THE MOTHER'S VIEW
Women have been having children for years, it's no big deal.
I am going to continue with my 'normal' life once the baby comes
along.
Surely she can continue with her workload when she returns.
These are all comments we still hear today, where people still
have the misconception that having a baby is a quick hiccup in
everyday life. This is not the case. There are transitions in
and out of environments both personally and professionally that we
need to consider.
Imagine having a child is like implementing a change programme.
It has phases, it happens over a period of time and certainly isn't
just a one day event.
Phase One - "Yikes/yippee, I'm pregnant"
This is the transition out of the organisation for a period of
time. This is the first "window of danger" to be aware of. To
ensure a successful transition out, here are three key areas to
focus on:
- Start to plan a handover at least two months out from leaving
date (if only to allow yourself to be able to fully let go).
- Talk about expectations with people around you for a successful
handover or transition out (your manager, peers, family etc).
- Document the agreed actions so all parties are on the same page
regarding your transition out.
Phase Two - "Yikes/yippee, a new baby"
This is the period when the mother is on leave, and the
timeframe for each individual can vary quite considerably. This
needs to be treated as another transition, phase or change in the
process, rather than a short period of leave. To ensure you remain
engaged as a new mum while absent, consider:
- Keeping the communication lines open; whatever is happening, is
it working for you? Keep in touch with your team mates and manager
if you are keen to be kept involved.
- Consider and plan what your ideal timeframe and transition back
looks like (even if this is six months out).
- Ask for help, support or suggestions from others (you don't
have to do it all yourself).
Phase Three - "Yikes/yippee, I'm returning to work"
This is the period when the mother transitions back to work.
Another "danger period" to be aware of. This is where lots of
returning mums fall off the career track and their talent is lost
as a result of either returning to a role with less challenge or
deciding not to return at all.
To ensure a successful transition back to work consider the
following:
- Formulate a transition plan including communication with all
key people around (family, manager, peers etc).
- Start slowly by working less hours back at first and see what
works and doesn't work.
- Allow time to transition your child into his or her new
environment as well.
These are a few tips to help you as a mother make this long term
change as helpful as possible within each stage. Learn from each
phase and consider your learnings and share with other
transitioning mums.
THE MANAGER'S PERSPECTIVE
The phases of motherhood from a mother's viewpoint are only one
side of the coin, with the other side (in a professional context)
being the manager's perspective.
Facing the Unknown
Broaching motherhood for the first time can be scary and
daunting for the mother, with the unknown causing a sense of
anxiety that comes with planning for something that you know
nothing about. Sure, you can plan delivery dates, however less than
5% of babies are born on their due date; and sure, you can plan for
a return date to work and childcare, but you do not know how your
child will adapt.
Managers also have to face some unknowns: whether the mother
will return to work, when she will return and how will her new
transition affect her in a professional environment?
For the manager of a new mum, it's a transition into a new team
structure (without the mother), sometimes with a replacement for a
short period of time, which requires the team to transition again
when the mother returns to that team. And any manager who has a
direct report with commitments outside work (children, family,
sporting or religious), faces different challenges as the manager
of that individual. To ensure successful transitions from a
manager's perspective, consider the following:
Phase One
As a manager, one of your team advises you they are pregnant.
First and foremost, congratulate them! It may seem a shock to you,
but remember a manager who seems to care is a manager people will
come back to work for. Once you (and possibly she) have got over
the shock:
- Talk about expectations from their side and yours, what needs
to happen to ensure a successful handover. Document these so both
parties are on the same page.
- Find the relevant information from Human Resources to help them
and you to be well informed ofpolices and procedures to
follow.
- Check in regularly with how they are and where possible
identify someone to handover to prior totheir leave.
- Document a clear communication plan for while they are on
leave, what they want to keep informed about and how often they
want to be contacted. Most mothers want to be kept in the loop,
whereas in the past, managers left them alone as they didn't want
to intrude.
Phase Two
Your team member departs for parental leave, leaving you with a
changed team.To ensure your team member remains engaged while
absent, again, first and foremost, congratulate her when the baby
comes along. Perhaps give her a phone call and see how mother and
baby are doing. Many mothers we work with hugely appreciate a phone
call, even if it ends up being a voicemail message.
- Commit to your communications plan, and keep the new mother
informed with what is going on with the team and the organisation
that may be of interest. Keep in touch to see if she would like to
be contacted more or less as her expectations may change. Keeping
the communication lines open will make her more likely to feel she
can still come to talk about challenges or requests they may
have.
- Keep your existing team in the loop with the development of the
new mum and what that means for the team in terms of changing
workload, replacements etc.
- Contact the mum one month prior to returning to confirm what
information she needs to prepare her for her return.
Phase Three
This is the stage where lots of returning mums fall off the
career track and their talent is lost as a result of either
returning to a role with less challenge or deciding not to return
at all. This re-entry phase back is hugely important. To ensure a
successful transition back to work consider the following:
- Treat the returning mum as a new employee to the team. Ensure
she has a work space, relevant tools (computer) and perhaps a
welcome back morning tea to touch base with new team members or any
changes that she may not be aware of.
- Where possible allow flexibility to help her transition back to
the organisation e.g. working hours, working from home occasionally
etc. It is in your interest to retain her knowledge so allowing her
time to successfully transition back will reward you and the team
in the long run.
- Allow time. Keep checking in with the returning mum and the
team to ensure they have what they need to perform at a high
performance level.
Key Success Factor
Our research shows that the manager is a major factor in whether
the transition back to work is successful or not for a returning
mum. So, as a manager of a returning mum, you have the power to
ensure a successful transition back to the organisation, not only
for the mother returning, but for the team she is returning to.
Think carefully about how you can best support the mother and the
team through this period.
Acknowledgement
Altris is
all about releasing potential. Releasing the potential of you, your
employees and the untapped potential in your business. Altris is New Zealand's premier executive coaching
group, who specifically focus on transition coaching. At Altris
we aim to make a difference to you and your business as a way of
making a difference to New Zealand as a whole. We think that makes
us a little different and are sure you will too.