If the people of a country see something as being worth the lost productivity (maternity leave for example), the correct way to handle it would be to legislate

If the people of a country see something as being worth the lost productivity (maternity leave for example), the correct way to handle it would be to legislate it. I agree with sibling commenter that there is an incentive in attracting a wider range of employees for offering benefits that aren't required by law, but I think it's not really enough given the power difference between employees and employers. Of course, legislative solutions are increasingly impossible in some parts of the world. This is the reason we're relying on companies to make this call.