5 Ways to Manage Returning to the Workplace after Parental Leave

Following my previous blog post on Does Being Healthily Pregnant Mean You Have To Stop Work?, and now that I’m back at work after Parental Leave with my second child, I thought it timely to share my experience of returning to the workplace after parental leave.  

Windsor Group and I have successfully navigated my return to work (twice) and I have enjoyed getting back into the swing of things. But for anyone who hasn’t been through this process yet, you may have questions and worries about what to expect. I wanted to share my top 5 tips from my own experience on returning to the workplace for both the employee and the employer:

Clear Communication

Ahead of the employee’s return date, ensure both parties are in regular communication. Checking in with the employee as they may be feeling nervous and anxious about returning to work and leaving their child is crucial. It’s a good idea to confirm the start date and time too.  

Consider Breastfeeding and other flexible requirements

Check-in with the employee about their possible requirements for Breastfeeding and/or expressing milk and provide a safe place for this to occur. Breastfeeding is a protected ground of discrimination under the Fair Work Act. There may be a requirement for other flexibility to support the return to the workplace. Check your state’s workplace health and safety laws here.

Agreement on the role and responsibilities

This one is significant, especially if the employee is returning to a different role or changed hours. Ensure the new position description is developed and agreed to. Arrange regular check-ins with the manager to ensure the workload is manageable and objectives are on track.

Onboarding

Depending on the length of time the employee has been on leave, it’s a good idea to conduct an onboarding process again. This ensures all current workplace information is shared and understood with the employee. Read more in our blog on onboarding here How to Onboard and Integrate your New Team Member

Workspace and Handover

Ensure the employee’s workspace is set back up and ready to go and adequate time is allocated for a handover if there was another employee acting in the role or taking care of their workload during the leave period.

All of the above combined contribute to a supportive and caring workplace environment ensuring that valued and skilled employees return to the workplace and continue to deliver great work.

– Written by Amy Mose – Corporate Services Manager, Windsor Group