Dan

When I joined OC&C nearly nine years ago as an experienced hire and already a parent, it was a very different environment — there were few, if any, consultants or managers with children. The culture has shifted significantly since then. Policies like parental leave have improved dramatically, and there's now much greater openness and awareness around the challenges of being a working parent. My biggest advice to new or expecting parents is to be honest about what you need — people genuinely want to make things work. Early on, I was nervous about speaking up around childcare obligations, but once I did, I found real support. Whether it’s flexible working, unpaid leave, or simply talking about parenting more openly, the culture here now encourages those conversations.