Building better workplaces for working parents
What happens when two working parents, both facing the challenges of balancing career and family, decide enough is enough?
Enter Justine Alter and Dr. Sarah Cotton, the founders of Transitioning Well. Justine was on parental leave with her third child, Sarah was pregnant with her second, and both were feeling completely overwhelmed by what lay ahead. They were struggling, and more importantly, they knew they weren’t alone.
That’s when the lightbulb moment happened. “We started talking about how there just wasn’t enough support in the workplace for working parents,” Sarah remembers. “Then I said, ‘I’d love to start a business supporting working parents’ and Justine said, ‘I’m in’. We’d only just met, but that shared passion sparked something big, and the rest is history.”
“We thought if we could make a difference to even just one working parent, it would be worthwhile,” Sarah reflects. Fast forward to today, and Transitioning Well has helped thousands. “I can still remember what it felt like when I coached my first parental leave coaching client all those years ago.”
As organisational psychologists, Justine and Sarah weren’t just winging it. They were intentional about taking an evidence-based approach to supporting the transition from working person to working parent. Their work with Federal and State government projects has only strengthened Transitioning Well’s expertise in this space.
“Fast forward to now, and while our services have grown significantly, supporting the transition to parenthood remains at the heart of what we do,” Justine explains. “What’s changed the most? Organisations. When we first introduced parental leave coaching, many weren’t ready. But now, we’re seeing a real shift, not just in uptake, but in mindset.”
Employers aren’t just looking at parental leave coaching anymore. They’re building leadership capability so managers actually know how to support working parents. There’s also growing interest in supporting parents way beyond that first year and in fertility and loss support, too.
What’s behind this big shift?
“So much has changed, especially since COVID, improved WGEA reporting and the introduction of psychosocial regulations,” Sarah explains. “It’s never been more important for organisations to manage the risks and evolving workplace needs that come at times of transition like this one.”
It’s not just about supporting employees, it’s about building consistent leadership capability to avoid what they call “the boss lottery.” Your experience as a working parent shouldn’t depend on whether you have a supportive manager.
Transitioning Well offers a complete ecosystem for supporting working parents – from fertility and pregnancy loss, right through to parental leave, return-to-work, and those ongoing seasons of parenthood that stretch way beyond the early years.
Everything’s delivered by trusted psychologists who work closely with employees and leaders every step of the way. Based on what clients actually need, TW offers parental leave coaching (with digital support tools), webinars and workshops for parents, managers and HR teams, specialised support programs, and bespoke consulting services tailored to specific organisational challenges.
What’s Next?
“It’s fair to say we’re really excited about our next decade, and seeing our work to support working parents continue to evolve,” Sarah reflects.
“I think back to that first parent we supported, and I’m proud, not just of how far we’ve come but how far our clients have come,” Justine shares. “Because when people feel supported through life’s biggest transitions, they don’t just stay, they thrive. And that’s what we’re here for, to help people live well and work well.”
Learn more about how Transitioning Well’s end-to-end parent support can transform your workplace. Contact us to find out more about our comprehensive coaching, workshops, and specialised support services.
