Getting work after maternity leave is not a formality. In order for this transition to happen at best, it deserves to be well prepared.
Anticipate his departure on maternity leave
A good return from maternity leave begins with a good start on maternity leave. If a replacement is committed, take the time to train it well, to tell him the processes so that everything is rolling … You will leave with the lighter mind, the work will be done according to your habits and you will avoid overload of tasks when you return. If your missions are distributed among your colleagues, do the best for briefs upstream. Adjust all your files in progress and notify your various interlocutors from your departure.
Take advantage of maternity leave
Maternity leave is a parenthesis in life, a unique moment to accompany baby … and it goes quickly. Take full advantage of it to focus on you, your baby, and cut work to come back in great shape. If you try to lead both to the front, you may never be fully concentrated and to be frustrated.
A balance sheet on oneself
It’s also time to take stock of your situation. “” It is unknown what will happen during and after pregnancy, you have to accept this part of the unknown. We need during this leave to reassess our situation, what we thought of us as a woman, mother and as a professional. It’s about wondering who we are, what our baby and we need. Some women will want to extend their maternity leave, others will really want to go back to work “Explains Clémence Pagnon, consultant and trainer within the Issénce cabinet, specialized in the challenges of parenting at work, which she founded with Isma Lassouani. Both have just published “ The 5th quarter – Living well your return from maternity leave »At Solar.
A part -time recovery is possible
Do you want to extend your maternity leave? You can request parental or partial education leave. If you are still on maternity leave, you can claim, by law, to this lighter schedule, under conditions. “” You must anticipate your request at least a month before the date of return scheduled for business. If we have resumed work in the meantime and that We want to lighten our pace, it takes a period of two months “, Specifies Clémence Pagnon.
If you wish to develop your recovery outside parental leave of law, the terms depend on corporate culture. It is sometimes possible to resume part -time for one or two months to adapt.
Provide a safe duty mode
Not easy to leave baby behind you after a few months. It is therefore better to have confidence in the daycare solution. Does the dad take over? A maternal assistant? The crèche? A parental assistant? If the logistics part is not sure, the return to business can be stressful.
“” In 2021, our firm carried out a “5th quarter: the big survey” survey and revealed that more than 40 % of the mothers resumed work with a lack of confidence in the chosen childcare mode. This first great separation is a real step which arouses concern because we bring a third into our life and that of baby. But if we are quiet on the choice, we also allow the child to be. And then, you can ask to receive messages or photos of your day “Suggest Clémence Pagnon. In any case, it is prudent to do it in advance!
Adjust the border between professional life and personal life
The resumption of work concerns the company, the woman but also her spouse. To continue to be the mother you want, arrangements will be welcome. If your life partner has already resumed work, you probably manage the logistics of the home more. With your recovery, is it time to review everyone’s attributions: who manages the races? Who deposits and recovers baby? etc…
The idea is to organize, share the mental burden and call on his loved ones. “” We are in an individualistic society, parents carry a lot of weight on their shoulders. You have to allow yourself to ask for help. Relatives are happy to be able to relieve by going to look for the greatest, shopping … We can also, if you are easier, use a cleaning lady. As a young parent, we need this valve space to breathe Adds Clémence Pagnon.
Really exchange during the return interview
After maternity leave, the return interview between the employee and her direct manager or a human resources manager is compulsory. Ideally, it takes place the first week of returning to business. It allows you to take stock, to answer your questions, to evoke the developments of the service and the company, the position, the possible desires of change or training … Express your needs and your expectations.
Reconnect with work and teams
Going with the baby or alone to have a drink or lunch with colleagues the week before the recovery can be a good idea to reduce the apprehension of D -Day. It allows teams to prepare to find you in a relaxed atmosphere. You will learn where the business is, its challenges of the moment, the tasks that await you.
If you don’t have the opportunity, nothing serious. But when you return, remember to recreate social ties. Clémence Pagnon advises considering this recovery as a marathon to cut into steps, over several weeks, rather than perceiving this return as a sprint: first fortnight (info, reconnecting the contact), second half (fixing of objectives), etc.
It is therefore a question first of all to reconnect with everyone, to let us know that we are back, to take information, to hear what happened. “” This link will be different depending on whether we were replaced or not during maternity leave. If we have been replaced post office, it is more comfortable because we have a time of handover to readjust. If your missions were distributed among your colleagues, it was a weight for them and your return will surely be well seen. There is still the risk that a file or a task pleases a colleague and that he does not restore his hand on it “Warns Clémence Pagnon.
In this case, she suggests to thank the colleague for his work and to ask him how he plans this handover. Otherwise it is up to the manager to intervene to recall the functioning of the team and everyone’s tasks so that everything goes well.
Dorothée Blancheton
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