Back To Work - Preparing To Return To The Workplace After Maternity Leave

Whether you feel it looming towards you like a black cloud, or whether you’re counting down the days until you return to adult company, at some point in the lives of most working mothers, the maternity leave will come to an end. In terms of preparation, this will vary from family to family. Everyone’s circumstances are different. The length of leave will vary and therefore so will the age of the children. Some jobs will require a brushing up of skills before the worker returns. Some will have more family support than others. Whatever your circumstances, there is some great advice out there to help you make the transition back to work run as smoothly as possible. Read on to arm yourself with the best tips to make things easier for you and your family.

Preparation

Begin to prepare yourself emotionally in time for the big day. You may as well accept that it will probably be difficult leaving your baby or small child in the care of others for the first time. Even if you are going stir-crazy traipsing from the park to toddler group, or watching Peppa Pig re-runs on the DVD, you will probably miss this special time when it goes. You might well feel ready to return to work but you need to acknowledge that it will be a tug. Try to really enjoy your last stretch at home. Make the most of doing those daytime activities with your child before it comes to an end. Of course, some women might not find it a tug, and be chomping at the bit to ditch the daytime routine of the early years. That’s fine too. We’re all different.

Settling in

As well as preparing yourself emotionally for the big change, you need to prepare your child/children. It would be cruel to give them no clue about what’s happening. If your child is old enough to understand, then talk to them well in advance. With a baby, they may not understand what’s happening, but you can still prepare them. If they’ve never been left with anyone else, even for short periods, then a sudden drop-off at a nursery or child-minder is going to be traumatic. Some children will find it extremely difficult, even with preparation, but if you can build up to it by leaving them for increasingly long periods with family or friends, then this is bound to help. It is also important to make the most of the settling in periods at your chosen childcare provider. Most places will have a settling in model and have advice on how to deal with any upsetting goodbyes. Work with them to make the transition as smooth as possible for your child.

Brushing up on skills

It’s probably not so much of an issue if you’re returning after three or even six months, but if you’re out of work for a year or longer; you might find it helpful to brush up some skills, especially if you’re not returning to the same job.  It’s easy to get out of the habit of the working day. Rather than cause yourself too much of a shock, it might help to keep up with certain things during your leave, or perhaps embark on something like some volunteering. Whether you work in the private or public sector, the third sector is always going to be relevant and look good on your CV. If you’ve been out of work for a long time, some volunteering is a good opportunity to find your way back into work, and it can help with gaps on your CV. Get advice on returning to work, updating your CV and making plans from the many websites available.

Banish the Guilt

At some point you are going to feel guilty. We all do it. Try not to give yourself a hard time and remember that you’re doing what you feel is best for your family. Although it may not be a smooth ride, things will settle down, and hopefully, once you’re in the swing of work and you’re managing the drop-off with smiles instead of tears, then it will all be worth it.

Sam Wright is a journalist working for ThirdSectorVolunteering