Introduction to Parental Leave
Parental leave is a major milestone in anyone’s life. For engineers, this often comes with the added complexity of rejoining project teams, stepping back into site work or reconnecting with clients and technical responsibilities following this period.
At Douglas Partners, parental leave is a valued part of your career. We encourage open conversations about flexible working arrangemenso our people can stay connected and supported through every stage.
Your Return to Work
At Douglas Partners, this isn’t about compliance. It is about ensuring our engineers feel confident and preparedthrough tailored re-entry plans that include project briefings, system updates and professional development opportunities.
We make sure our people feel reconnected, valued and ready to continue their career path.
Managing Role Changes and Project Transitions
Engineering is dynamic. Projects keep moving, clients keep building and site work continues, even while people are on leave. To keep things running smoothly, temporary replacements may be brought in.
When someone returns, our focus is on reintegration.
We make time for returning engineers to understand project updates and reconnect with colleagues, so their return is supported and seamless.
Real Stories from our Team
Hearing from our people who have lived experience offers practical insights no policy can match. Three of our engineers, Dana, Lisa and Matt, shared reflections on their parental leave and subsequent return to work.
Dana, Senior Associate Environmental Engineer
What changes did you make returning from parental leave, if any?
“I condensed my usual work day to start early and finish as early as possible. This helped manage the afternoons/evening tasks at home. I had the flexibility to log back on at home if I wanted to complete a task (pre-COVID times).”
What helped make your transition back to work smoother?
“I had several long-term projects that were handed over to colleagues to manage. I remained involved in some of the routine analysis tasks over my leave utilising ‘keeping in touch days’ (KIT) at times which suited me. The KIT days were sometimes just a half day which was plenty to keep involved, keep skills active and check in with others in the team. I was also able to pick this work back up after returning.”
Did anything Douglas do make a difference?
“I was able to nominate my plan for return in terms of work hours and days. I utilised KIT days in the weeks leading up to return to understand the upcoming workload and start involvement in new projects. I was invited to morning tea events and other staff events which was a great excuse to catch up with work mates. I am grateful that starting in a new role was delayed by a few months to allow me to establish the balance of work and home life.”
Any tips you’d share with someone preparing to return?
“If you can, talk with others inside and outside of Douglas about their experiences taking leave. This can help in the planning of how much leave you might like to take and then the process of returning to work. They may be able to offer different perspectives on part time or full time work, reduced hours, etc and you can see how they may apply to your own situation. I kept some leave available in the bank upon return should I want to take a day off without needing to wait to accrue it.”
Any tips you’d share with managers?
“Have a discussion with the team member about their thoughts on contact over their leave period. Some might like no contact from work, others might like regular contact, texts or to be invited to social or training events. Also be prepared that people may change their mind, as things may be different than they expected. Ideally managers should prepare for flexibility in return date or work days. Managers could consider scheduling some agreed check ins in advance of leave and be willing to work around the employee’s schedule while they are off. Managers should plan semi-regular check ins with staff upon return. Together they may be able to adjust short term workload and/or find new opportunities for them to get involved in.”
Lisa, Associate Geotechnical Engineer
What made your transition back to work easier?
“For me, the flexibility to work reduced hours and days/times that suited my routine with the family. My colleagues were really accommodating at letting me ease back in with ‘easy tasks’ before going full project manager again which also really helped to mentally ‘get back into it’.”
How did Douglas’ support make a difference?
“Flexibility is huge for me. Being able to work from home and the hours that suited made so much difference to my ability to add meaningful contribution to the team without compromising my family.”
Any advice you’d give to colleagues preparing to return?
“Don’t be afraid to ask for what suits you. I have asked for more and more each time I returned after a child and overall I think the adjustments have made a really positive impact on both my work and my personal life. After the first break the transition was easier in some ways (only one child to care for) but harder in others as I was still trying to maintain a ‘work like you don’t have kids, parent like you don’t work’ attitude which is detrimental to both areas. It is important to have open communication with your manager and let them know what is/isn’t working for you on both a work and personal level. Don’t be afraid to ask for adjustments if you are struggling.”
Matt, Associate Geotechnical Engineer
What was your experience like taking parental leave?
“I took extended primary carer leave when my daughter was 9 months old and my wife went back to work. Me taking over as primary carer helped my wife make a smooth transition back to work and helped me develop my bond with my daughter and care for her independently. It was both extremely rewarding (highlights were the smiles, stories, train trips, park visits, coffee stops), and challenging (not napping, nappy blow outs, exhaustion), with a completely different skillset required for the carer role. This is the first time since having my daughter that it felt like we were able to achieve equal parenting, mostly because I was able to develop my skills to care for my daughter independently and then we all had confidence with this. I found that while work had moments of higher intensity (a sprint), the carer role was more of a long consistent effort (a marathon). I think that my family and I are much better off by having this opportunity. The leave really set the groundwork for a great relationship between my daughter and I (now 2.5 years old).”
How did your team or manager support your transition — before, during, or after?
“Before: assistance with planning the handover of projects and resourcing. During: allowed me to fully switch off from work with no expectations to do work or take calls. After: flexibility in work hour/start and finish times, ability to work from home regularly, understanding during carer’s leave and getting through daycare illnesses.”
What made the biggest difference for you as a new dad coming back to work?
“The biggest impact has been the ability to work from home on Tuesdays so that I can do daycare drop off and pick up. These are precious moments where I get to walk with my daughter in the carrier, sing songs, look at flowers, trees, butterflies, etc. with her, and be a part of the daycare community.”
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