How Millennial Parents Can Fight for Equality at Work

By: Mary Beth Ferrante

A version of this article originally appeared on Forbes.com.

International Women’s Day is just around the corner on Saturday, March 8th, 2025, and this year’s theme is #AccelerateAction.

At first, I felt a familiar frustration. Once again, women are being called upon to push for change when systemic barriers seem to be moving in the wrong direction. In the post-Lean In era, haven’t we already acknowledged that it’s not just women, but the entire system that needs transformation?

Persistent Challenges for Working Parents

We cannot ignore the long list of structural challenges that millennial and Gen Z working parents continue to face today:

Lack of Paid Family and Medical Leave

– While some progress has been made, only 27% of U.S. employees have access to paid family and medical leave, and 20% of women still return to work within two weeks postpartum.

Insufficient Maternity Leave Policies

– The U.S. remains the only OECD country without a federal paid maternity leave policy, despite overwhelming evidence that six months should be the minimum standard.

Unaffordable Childcare

– Affordable and universal childcare remains elusive. Soaring costs push many parents—particularly women—out of the workforce.

Meanwhile, unpaid caregiving, recently valued at over $1.8 trillion by The New York Times, continues to be overlooked.

The Overwork Culture

– The rise of remote and hybrid work has brought flexibility but also blurred boundaries, reinforcing an “always-on” work culture. Many employees are now averaging 50-hour workweeks, making work-life balance even more elusive.

The Persistent Gender Pay Gap

– The gender pay gap persists, with caregiving responsibilities still being a significant contributor.

The Role of #AccelerateAction in Workplace and Home

Yet, as I sat with this year’s theme, I realized that #AccelerateAction aligns with what I advocate for daily at WRK/360—helping working parents and company leaders build equitable, supportive workplaces.

The International Women’s Day website shares that “the right action and support, positive progress can be made for women everywhere.”

This isn’t just a corporate responsibility; it’s something that must happen in our homes, workplaces, and communities. And millennial and Gen Z working parents are uniquely positioned to take on this challenge.

Redefining Dual-Career Partnerships

According to The Center for Equity, Gender, and Leadership at UC Berkeley Haas, 78% of millennials are part of dual-career couples, and among professional women, that number jumps to 89%. As Gen Z enters parenthood, they are demanding even more equality in their partnerships and workplaces.

The Daily Negotiations of Parenthood

Being part of a dual-career couple requires constant negotiation—who handles childcare drop-offs, school closures, unexpected work travel, meal prep, and housework?

These conversations are where #AccelerateAction matters most. Too many women still feel the default expectation to stay home when a child is sick. Too many question when their career aspirations took a back seat. But it doesn’t have to be this way.

Advocating for Equal Partnerships

Eve Rodsky, author of Fair Play, continues to highlight how couples can achieve more equitable partnerships by restructuring how they value and distribute time.

And organizations like The Care Gap, now with over 50,000 engaged community members, continue to challenge outdated norms around work and caregiving. Founder Blessing Adesiyan often emphasizes that men should not just “help” at home—they must be equal participants.

Driving Workplace Change

Beyond social media, The Care Gap’s annual summit remains a crucial space for advancing conversations around gender equity at work.

Past speakers include Lauren Smith Brody (The Fifth Trimester), Katelin Holloway of Seven Seven Six, and leaders from companies like Patagonia and Maven Clinic, all pushing for better workplace policies that support caregivers.

Turning Awareness into Action

#AccelerateAction calls on all of us to use our voices. Cultural shifts often drive policy change, and by advocating for ourselves at work and at home, we normalize caregiving across genders, challenge outdated expectations, and move closer to true gender equity.

Let’s make 2025 a year where Action isn’t just a theme—it’s a necessary movement.