Return-to-office policies are exposing a hidden leadership gap

Return-to-office conversations are often framed around productivity, collaboration and company culture. But what if they are also revealing something about belonging, leadership and whose lives workplaces were originally designed around? In this solo episode, I reflect on the emotional and practical realities many working parents are navigating behind the surface of business as usual . For many professionals, especially parents of young children, the return-to-office conversation is really not about commuting or flexibility. It is about: * How much someone can realistically hold and carry * Identity * Visibility * Ability to sustain * The pressure to continue performing as though life has not fundamentally changed. In this episode, I explore: * Why return-to-office debates feel emotionally charged for many parents * The invisible mental load behind showing up * How workplaces still holding old beliefs * The leadership skills caregiving often develops * Why reduced capacity is not the same as reduced ambition * The connection between belonging and psychological safety at work * What sustainable success might look like across different chapters of life ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ If you’ve enjoyed this episode, please leave a rating and review! This episode is for anyone who has ever wondered: Can I still grow professionally without working exactly as I used to? And perhaps more importantly: What kind of workplaces will people remain loyal to in the future? 🔗 Links & resources * McKinsey Report: Women in the Workplace * Deloitte Report * Working Families Index 2025 About your host Fiorenza Rossini Fiorenza started building her coaching business in 2016 while still working in investment banking. When her first child was born in 2019, she knew something had to give. Like many parents, she realised she couldn’t keep growing her career in the same way while also being the parent she wanted to be. Her priorities became clearer, and she chose to leave corporate life to focus fully on her coaching work. Today, Fiorenza supports driven professionals & leaders who are also parents of young children, who find themselves to be at a pivot point - whether that’s returning to work, stepping into leadership, or rethinking what career growth now looks like. 🔗 More about Fiorenza’s work 🔗 Fiorenza on Linkedin 🔗 Fiorenza on Instagram 🎧 Enjoyed this episode? If this conversation stayed with you, consider sharing it with another parent who might need to hear it. And if you haven’t already, you can connect with me on LinkedIn for more reflections on belonging, leadership, and navigating career and identity alongside parenthood. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit belongingproject.substack.com

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Return-to-office policies are exposing a hidden leadership gap is an episode from The Belonging Project by Fiorenza Rossini.

This episode is 10:42 long.

This episode was published on May 20, 2026.

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