NextGen Work Culture: HR, Management, Inclusive Parent-Friendly Work Environment, Employee Recruitment and Retention, Talent Development

How does your family tackle the chaos that is the beginning of the school year? Join me as I chat with Eli, a dad of three, about how he and his wife deal with the whirlwind of pickups, locations, and people they juggle to get the kids to school and daycare, all while managing their professional lives as a marketer and teacher.

We talk about how to navigate the intricacies of balancing work, parenting, and self-care. A supportive b...

Balancing your careers and caring for a toddler can be difficult enough, but it can be even harder when your spouse is a shift worker with unconventional hours. In this episode, Kortney chats with Katie Roark about how she and her husband navigate childcare amidst traveling for work and 12-hour shifts. Katie shares candid insights into how she and her husband have found a rhythm that works for them.

We also chat about the often frus...

Can you imagine a world where working and parenting harmoniously coexist? A community that supports parents' needs and provides stress-free childcare? In this episode, I'm sitting down with Britt Riley, the visionary founder of Haven Clubs, who brings this ideal to life. Britt shares her journey to creating an ecosystem that unites childcare, workspace, and fitness, emphasizing the need for more flexible childcare options and carin...

In this episode, Kortney has a conversation with Amanda Hall, a former teacher and current product designer. Amanda and Kortney both offer insights into their transition out of the classroom and how their own children's needs drove their shift in careers.

Amanda also provides a peek into her journey of navigating childcare for her son with an intellectual disability, particularly during the summer break. Amanda highlights the incred...

Ever faced challenges with finding accessible childcare in your community? Today's guest, Loryn Duke struggled to find childcare in a rural Colorado town and decided to take matters into her own hands. She and her colleagues persuaded their employer, Steamboat Ski Resorts, to open an employer-sponsored childcare center that has solved childcare struggles for their employees and alleviated some of the childcare problems in the commu...

Caught somewhere between the duties of parenting and caring for aging parents? You're not alone. Meet Christy Yates, a true guide for anyone navigating this challenging stage, popularly known as the 'sandwich generation'. Having walked this path herself, Christy draws from her personal journey and her expertise in supporting caregiving families to share some valuable insights. She discusses how her experience of caring for her own ...

In this solo episode Kortney summarizes the conversations from Season 1 and shares more insights about childcare struggles. We've had 5 fabulous conversations this season! 

We've discussed:

• Handling school and daycare logistics 
• Difficulties finding summer care, especially for a child with special needs
• Challenges of balancing careers and caring for a toddler
• Importance of communication with your partner and self-care
• Signi...

This bonus episode features an invigorating talk with Michael Perry, founder and CEO of Maple, a family tech startup that aims to revolutionize parenting and work-life balance. He shares his journey of serial entrepreneurship and how becoming a father shifted his focus towards family. We dive into his pioneering app, Maple, and explore how it helps parents stay organized, divvy up tasks, and create more balance and tranquility at h...

Welcome to season two of Playgrounds and Paychecks, where we get up close and personal with the realities of parental leave. This episode unravels my own experiences of navigating through parental leave twice while teaching. I discuss my leave being unpaid time off, crafting substitute plans, dealing with Covid right after my first born, and more.

Ultimately, I decided to find work that allowed more quality time with my children. No...

When Erin Helle unexpectedly traded her Army uniform for the round-the-clock duties of motherhood, she encountered a battlefield of a different kind. Tune in as Erin reflects on her journey of becoming a mother as a service member. The Army extended maternity leave just in time for her second child and her commanding officer was supportive. However, she received deployment orders shortly after returning from leave and this catapult...

Discover how to navigate themaze of parental leave programs with the help of Linzay Davis from The Park Consulting. In this discussion, Linzay shares not just the technicalities of state and federal protections but the emotional and financial impact these policies have on American families. We'll reveal how understanding and preparing for parental leave can change the game for new parents. While Linzay's experience focuses on Calif...

Exciting update! Playgrounds and Paychecks is now NextGen Work Culture! 

After two amazing seasons, I'm shifting the focus from the parents themselves to the leaders and decision-makers who have the power to shape the culture of their organizations.

"NextGen Work Culture" is about empowering leaders to support working parents and create inclusive, family-friendly environments. I believe that being a family-friendly business ...

It's becoming more common for Dad to take on the majority of parenting responsibilities. In many households, he may even be the lead parent! In this episode, Kortney talks to Paul Sullivan about what it truly means to be a 'lead dad' in today's world.

Paul shares his journey to becoming the Lead Dad in his household, balancing a journalism career with being the primary caregiver to his three daughters and supporting his wife as she ...

When family and work collide, the aftermath can echo across the nation. That's precisely what happened in the heart-wrenching case of Marissa and Kyte Baby. This short solo episode talks about the Kyte Baby controversy and the reality of parental leave policies in America.

I talk through Marissa's ordeal with her premature baby's NICU stay, her employer's rigid policies, and the viral aftermath that shook the foundation of Kyte Baby...

This week, Anthony Franzese joined Kortney to share more about his role in supporting family health at Stork Club. As a new father, Anthony opens up about his own paternity leave. Then, we uncover the gaps that traditional health insurance often leaves wide open. We talk about how fertility treatments, adoption assistance, hormone therapy, and other family benefits are not just important for families, but good for businesses too. T...

In this episode, Kortney talks to Allison Whalen about paid parental leave. Allison is the founder of Parentaly, a company that helps improve the parental leave experience for everyone: the expecting employee, their manager, peers, direct reports, and business leaders. Paid parental leave doesn't just benefit families, it's a game changer for businesses, too.

Allison shares how companies that champion parental leave gain a comp...

In this episode of NextGen Work Culture, host Kortney Ross dives into the crucial topic of sleep with Nicole Ratcliffe, a sleep specialist from the UK. Nicole shares her personal journey of becoming passionate about sleep after experiencing the challenges of sleep deprivation with her own children.

The conversation delves into the profound impact of sleep deprivation on mental and physical health, workplace productivity, and even r...

Most U.S. employers need to comply with the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) and PUMP Act laws. But, these relatively recent laws can be a bit difficult to understand. In this episode, Kortney sits down with Jessica Craft, an attorney focused on employment law at Littler. Together, they explore two pivotal pieces of legislation shaping the landscape for working parents and expecting mothers.

Jessica breaks down the Pump Act and ...