Most parental leave policies are designed to attract new talent, with incentives, benefits and payouts. Melbourne-headquartered media agency Hatched, meanwhile, decided to design a new policy to help its existing staff return to work.

Two years ago, Hatched’s leaders realised they had a problem. Female staff would leave to have a child, take a lengthy break from work and perhaps return part-time, feeling guilty, out of touch with colleagues and maybe even stressed about what to wear.