Parenthood as a Workplace Asset for Employers

🎧 Listen now as Parenthood as a Workplace Asset is explored in this insightful audio interview on how supporting working parents strengthens companies and leadership.  Listen Here

Parenthood as a Workplace Asset is the focus of this episode of Chatting with Betsy, as host Betsy Wurzel speaks with authors Mark Kaplan and Mason Donovan about how parenthood and caregiving experiences strengthen employees, leadership, and workplace culture.

During the conversation, they explore how parenthood changes people into stronger employees by sharpening time-management skills, deepening empathy, and teaching how to navigate unexpected challenges with clarity and calm. These are not soft skills — they are leadership skills.

The discussion also examines how organizations can view Parenthood as an asset rather than an obstacle. Mark and Mason outline how managers and employees can work together to ensure a smoother transition before, during, and after maternity or paternity leave. They explain the three stages most working parents experience, the importance of appropriate communication while an employee is on leave, and the ways corporations can actively support new parents without sacrificing performance or culture.

Betsy found this conversation especially informative and believes the insights shared in this book extend beyond parents alone. In her view, the same principles apply equally to caregivers and their employers — reinforcing the idea that life experience enhances leadership, not diminishes it.

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About the Authors

Mark Kaplan and Mason Donovan are Managing Partners of Dagoba Group, a global consulting firm focused on inclusive leadership, employee well-being, and organizational culture. They are also founders of The Parenthood Advantage, a consultancy dedicated to helping organizations build cultures where working parents are valued as leaders and contributors.

They are co-authors of several influential books, including The Inclusion Dividend, SET for Inclusion, and The Golden Apple. Their work has been featured by Harvard Business Review, Forbes, and Fast Company. Mark and Mason are parents of twins and live in New England.

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To Learn More about the book

The book is available on Amazon: https://a.co/d/bnVL7iX

To learn more about Mark Kaplan and Mason Donovan’s books, services, or to contact them, visit: https://theparenthoodadvantage.com/

This conversation reminds us that parenthood and caregiving don’t weaken the workplace — they strengthen it. When companies recognize lived experience as leadership, everyone benefits. Mark Kaplan and Mason Donovan offer a thoughtful, practical framework that encourages employers to see working parents and caregivers as valuable contributors, not challenges to be managed.

🎧 Listen to this episode of Chatting with Betsy to hear the full discussion and gain insights that apply not only to parents, but also to caregivers, managers, and organizations seeking stronger, more inclusive workplace cultures.

We invite our listeners and readers to reflect on their own experiences. How has caregiving or parenthood shaped your approach to work or leadership? Share your thoughts with us — your perspective matters.

To learn more about Mark Kaplan and Mason Donovan, their books, and their work, visit:
https://theparenthoodadvantage.com/

📘 The book The Parenthood Advantage: Building Corporate Cultures That Value Working Parents is available on Amazon.