Navigating the Journey Together: How SMG and parents@work Support Working Parents

Returning to work after becoming a parent is one of life’s biggest transitions – exciting, rewarding, but also challenging. To better support employees navigating this stage, SMG Swiss Marketplace Group partnered with parents@work to launch its first peer coaching programme for working parents.

Founded twelve years ago, parents@work helps organisations strengthen family-friendly workplaces where parents feel supported and empowered to thrive both professionally and personally. We spoke with Sarah Meier, founder of parents@work, about what inspired the programme, what made the collaboration with SMG special, and why investing in working parents benefits everyone.

A programme built on experience

For Sarah, it all started with a personal experience. As a working mother of two daughters, she remembers wishing she had someone to guide her through the transition back to work after becoming a parent. That experience inspired her to create parents@work, a programme designed to provide exactly that kind of support to other parents.

Today, her mission is helping organisations build workplaces where parents feel appreciated, supported, and able to successfully combine work and family life. “Supporting employees to balance work and family isn’t just the right thing to do, it also makes business sense,” Sarah explains. “When people feel supported, they’re more engaged, more confident and better able to contribute to the organisation’s success.”

That support is becoming increasingly important as more families balance two careers while often living far from their traditional support networks.

Why peer coaching makes a difference

At the heart of parents@work is a simple but powerful idea: parents supporting parents. Rather than bringing in external coaches, employees within the organisation who are parents themselves are trained to become peer coaches. While parents@work provides the training, coaching framework and matching process, the conversations happen between colleagues who understand both the realities of parenthood and the culture of their own workplace.

That shared experience creates an environment where honest conversations can happen.”It can be incredibly reassuring to realise you’re not alone, especially within the organisation. A fresh perspective, practical advice, or simply hearing that a colleague has faced similar challenges can make a real difference.”

Beyond the coaching itself, the programme also helps build connections, bringing together colleagues who may never have met otherwise.

From idea to impact at SMG

The collaboration began with one SMG employee, who came across parents@work while attending another training of Sarah. She recognised how valuable it would have been during her own early days as a new parent. She brought the idea forwards internally, and within a few months, the first pilot was underway.

Looking back on the collaboration, Sarah says one thing stood out above all else: the generosity of SMG employees: “The openness and willingness to support one another was remarkable. Everyone approached the programme with kindness and genuine curiosity. It’s been a real privilege to launch parents@work together with SMG.”

Creating a workplace where parents can thrive

For Sarah, creating a family-friendly workplace goes far beyond offering flexible working arrangements, although those remain incredibly valuable. Supportive managers, inclusive policies and a culture that openly recognises the realities of parenthood are equally important.

Simple actions can make a big difference, such as taking parents’ schedules into account when planning events, ensuring managers actively support the balance between work and family life, and investing in initiatives that support employees through major life transitions “When people feel supported, they’re more willing to contribute ideas, embrace new opportunities and ask for the support they need. That’s a win for employees and for the organisation,” says Sarah.

“Be kind to yourself”

Sarah’s advice to working parents is refreshingly simple: Focus on what matters most, set realistic expectations, and remember that you don’t have to do everything perfectly. Open conversations with managers, partners or wider support networks can make navigating challenges much easier than trying to face them alone.

And above all, she hopes parents remember one thing: “You’re raising the next generation while contributing meaningfully to the economy. Be kind to yourself.”

At SMG, we’re committed to supporting employees through every stage of life. The partnership with parents@work is one way we put that into practice, and we’re excited to keep building a culture where working parents feel empowered, connected and supported.