The top 10 questions to ask for great parental leave feedback
Creating a great parental leave policy isn’t just about ticking compliance boxes or copying what other companies do. It’s about understanding how your current policy feels to the people who use it — and using real feedback to improve.
Too often, organisations assume what people want: longer leave, bigger payouts, flashier benefits. But the reality is often more nuanced.
Sometimes what employees need most is a clear, easy-to-navigate process and a manager who checks in at the right moments.
The only way to know? Ask.
That’s why we created the Parental Leave Feedback Guide, a free, practical resource with five proven tools to help you gather meaningful feedback and improve your parental leave experience.
Whether you're just starting out or already have a policy in place, these 10 questions will give you powerful insights.
The questions are pulled directly from our downloadable guide and are designed for use in surveys, interviews, and working groups.
1. How satisfied are you with our current parental leave support?
Answer type: Scale of 1-5 (1 = Very dissatisfied, 5 = Very satisfied) with an optional follow-up free text field: "Please share why you gave this rating"
Straight to the point — and perfect for pulse surveys or engagement check-ins.
2. What’s the one thing you’d change about our parental leave support?
Answer type: Free text field
Cuts through vague feedback and surfaces your highest-leverage improvement.
3. How aware are you of your parental leave entitlements (statutory and employer)?
Answer type: Scale of 1-5 (1 = Not at all aware, 5 = Extremely aware)
Confusion = stress. This question tells you if your communication is working.
4. How supported did you feel during your parental leave?
Answer type: Scale of 1-5 (1 = Not at all supported, 5 = Extremely supported) with an optional follow-up free text field: "Please share why you gave this rating"
A great way to track sentiment and spot patterns over time.
5. What moments or touch points really mattered during your leave?
Answer type: Free text field
Reveals what’s most meaningful — often small things with big emotional weight.
6. How would you rate your return to work experience?
Answer type: Scale of 1-5 (1 = Smooth transition with excellent support, 5 = Overwhelming transition with inadequate support) with an optional follow-up free text field: "Please share why you gave this rating"
This transition phase is often where policy falls short. Ask about it directly.
7. Did you use flexible work arrangements after returning? If yes, how effective were they?
Answer type: Yes/No. If yes, scale of 1-5 for effectiveness (1 = Not effective, 5 = Extremely effective) and a dropdown menu of arrangements used (part-time, flexible hours, remote work, etc.)
A great way to test whether flexibility is offered and actually working.
8. How supportive was your manager during your leave and return?
Answer type: Scale of 1-5 (1 = Not at all supportive, 5 = Exceptionally supportive) with an optional follow-up free text field: "Please share why you gave this rating"
Policies set the baseline. Managers shape the experience.
9. What would help you balance work and family in the next 6–12 months?
Answer type: Free text field
Future-focused and practical. Helps inform benefits, comms, and support planning.
10. Would you recommend [your company] as a family-friendly employer?
Answer type: Net Promoter Score (NPS) scale of 0-10. Optional: "What one change would make us more family-friendly?" free text field
This tells you whether your intentions are translating into impact.
Want the full guide with ready-to-use templates?
We've bundled all the best questions, plus survey templates, manager interview guides, and instructions for setting up a feedback group, into one free, easy-to-use PDF.
Use it to:
Run a quick pulse check on your current policy
Facilitate meaningful 1:1 conversations
Launch a working group to co-create improvements
Now for the important legal part: The information we provide is general and not regulated financial advice for the purposes of the Financial Markets Conduct Act 2013. Please seek independent legal, financial, tax or other advice in considering whether the content in this article is appropriate for your goals, situation or needs. The information in this article is current as at 4 April 2025.
Stephanie Pow
Founder & CEO of Crayon
