Maternity leave. It’s a big topic – and rightly so. Great strides have been made to protect parental leave because we know doing so has positive impacts on both parent and child – not to mention creating a fairer and stronger economy. But here’s the thing. We’re missing a crucial part of the story. The moment the mother returns to work.
The data is screaming at us.
“85% of mothers leave the full-time workforce within 3 years of having their first child. 19% leave altogether” – Careers after babies
“a quarter of a million mothers with young children have left their jobs because of difficulties with balancing work and childcare” – the Fawcett Society
“43% of highly qualified women with children are leaving careers or off-ramping for a period of time.” – Lean In, Sheryl Sandberg
That’s an alarmingly sharp drop off point. And expensive too. Because the average cost of replacing an employee in the UK is c. £25,000 per worker. And for senior roles, this number can range from £40,000 to £100,000. – Payfit
So what’s going wrong? Companies have detailed policies and procedures around maternity leave. Because let’s face it, it’s a protected characteristic. They have to. The returning period? Not so much. From my friends alone I heard stories of mothers returning to work and finding they had no desk. Returning to work to find their mat cover is sticking around. Returning to work in a new role with no support. If it were an onboarding experience, you’d be horrified. But because it’s a returning staff member, it’s seemingly overlooked. You might ask, “why don’t they say something?” – but that misses the power dynamic of how it feels to return to work after prolonged leave. If I could describe my own experience, it feels something like this…
The dichotomy
I had so much to say, and at times, not much confidence to say it.
I had days of big, bold ideas, and other days on minimal sleep where I’d seemingly lost the ability to use the English language.
I had fresh eyes to reenergise the team and push for better, and I had moments of enormous doubt.
It’s a unique feeling: knowing your worth and ability and wanting to be treated the same as before, at the same time as feeling your whole world has shifted and wanting that to be seen.
And that’s not to mention the new financial burden of childcare, the dreaded nursery phone calls and the seemingly ENDLESS nursery bugs (hand, foot and mouth AGAIN?).
Honestly? I wouldn’t have had the bandwidth or the confidence to complain. I’m lucky I didn’t have to.
Businesses, you have a choice.
Do nothing. See a dip in confidence, a drop in performance, building resentment and in the worst circumstances, a great team member gone. Or? Intervene. Build an offer that makes you famous, elevates your business and empowers amazing talent that you can’t afford to lose. We know it works. A recent EY study found that coaching for women returners resulted in a retention rate of 90%. Huge.
So where to start?
- Create a proactive plan
Collaborate with your team member to build a plan that works for them. Let them guide the pace, how many days, and what information they want when. Agree it in advance and check in to keep things on track.
- Reonboard
A lot can change in a few months. Start from scratch. Refresh on the business strategy, priorities and cultural levers such as values and behaviours. Do a specific spotlight on the things that have changed since they’ve been off.
- Spot opportunities
If your team member feels up to it, think about something specific that they can own and run with. You’ve got fresh eyes, so use them! Give them a special project, with review points and team members to collaborate with. A sure fire way to build confidence and give ownership.
- Make feedback the norm
“Well done” goes a really long way. Make sure you positively reinforce the good things you see, and give constructive criticism where it’s needed. So often managers tip toe around returning employees, and that’s not helpful for anyone. Communicate.
- Returners interview
Agree specific junctures for a ‘returners interview’ a 1:1 check in on how it’s going. Think exit interview – but much more useful – because you can shift your course, make changes in real time, and feed what you learn back into your returners plans for future employees.
I’m confident with the right intervention we can make that drop off point a thing of the past. I’m making it my mission. So if you’d like to talk about what the returners experience looks like in your organisation, or if you’re in the post mat leave trenches and just want to talk to someone who’s been through it. I’m all yours.
