A talent challenge in a male-dominated industry
For Motorola Solutions Australia Pty Ltd, attracting and retaining skilled employees has become increasingly important in a highly competitive global market.
As a business operating in a men-dominated sector, the organisation recognised that supporting employees with caring responsibilities, particularly parents of young children, could strengthen its employee value proposition and help attract a more diverse workforce.
The company saw parental leave not simply as an employee benefit, but as a key component of its recruitment and retention strategy. With competition for talent increasing, leaders wanted to ensure workplace policies reflected the realities faced by modern employees and remained consistent with customer expectations and leading workplace practices.
Building the business case with evidence
Before making any changes, the organisation undertook a detailed review of its parental leave program.
The first step was a desktop analysis comparing its offering with those of competitors to understand whether it was meeting, exceeding or lagging behind market practice. The company also reviewed customer organisations to assess whether its policies aligned with broader expectations in the market.
The next phase involved a comprehensive analysis of workforce data collected over a three-year period. Using a gender lens, the organisation examined how many employees had taken parental leave, their length of service before taking leave, the amount of leave accessed, when employees typically accessed leave, return-to-work rates and the number of employees who did not return after parental leave.
This evidence-based approach required time and analytical effort but enabled leaders to move beyond assumptions and understand the real level of organisational risk. Following the analysis, the company applied a risk matrix to model the potential financial impact of removing the eligibility requirement.
What the data revealed
The findings challenged common concerns about offering parental leave from day one of employment. The analysis showed that employees who accessed parental leave had an average tenure of 4.9 years and represented only around 1 per cent of the workforce each year.
The company also compared parental leave trends with employee lifecycle data, particularly during the first 12 months of employment. Combined with existing talent acquisition processes, the assessment indicated that the likelihood of employees joining the organisation, taking leave immediately and failing to return was relatively low.
Lessons learned and outcomes
The key lesson was that workforce data can provide a clearer picture of risk than assumptions alone. By analysing employee behaviour and testing potential impacts, the business was able to make a confident decision supported by evidence.
For Motorola Solutions Australia Pty Ltd, the result was a compelling business case for removing the qualifying period for paid parental leave.
The organisation concluded that the benefits of attracting and retaining high-calibre employees outweighed the potential risks, positioning the company as a more family-friendly employer and strengthening its ability to compete for talent in a challenging market.
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