The Problem

No men (0) were taking up either parental or carer’s leave entitlements, with focus groups showing fear of stigma. Meanwhile 94% of women were returning to work part-time (or working fewer hours) after having a child, limiting their career progression opportunities. A survey found that 22% of women felt their career break had negatively impacted their careers.

After driving systemic change through the new initiatives, 24% of women shifted to part-time roles when returning to work, 26 men used carer’s leave and six utilised paid parental leave.

The initiatives, among others Burnet implemented, have also helped contribute to a dramatic decline in the gender pay gap, from 11.5% in 2022-23 to -2.4% in 2024-25.

What did Burnet do?

• Extended paid parental leave to 14 weeks for all parents/carers, removing distinctions between primary and secondary carers to ensure equal access.
• Increased superannuation contributions to cover up to 12 months of both paid and unpaid parental leave, doubling the previous duration.
• Introduced flexible work arrangements to support gradual returns to work, keep in touch days for those on parental leave and enhanced facilities like private lactation rooms in response to specific feedback.
• Increased travel grants so staff with children could have improved support to attend professional development and other opportunities.
• Extended carer’s leave beyond 12 months post birth.
• Provided a coaching and resilience program.
• Developed comprehensive guides and checklists for parental leave, using inclusive language for diverse family structures.
• And, improved communication for all staff, including managers, to ensure everyone understood and could effectively use the flexible work options.

Outcomes and Impact

Employees observed a cultural shift towards normalising caregiving roles for men and noted improved managerial support for flexible work arrangements. The initiatives and subsequent cultural change resulted in six men utilising the 14-week parental/carers leave entitlement, and 26 men accessing carers’ leave in 2023, compared to zero men eight years earlier.

Employees said the reforms had enhanced work-life balance and career progression opportunities, describing the changes as “flexible,” “inclusive,” and “supportive.”

Only 24% of women shifted to part-time roles after parental leave in 2021-2023, compared to 94% in 2015–17.

Case Study 1:

“The reality is that working in global health, especially in the international development discipline, travel and meeting face-to-face with our partners, seeing where they live and work, is essential. Without the financial support to make this happen, it would have been necessary to rethink my role and capacity to meet the essential requirements my role involved. Burnet’s willingness to allow travel with children demonstrates a true commitment to making our workplace a family-friendly one. To me, this really shows Burnet’s commitment and leadership in making our workplace a truly supportive one.” – Female manager.

Case Study 2:

A male employee was entitled to just one week’s parental leave for his first child:

“It was a greatly overwhelming experience that left me feeling stretched, frustrated, tired and undervalued at work, in turn, negatively affecting my productivity and morale at work and relationships at home and work. In the second instance, I was… allowed 12 weeks flexible parental leave… I was able to take a combined five months off work, allowing me to bond with my newborn child in ways I could never have done before and offering great support to my partner. I was also supported to transition slowly back to work overall, I’ve felt very much supported, appreciated, valued and productive at work. The positive impact on my work and personal life has been immense.”

Work To Do

Some employees noted challenges in navigating entitlements, with further improvements needed in clarity and accessibility of parental leave options and facilities.

Burnet plans to:

• Create a centralised hub with clear parental leave information, FAQs, and checklists for employees and managers.
• Increase awareness of facilities like lactation rooms through maps and guides integrated into onboarding and return-to-work processes.
• Train managers to ensure consistent application of parental leave policies and entitlements.
• Implement a process to provide personalised support for employees returning from parental leave.