Navigating maternity leave and return to work
Maternity leave and return to work
Harriet had her baby, Elodie in September 2022, took 9 months maternity leave and returned to her job in political affairs and communications in summer 2023. She moved from working 5 days a week to four to accommodate childcare.
She tells the Lowdown about her experience of maternity leave and some tips she’d give those who are approaching it, or returning to work.
The first thing to say is that no parent’s experience is the same – what works for one, won’t work for another, and, sadly some routes such as flexible working and cutting down your hours just aren’t an option for many people. And, well, when it comes to being a mother, everyone seems to have an opinion.
From conversations with friends and family it seems as though a lot of people still have set views on how long parents should have off work. “3 months? Oh that’s far too soon to go back”, or “A year?! You’re lucky you still have a job”. I personally had 9 months of maternity leave and that felt right for me, but everyone is different and there are other commitments and what your support network looks like to consider.
In that vein, there are a few things that I have reflected on over the last 18 months that is by no means a one size fits all but I hope will help some of you:
Realise the limits of your planning. This isn’t to say ditch the handover or clock off early but, as with all things baby related, some things are just out of your hands. Decide your last day of work, but have it in the back of your mind that it could change (and did for me!)
Embrace the period of switch-off. I found ‘keep in touch’ days, or even short calls, really helpful so I would definitely recommend those. However there is very little you can do during a several-month period of parental leave and that’s OK! I find it hard not to check emails if I have a long weekend off, but fine to check out if it’s a fortnight holiday. The same principle applies.
Don’t overthink your return. It’s easy to build life events up in your head and let anxiety take over, and returning from parental leave is no exception. It’s hard to picture what your weekly routine will look like, and juggling childcare (especially with dreaded winter illnesses!) is no joke, but things WILL be fine. For many people, myself included, you don’t realise the extent to which you were ready to return to (paid) working life and reclaim that part of yourself
Take time to consider your options. Do you want to go back full time? Part time? 80% time? Do you want to condense your hours? Are any of these even an option at your place of work? All employees in England have the legal right to request flexible working, and from April 2024 this right exists from day one on the job. Unfortunately, this right does not mean your request will be granted, but it is worth setting out in your mind what your ideal outcome would be and where the red lines are. Bear in mind what hours your nursery/childminder/family help offer and figure out what is possible. Condensing your hours to maintain 100% pay, but working four out of five days could be a brilliant solution for your family but it could also mean late pick-ups, extra stress and very little time with your little one. You can also be smart with your use of the accrued holiday (possibly easing in the return to work with three or four-day weeks) but do talk this through with your manager in advance to ensure arrangements work for everyone in your team and boundaries are set.
Use your newfound/reignited skills! Attending antenatal classes, sensory classes, soft plays and the whole host of activities you could fill your time (and empty your pockets) with opens up a world of new friends and contacts. Having the confidence and communication skills to approach people, strike up conversation and find things in common is 100% transferable to the working world. We can all get stuck in our ways, particularly after Covid, so having a strong reason to ‘network’ again can be a great boost for your career.
As a final thought, I’m in awe of parents (and those with other, equally as important, caring responsibilities) who managed to work in the office five days a week before the pandemic. I feel very lucky to have the flexibility from my employer and manager to make work work for me and my family, a privilege that sadly isn’t available to everyone.
