Returning to work after maternity leave can be a daunting prospect for mothers and we, as employers, can do several things to ensure that we make the return as smooth as possible.

In this short article, I provide some tips and advice to help employers support the transition back into the workplace.

Actionable tips to support your employee returning to work after maternity leave

Communication before returning

Firstly, before an employee even begins their maternity leave, it’s always advisable to talk to them about their expectations and preferences for maintaining contact while they’re away. It’s great to keep them informed of any key business updates or changes so that they continue to feel like a part of the team but this needs to be balanced with the need to spend time with their new family. This should be determined and agreed with them so that it’s clear for all parties. It may also be useful to discuss Keeping in Touch (KIT) days with the employee to determine if they would find this useful and if there is an option to do any of these before their return. By maintaining contact with them while they are away, the return to work should hopefully be less of a daunting prospect.

Don’t overlook the small details

Employees aren’t required to give advanced notification of how long they expect to take for their maternity leave however they are required to provide 8 weeks’ notice if they intend to return to work prior to the statutory 52 weeks of leave. Employers should assume that an employee will take the full year unless advised otherwise. Prior to an employee’s return, it would be beneficial for their manager to contact them to notify them of any arrangements for their first day back and who to report to. They might also need up to date information, for instance if access or login details have changed. This will help the employee to feel confident that arrangements are in place for their return and that their workstation will be ready for them.

Work load versus hours

It’s quite common for employees to return to work on a more flexible arrangement. Where this is the case, it’s important to ensure that arrangements have been made, for instance to redistribute work where the employee is now working less hours to ensure employees don’t become burnt out. It’s usually helpful to have a review period for a flexible working arrangement so that both parties can feed back on how it is going.

Getting back in the know

Upon an employee’s return to work it’s important that they have all the equipment and access that they need to do their job. It may also be beneficial to have handover meetings with other employees that have been covering the work. It is also advisable to schedule regular catch ups with the employee to begin with so that any teething problems can be identified and resolved.

Don’t throw them in at the deep end

To avoid overwhelming the employee upon their return, one option would be to gradually ease them back to work and handing over their responsibilities over a period of a few weeks. This would give them additional headspace to get back into the mindset of work and enable them to get used to any new systems or processes that have been put in place during their absence.

Support breastfeeding

Another element that needs to be considered is that often mothers returning to work are breastfeeding. The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 (SI 1992/3004) require employers to provide suitable rest facilities for employees who are breastfeeding. It is good practice for employers to provide a private, clean environment in which milk can be expressed, for example a spare office, and a fridge in which to store the milk. It would not be appropriate to expect an employee to express milk in a toilet. An employee may also require some flexibility over breaks so that they can express milk at the appropriate times. A great way to ensure that the employee has the necessary support and facilities is to have a meeting with them on their first morning back where all of this can be explored in more detail.

All of these steps are best met through open channels of communication throughout an employee’s pregnancy and maternity leave so that they feel supported. This should hopefully lead to an employee that is engaged and happy to return.

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