A master class in managing talent through maternity
Managing maternity leave is one of the most daunting of all tasks for some managers, and many women returning to work find that they come back to a significantly different working environment; some find that their roles or teams have changed and others find themselves being treated differently. Often managers are unaware of this and are just pleased to have their team member back. Other managers may find themselves struggling to deal with the reality of managing maternity in the workplace.
Lack of communication between the returner and employer can result in talented women dropping out of the workforce soon after returning. To prevent this from happening, employers should carefully consider the whole process of maternity in the workplace.
To help you do this, here Chris Parke, managing director of Talking Talent presents a short master class in managing talent through maternity.
The announcement, preparations and handover
When a pregnancy is announced, remember to offer congratulations and know your boundaries; what can you ask? What needs to be put in place now? What are the legal rights of the employee? Communication is crucial - but employers are often so worried about doing or saying the wrong thing, they tend to say nothing at all. Try to avoid questions such as: was it planned? Are you going to come back? How are we going to deliver the business plan?
Plan the handover well in advance; it is typically one of the worst-managed parts of a maternity transition, but it is essential. Establish how the role will be covered and involve the leaver in the handover. Be clear about her responsibilities in ensuring the handover is of a high quality. Pre-planning will help avoid the leaver working excessive hours, particularly during the final trimester - which is one of the high risk points of pregnancy. Don't forget that sometimes nature will not wait until the due date!
Finally, make sure you give the employee a performance review before she leaves.
During Maternity Leave
When an employee is on maternity leave for up to a year, staying connected in a meaningful way is important. Establish how the employee wants to stay connected; how often, through which channel, with whom and about what. Be ready to challenge unrealistic expectations, but also be flexible with levels of contact - the woman's views may change after the birth!
Preparing to return can be an anxious time for the woman as doubts over capability and coming back to adjusted teams and/or roles creep in. Think of ways to help the returner get up to speed, for example, by inviting them to attend a significant strategy, client or team meeting.
Preparation and actual return
Both the employee and the extended team should be involved in planning the return to ensure successful re-integration. Be clear on the re-allocation of activities, responsibilities and clients - manage all the stakeholders concerned and expectations. Have meaningful work prepared for the returner and ensure that the basics are in place, such as access, pay, benefits and work materials.
Flexible working options can provide the best solution for the team and returner. Consider what will work well and what won’t, but be consistent, clear, and aware of personal conscious/unconscious biases around maternity leave. Make sure regular reviews are in place, and be prepared to eventually have a broader discussion around career expectations. This will show that the returner’s career momentum is of utmost importance.
By proactively managing maternity employers can make this transition smoother for all involved; it can present opportunities for the team to develop and grow, and can increase employee engagement and performance, as well as helping retain and engage key talent. The costs of badly managed maternity can range from unhappy, disengaged staff to grievance cases or legal action. Making things right again results in indirect costs to the company that can easily be avoided if time is invested from the start.
Assumptions - the mother of all..
Some of the largest errors of judgement surrounding maternity are made when managers or colleagues make assumptions on the leaver/returner and her needs.
This can be typically about:
- Levels of commitment
- Desire for promotion
- Changed priorities and therefore focus and ability to perform flexibly
The key is to have open and honest dialogue at each stage to avoid making wrong assumptions and poor decisions. Much of this is linked to unconscious biases individuals may have relating to previous experiences and personal belief systems – watch out for those gremlins!
What lenses do you need to look through?
- Practical – what practical and pragmatic steps need to be taken to ensure the transition runs smoothly?
- Policy and legal – what are the laws surrounding this period and how does this sit with individual company policies?
- Emotional – what are the main sources of anxiety and concern for each stakeholder at this point? For example the leaver, client, extended team and supplier.
