carries the most weight. It’s knowing I can step away to pick up my daughter without side-eye. It’s having four Mothers’ Rooms across three offices – a tangible reminder that parenthood and career growth can go hand in hand. It’s rewriting press statements in my head while rocking my baby girl to sleep – and feeling empowered, not penalised, for blending work and motherhood.”
“It shouldn’t feel like something people have to tiptoe around,” Courtney agrees. “When leaders are open about what’s going on in their own lives – whether that’s daycare logistics or teen drama or just needing to be offline at dinner – it makes space for others to do the same.”
This is also felt at MullenLowe US, where Perri shares, “We’ve found that leading by example is the most powerful way to cultivate an empathetic workforce that genuinely supports parents. When our leaders are transparent about their family commitments, it signals to everyone that they can do the same – duck out early for the robotics competition, coach the baseball team, or embrace your inner dance mom. When we empower our people to show up for their families, they’re even more dedicated to showing up for us when we need them most. That’s not just good policy; it’s good business.”
“And don’t forget, support for parents doesn’t stop after the ‘ramp up period’ back to work,” Kate points out. “The next 18+ years will bring broken arms, recitals, field trips, friend drama and college applications. Give space to your employees to be mom or dad, and they will kill it for you in return.
“The reality is that parents return with a new awareness of their power, responsibility, time management and appreciation (even love) for their time spent at work. These employees are worth the investment."
Haley adds that “the industry must stop thinking about this as just a parents’ issue and start thinking about it as a caretaker issue. Everyone is a caretaker in some way – of a child, a partner, a parent, a pet, and even themselves. If we build systems that honour that reality for everyone, not just parents, then the entire industry will be stronger and more sustainable.”
“I don’t have all the answers,” Courtney concludes, “but what I do know is that people do their best work when they don’t have to hide big parts of their life. If we get this right, we don’t just support parents, we build a better, more human industry overall. One that people actually want to stick with – even when life gets messy. That feels like something worth working toward.”
