Are you preparing to return to work after maternity leave? In this blog post, we share six steps you can take to make your re-entry into the workplace a little smoother.
Returning to work after maternity leave can be tough. It poses some practical and logistical challenges — not to mention the rollercoaster of emotions you’ll likely go through. You might feel excited, nervous, sad, and guilty all at once. You may also experience some major self-doubt.
However you’re feeling about your imminent return to work, you’re not alone. When asked about their biggest returning-to-work fears, 25% of working moms surveyed worried that they wouldn’t be up-to-date on the skills required to do their job. 21% feared that they wouldn’t be able to manage the responsibilities of both their job and home life successfully, while 15% were concerned that they would be viewed as less capable at work than they were before.
If you’re preparing to return to work after a period of parental leave, there are certain steps you can take to make the transition easier:
- Catching up with your manager (or a trusted colleague) before you go back
- Negotiating a flexible schedule
- Having all the necessary logistics in place
- Knowing your benefits and rights
- Connecting with other working parents
- Focusing on the present
Let’s explore how you can implement each of these steps for a successful, slightly-less-stressful return to work after maternity leave.
1. Catch up with your manager before you go back
After any period away from work, there’s often a sense of trepidation rooted in the unknown. If possible, arrange to catch up with your manager — or a trusted colleague — before your official return date. Aim to meet away from the office, be it for coffee in a local café or via a video call. This will help to keep things relaxed and informal, while still giving you the opportunity to hear what’s been happening in your absence.
You can also use this time to share any concerns and, hopefully, receive some words of reassurance in return. Seeing a friendly face and chatting about work in an unofficial capacity should help to set your mind at ease. And, when you do officially return, you won’t have the feeling that you’re completely in the dark.
2. Negotiate a flexible schedule
Hopefully, your employer already has some kind of flexible working policy in place. After all, it’s one of the most sought-after employee benefits among today’s workers. If you’re not aware of any such policy, now’s the time to investigate.
According to research by WorldatWork and FlexJobs, 80% of companies surveyed offer flexible working arrangements — but only 37% have a formal, written policy in place, with 67% of managers offering employee flexibility at their own discretion.
As you prepare to return to work after maternity leave, having some flexibility in where, when, and how you work will make it much easier to juggle your time and responsibilities. Perhaps you can work from home a few days a week, cutting down the time you spend on commuting. Or depending on your childcare arrangements, you might need to log off earlier on certain days and make up the time elsewhere.
Discuss your options with your supervisor and try to negotiate a flexible schedule that works for both parties. As those aforementioned statistics show, most employers are open to some degree of flexibility nowadays — it may just be a case of asking for it.
3. Have the logistics in place
For many, returning to work after maternity leave means having childcare in place. The topic of childcare alone can be a stressful one, let alone in combination with first-day-back nerves.
If possible, plan it in a way that allows you to stagger the load. You might arrange to have childcare begin a few weeks ahead of your return-to-work date, giving you time to adjust to this first big change and iron out any issues.
Then when the day comes for you to head back to work, you can focus (more) on yourself without worrying (too much) about how your little one is settling in.
4. Know your benefits and your rights
As a working parent, it’s important to know your legal rights — and to be aware of any additional support your employer might offer.
Before you return to work, do your research and take the time to understand how, from a legal perspective, your employer should be supporting you. For example, per the Break Time for Nursing Mothers Act, US federal law requires employers to provide reasonable break time for an employee to express breast milk, and to provide a suitable place (other than a bathroom) to do so. Laws may vary from state to state (and country to country), so make sure you’re informed.
At the same time, your employer may offer parental employee benefits that go above and beyond the legal requirements. If these aren’t common knowledge, ask your HR to find out exactly what’s available and how you can make the most of these benefits.
5. Connect with other working parents
As you grapple with all the emotional and logistical challenges of returning to work after maternity leave, it can be incredibly helpful to lean on others who have been through — or are currently going through — the same thing.
Perhaps you have colleagues who recently returned from their own maternity leave, or friends in a similar position. You might even find a local or online community dedicated to working moms and dads. Be bold and reach out. Not only will you find reassurance in knowing you’re not alone — those other returning-to-work parents will no doubt appreciate your support in return.
6. Focus on the present
Last but not least, focus your time and energy wisely. Try not to get hung up on all the ways you think you’re behind, and don’t waste time attempting to catch up on everything you missed. There just aren’t enough hours in the day — you’ll only end up feeling overworked and overwhelmed before you’ve even begun.
Instead, focus on the here and now:
- Get up to speed on what needs to be done,
- discuss priorities for the upcoming weeks and months, and
- make sure you’ve got all the tools and information you need to get going.
You can’t be everywhere at once, and you can’t get back the time you’ve missed. However, you can apply yourself to the present — and you’ll find that it’s a much more productive and rewarding approach.
As you read through these steps and prepare for your return to work, remember that everybody’s journey is different. There is no time limit on how long it takes for you to settle back in, and you’re bound to experience a whole range of emotions along the way. Above all, practice self-compassion and cut yourself some slack.
