Beyond Maternity Leave: Challenges & Solutions For Returnee Mothers

"I don't want to announce my pregnancy yet. I'm worried that I will miss out on a promotion that I'm due for."

"I have been on a maternity break for some time. Will I be able to adapt to all the changes that have taken place in my absence."

“I love my work, but I don't know if I can manage both motherhood and work.”

These are some common concerns that one hears often from expecting and young mothers. Managing work and motherhood is by no means an easy balance to maintain. Indira Nooyi once remarked, “The biological clock and the career clock are in total conflict with each other.”

The situation is made even more difficult because of three main reasons.

The imposter syndrome that most women still reel under, makes them doubt their ability to excel in both motherhood and work. Studies have shown how the fear of failing prevents women from taking decisions that would advance their career.

Much of the corporate world, particularly at senior leadership levels, remains a ‘boys club.’ A prevalent unconscious bias creates a tilted work field for working mothers as they struggle to climb up the corporate hierarchy. This lack of parity not only hinders women's advancement but also deprives companies of diverse perspectives and talent.

In patriarchal societies like India, there is a significant disparity in the amount of time spent on daily activities between men and women. According to a report by the OECD, women in India spend an average of 352 minutes per day on unpaid work such as childcare, while men only spend 52 minutes a day on such activities. In contrast, in Belgium, the gap is less pronounced, with men spending an average of 168 minutes per day and women spending 251 minutes per day on unpaid work.

If we want to make the transition from maternity to work easier, what is needed is the creation of a conducive ecosystem.

Women: Enabling a personal transformation process can help women to reframe their perspectives and build emotional resilience. An objective evaluation of the demands of her new ‘status’, will help her prioritise and plan her responsibilities better. A confident and emotionally resilient mother is more likely to build her supportive network at home, as she manages her return to work. Work-life balance often hinges on an equal partnership. Recently I learnt of a couple that had shattered gender stereotypes when the wife embarked on a 15-month research trip in the US, while the husband became the primary caregiver of their one year old. Even though one does hear of such heartwarming stories; they are few and far between.

Reporting managers: Many managers may find themselves unprepared to deal with a woman in their team going on maternity leave. Coaching them on how to address concerns about work management, offering flexible work arrangements and understanding the need for occasional schedule adjustments due to childcare needs can make a significant difference. There are several instances of people leaders who have been empathetic and made significant changes in work assignments to accommodate a new mother’s changed needs. In the experience of women managers.