A Candid Conversation on Parental Leave

“It was never not a concern in my entire career."

That's how Heat ecd Elaine Cox, one of today's most talented creative leaders, responded when I asked on this week's Adweek podcast if she ever felt tacitly discouraged from having a baby.

“It definitely clouded my ability to tell if I even wanted kids because I was so in love with being a creative and doing a job that I loved.”

Now happily at an agency with extensive female leadership—and even more happily in her six month of maternity leave with her first child—Cox said she's realized how vital it is that companies of all types make employees feel supported in having and raising children.

Regardless of whether you have or want kids, you'll want to listen to this podcast conversation, in which Cox outlines the big-picture (but often overlooked) benefits of creating policies that support employees and work-life balance.

Our chat came on the heels of exceptional reporting by my colleague Minda Smiley (also featured in the conversation on our weekly podcast, Yeah, That's Probably an Ad). Her article, available exclusively to Adweek Pro members, outlines how the agency world is potentially at a tipping point in favor of benefits like parental leave.

What have your experiences been like with parental leave policies? How did they affect you—or affect your decision on whether to stay at an employer? Drop me a note at the email below or share your thoughts with me at @Griner on Twitter.

David Griner
Creative and Innovation Editor, Adweek
[email protected]

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