When conducting research on paid parental leave, interviews with stakeholders can provide invaluable qualitative data for your paper. This guide offers carefully crafted questions to explore policy impacts from multiple perspectives. According to Wikipedia’s parental leave overview, these policies vary significantly across countries and industries.
Designing Effective Parental Leave Research Questions
Strong interview questions should:
- Explore both quantitative and qualitative aspects
- Address policy implementation challenges
- Consider diverse stakeholder perspectives
- Measure long-term social and economic impacts

Core Questions for Employees
For workers who have used parental leave, consider asking:
- How did the duration of paid leave affect your family’s adjustment period?
- What workplace support systems were most valuable upon your return?
- Did you experience any career advancement concerns related to taking leave?
The Encyclopedia Britannica notes that parental leave policies often reflect broader labor law priorities.
Employer Perspective Questions
Business leaders can provide insights on:
- Cost-benefit analyses of paid leave programs
- Productivity measurement during transition periods
- Best practices for maintaining team dynamics

As you prepare your research methodology, remember to tailor questions to your specific study objectives. For example, comparative studies might focus on cross-cultural differences, while economic analyses could prioritize cost structures.
Readability guidance: Use transition words like “however” when comparing perspectives, and “therefore” when drawing conclusions. Keep sentences under 20 words where possible, and maintain active voice throughout.