Return to work: A new Parents tips ??

I cried every day for a week (or maybe more!), when I came back to work from Maternity Leave after having my daughter. I have never told anyone that. I wasn’t crying because of work - I came back to a company I love, in a job I love, with a [new] boss who is amazing.

So why was I crying? Hmmmm. There really is nothing that could have fully prepared me for returning to work after having a baby, because things aren’t really the same.? The company is the same, the job is (mostly/hopefully) the same, and maybe your boss is the same - but I’m not.

I was crying because I wasn’t the same.?

I don’t have the same priorities, I don’t have the same energy levels - mental or physical, and I don’t have the same flexibility. And yet everything at work felt the same. Same interesting and insightful work, same exciting new potential colleagues to speak with, same Employer Branding work to do, DEI projects to get involved in… revolutions to start! All things I love doing!?

But, the days weren’t the same.?

I had to schedule pumping 2-3 times a day. I had to drop everything and rearrange calls last minute when my daughter was sick and couldn't go to childcare. I had to find the energy to work 9 hours on 3 hours sleep. I had to think about a whole other human being before I thought about myself.

But would I change a thing??

Absolutely not! (Ok, maybe I’d have a little more sleep…)

I regularly think about how lucky I feel to work at Wagestream. To have a boss like Sophie Jammes and an amazing team with Jake Wilson and Kaylee Sita . My transition back to work couldn’t have been any smoother and easier, and now 4 months in, and my daughter is now 13 months, I’m going to reflect on what happened for me to make it such a simple and gentle return to work.?

Of course, this isn’t a definitive list, but these are things I think had a huge impact:\

1. KIT days

Anyone on Maternity or Adoption Leave is legally entitled to up to 10 “Keeping-In-Touch” (KIT) Days, they’re optional so you don’t have to use them, but if you do, you’ll be paid at your regular salary, and the work you undertake will be agreed in advance with your manager.?

These are great if you want to get involved in a project, or want to meet your team, or new team members, before you come back, or if you want to just refresh your mind from a working perspective.?

I ended up doing 2 KIT days, they were great to meet my new, extended team, and to catch up on big changes in the business over the previous 9 months.

2. Communication

I recommend staying in touch with your line manager! Even if it’s just to say hi, explain about your childcare situation or chat about your return to work - let them know any requests you might have for your return; I found it’s best to let them know as early as possible - legal minimum is 8 weeks notice but your work can choose to be flexible. They can also stay in contact with you about any changes in the team, company updates & social events.

Remember, your work can’t contact you asking for help on work related matters, or pressure you to return to work early.?

Open and transparent communication is the key here, don’t hide if something is going on at home, because being a new parent (even if it’s not the 1st time!) is difficult, things happen, and your work can only be understanding if they know what's going on. If you don’t feel comfortable talking to your manager, perhaps find a colleague or HR/People Team member to speak with.?

3. Flexibility

I work in a rapidly scaling start up, it’s no secret that to achieve what we want to achieve, I regularly used to go above and beyond in terms of hours to get the best results. I am also no stranger to weird working hours (hello Australia!), but my hours look a little different now, thanks to a great deal of flexibility afforded to me.?

If I need to shorten my day due to childcare or head to a hospital appointment during the day, I know I can amend the day to work for me, I’ll work a couple of hours that evening instead, or a longer day the next day. You get out what you put in. I know some people read things like that (especially from within big corporations) and are shocked at working outside the traditional 9-5 but that's the joy of working in a Scale Up - flexibility and making it work for you is much easier!

Also, you can put in a Flexible Working Request, I requested to be 4 days a week for the remainder of 2022, and return to 5 days from 2023. This was agreed too! YAY!

4. Using Annual Leave

You continue to accrue annual leave during maternity leave, and you can agree with your manager how best to use it. Some people choose to tag it onto the end of their Maternity Leave so they get fully paid before returning. I used mine to be 3 days a week for 3 months (on top of my 4 day working week), which was a nice gentle return to work. Working 3 days doesn’t always work for all employers, which is why you should keep in contact with your work and be open about your childcare options.?

Where I live it is really limited so I struggled to even find more than 3 days a week, so am thankful it worked out, and I’m looking forward to being full time from 2023.

5. Go easy on yourself!!

Yes, I said it. I was NOT easy on myself at all. I’ve always had a problem with perfectionism, and my biggest piece of advice to anyone returning to work… give yourself a break! You are not the same person. Your life has changed for the better. You have changed for the better. You will learn to prioritise more, be more efficient, be more dedicated. You’ll learn to switch off where you couldn’t before, because you have so much else to fit in your brain. So if it all feels like a lot - that’s because IT IS. So go easy on yourself.

Right, that's my twopence. I’m sure I could write for hours about what did and didn’t work for me, but maybe I’ll follow up with another one (if you’re lucky).?

There are a ton of resources that I can link below, but the main things to remember - talk to your employer!?

If you don’t ask, you don’t get.?

ACAS

NCT Groups

Citizens Advice

Working Families