A shift for working parents

WHAT’S ON DECK

• Tell Me More: A reminder that showing up for the people we love is never the wrong call

• Troublemaker Spotlight: Molly Baz, Recipe Developer, Bestselling Cookbook Author, and Founder of Ayoh

• Dear FQ: How can I navigate a colleague’s changing mood?

• Poll the Pack: Signs of a workforce in flux

TELL ME MORE

Why the Red Sox manager’s decision is a win for all working parents

Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora recently faced a choice that millions of working parents know all too well: Miss an important work obligation or skip an important family moment. For Cora, the decision was easy. He missed a game to attend his daughter's college graduation. When reporters questioned his priorities at a press conference, his response was swift and unapologetic: "It was her day. I wasn't going to miss it. For those who don’t understand, I’m not gonna try to convince them. I made the best decision for my girl."

Cora’s choice to prioritize family sparked an important and long-overdue conversation about workplace culture. While we’ve made progress by normalizing discussions around work-life integration, the conversation is still too often framed as a “woman’s issue.”

In reality, rigid workplace expectations affect anyone with caregiving responsibilities—parents, and anyone balancing personal commitments alongside professional ones. Creating a culture of true flexibility and support isn’t just good for women, it’s essential for everyone.

Traditional parental roles have changed over the years, with more and more moms becoming the "breadwinner.” And as many as 72.3% of married mothers work, catching up to 94.3% of married fathers. Are companies supporting all parents as they navigate this massive life shift? The numbers say no. 

• Only 32% of U.S. employers offer paid paternity leave.

• Despite being eligible for some paid state leave in the U.S., new fathers are less likely to take the time off, leaving over $1.6 billion on the table in New York alone. The reasons? Many fear judgment, job loss, or they couldn’t afford a pay cut.

• 75% of millennial dads want more time with their kids, citing work-life conflict as a major issue.

Spotify’s U.K. managing director, Tom Connaughton, led by example, taking 6 months of paid paternity leave in an effort to encourage his team to do the same. “There was an element of Spotify wanting me to lead by example and setting the right precedent for our team,” he said. “I think a welcome side effect of me taking my parental leave entitlement has been that others in the business hopefully feel more comfortable doing so.”

When men in positions of power publicly choose family, they create permission structures that transform workplace culture for everyone. Mount St. Mary's Mountaineers coach Donny Lind recently made headlines for bringing his son Silas to work, breaking down in an emotional interview about the importance of including his family as much as possible. 

Let this be a wake-up call for organizations to examine their policies: Do parental leave policies treat all parents equally? Are there informal penalties for those who utilize family-friendly benefits? Many men fear taking leave or time off due to social stigma or concerns about job security, even when the benefits are available.

Caregiving is a human priority, not a woman's issue. When leaders like Cora, Connaughton, and Lind show up for their families without apology, they accelerate progress toward workplaces where everyone can thrive in both career and family life. Let’s help create a world where dads don’t feel punished for parenting and where showing up at home is seen as strength, not weakness. Eve Rodsky puts it perfectly: “For women to step into their full power in the world, we have to invite men to step into their full power at home.”

The bottom line? A future of work that works for everyone requires all of us to normalize caregiving. Because showing up for the people we love should never require an explanation.

What is @FQLeaders?

An all new space bringing you insights straight from the world’s top leaders. Highlights from our global events, this is where game-changing advice meets real-world impact—because we know our audience is always looking to grow, lead, and level up.

Follow @FQLeaders for:

 ✔️ Real advice from global leaders
✔️ Unfiltered insights you won’t find anywhere else
✔️ Conversations that push us all forward

This is where bold ideas and voices are redefining the business landscape of tomorrow.

Now, with our new image uploader, you can share your own post on what being an FQ Leader means to you.

TROUBLEMAKER SPOTLIGHT

Molly Baz, recipe developer, bestselling cookbook author, and founder of Ayoh

Molly Baz set out to have fun with food and convince the rest of the world that cooking is fun, too. And it’s safe to say she’s done that… and then some. As a New York Times bestselling cookbook author, recipe developer, video host, and entrepreneur, Molly is committed to making food approachable and packed with personality, just like her. Looking to make her mark in the culinary world, Molly launched Ayoh, a line of flavor-filled mayo or “Sando Sauce,” as she says, and recently scored a deal with Whole Foods nationwide. When she’s not writing books or testing recipes, you can find her at home sipping on a glass of Drink This Wine (that’s her natural wine company), eating a sando slathered in Ayoh, and thinking about the next delicious thing she’ll eat.

FQ: What’s the worst career advice you’ve gotten?

Any poor advice I’ve been given went in one ear and straight out the other. I don’t hold space for it. I have a pretty good sense of direction when it comes to heeding other people's advice. If it’s not resonating with me, it’s not getting much airtime, and I’m sure as hell not following suit.

What’s the best piece of non-obvious career advice you’ve gotten?

Slow down to speed up.

I often fall victim to the allure of hustle culture, and my desire to continue creating, growing businesses, and evolving “the brand” sometimes gets the best of me. My life coach has been encouraging me to slow down a bit in service of speeding up in a more intentional, thoughtful, and efficient way down the line. There’s a whole career ahead, and I don’t have to accomplish everything all at once.

What was a “heartbeat moment” for you in your career?

Meeting Ruth Reichl on the publication day of my first cookbook, Cook This Book, absolutely did me in. I was already emotional and overcome with gratitude that I’d been given the opportunity to write my very own cookbook, and then Ruth showed up on Zoom to interview me for a book launch event. I am not a fangirl, but my heart was pounding and I felt like I was in the presence of royalty.

Who is one person you’d love to give flowers to from your career that influenced your journey?

The first chef I ever worked under, Jason Bond, saw something in me, despite my utter lack of professional skills, and offered me a job on the line in his very well-run French Bistro kitchen. He was cool, calm, and collected, an incredible and patient teacher, and interested in supporting my dream to cook professionally. If I hadn’t worked under him and fallen in love with professional cooking, I don’t know where my career would have taken me, but I doubt it would have landed here.

Where have you caused trouble?

My first billboard in Times Square caused a bit of trouble in a good way, ultimately. It was a campaign about breastfeeding, in partnership with Swehl, and it was preemptively taken down for its inappropriate content. 

The image showed me with a pregnant belly and two lactation cookies covering my breasts. I was outraged! The Swehl team was outraged. And women everywhere were outraged. And ironically, the idea around celebrating breastfeeding (in public and private) ended up getting so much more attention because of it. 

That campaign was then followed by another one, in partnership with Bobbie, once my son was out of the belly and in the real world. It was a pretty full circle moment to be reinstated on a billboard in Times Square a second time around, this time promoting the mother's right to feed any way that works for her. It all ended up taking on a lot more meaning than I could possibly have planned for, and really gave breastfeeding moms everywhere a long overdue opportunity to take the stage.

🥪 Try Molly’s signature Sando Sauce for 20% off with the code FQE20 (expires 8/15/2025)

Want to nominate a “Troublemaker” you admire? You can do so here.

DEAR FQ

Your burning career questions answered

Carly Davidson of The Female Quotient weighs in:

This is such a thoughtful question, and clearly demonstrates your emotional intelligence in the workplace!

You never know what someone is going through, so always lead with kindness. When you consistently show up with positivity and professionalism, you’re modeling the kind of leadership that encourages mutual respect and accountability, and creating a culture you want to be a part of.

If you have the relationship to do so, consider asking a simple, genuine check-in: “Is everything okay?” Often, a moment of compassion can make someone feel seen, and remind them they’re part of a team that cares, not just produces.

If that’s not the right move, or if their behavior is making collaboration difficult, it’s more than fair to pause and reset. Something as simple as, “It seems like this might not be the best time to dive into this. Should we regroup later?” can protect the relationship, while creating space for a more productive connection.

The fact that you’ve asked this question signals you’re ready to inquire with empathy and without judgment, which should make the conversation productive.

P.S. Got a burning career question? Serve it up here to Dear FQ to score advice from a powerhouse leader in our network.

POLL THE PACK

The fine line between passion and burnout: Where’s the workforce headed?

Employees are caught between extremes. While nearly a quarter of workers feel "all in and energized," the majority are somewhere in the middle. 

How can you read between the lines of the results? Only 23% of employees are truly thriving at work. That means the majority of the workforce is either playing it safe, struggling, or disengaged. 

The gap between energized and exhausted employees isn't just about workload, it's about company culture. Do employees feel seen, valued, and connected to the purpose of their organization and team? For leaders, this is both a wake-up call and an opportunity. 

The 23% who are energized? They're your culture carriers, your internal influencers who can help lift the rest of the team. But first, try to get to the bottom of what's driving the other 77% toward caution or burnout.

Sometimes the difference between thriving and surviving at work comes down to one simple thing: Being heard. When employees feel their concerns matter and their contributions are recognized, engagement follows. The future of work is about creating environments where people feel connected to something bigger than their to-do list.

To being culture carriers and sando creators.

Xo,

The FQ

Don’t forget to let us know what you think of The FQ Newsletter here.

REFER A FRIEND

Invite your network. Unlock FQ rewards.

We’re committed to making sure everyone has the opportunity to succeed in the workplace. Invite your friends to subscribe to The FQ Newsletter—because when more of us have access to insights and resources, we all advance together. Plus, the more you refer, the more rewards you unlock!

How It Works

• Every subscriber receives a unique referral link.

• Share it via email, LinkedIn, social media, or text.

• Unlock rewards as your friends subscribe.

10 Referrals – 🫘 Coffee on us—because great conversations start over coffee

25 Referrals – ☕ A mug from The Female Quotient’s merch collection

50 Referrals – 👕 A sweatshirt from The Female Quotient’s merch collection

100 Referrals – 👥 A one-on-one coaching session with Shelley Zalis, CEO of The Female Quotient

500 Referrals – ✈️ A trip to join us at a FQ Lounge™ event

You currently have 0 referrals, only 10 away from receiving Coffee On Us.

Or copy and paste your unique referral link to share: https://newsletter.thefemalequotient.com/subscribe?ref=PLACEHOLDER