Clowning Around
By Amy Sims
Did you know only 23% of people can juggle three balls at one time? But surprisingly, working parents are able to juggle so much more in 3 minutes. Being the start of a new year we thought it was an opportune time to discuss returning to work after having children and the constant juggle of parenthood and a career. We’ll also discuss some things employers can consider when their employees are returning to work.
We often get asked, “Is it worth going back to work by the time you factor in the cost of child care and the loss of family tax benefit?” A worthy question. We find that often the motivation to return to work is not only financial. The intellectual stimulation and the connection with others are other key factors. So what is driving you to return to work? Forget what other mothers are doing or what you promised pre baby....why is it that YOU are considering returning to work?
Is your maternity leave finished and you are ready to return to work?
Are you sick of all the baby talk and in much need of some adult conversation?
Do you need to make sure your brain still works?
Financially, do you need to be back at work?
From mum and dad’s perspective
Becoming a parent can be overwhelming for anyone. Every baby is different and it doesn't help that they forget to give you the instruction manual when you leave the hospital. Family and friends try to warn you of what is to come but nobody truly understands until they bring their own bundle of joy home.
Don't worry, whatever you said or declared pre-baby will not be held against you. Instead, think of it as something to reflect on and laugh about later. The constant doubt many new parents impose on themselves thinking they are not doing it right can drive people to return to work earlier than expected. You know you are good at your job, so by returning to work you know you are at least doing something right.
From the employer’s perspective
Everybody knows the key to a good business is good employees so it makes sense to invest in your employees.
There are many ways you can support your employees before, during and after parental leave which will not only benefit them but you as well:
Support your employee as they embark on their journey towards parenthood. Discuss how they would like to stay in touch with work while they’re on parental leave and think about ways you can keep them in the loop, eg do they want to retain their access to email, how can you keep them informed of team celebrations and work social events?
When the employee returns to work, provide as much flexibility as the business is able to support. Flexibility can include hours of work, eg working school hours or the flexibility to take time off work to attend school assemblies or to care for a sick child. You might also be able to consider the flexibility to work from home. Be aware that Fair Work stipulates that parents returning to work after taking parental leave have the right to request flexible working arrangements.
You might be able to offer employees the option to “purchase” additional leave to accommodate school holidays. This means they take a reduction in their annual salary for the benefit of additional annual leave.
Once you and your employee agree to the number of hours / days per week, make sure they’re able to manage their workload within that time. If your employee is constantly staying back or taking work home, you may need to adjust their workload.
Think about your clients. Keep them informed of your employee’s movements. This will no doubt alleviate pressure on your employee and it will help your clients to understand any changes.
We love that some of the major global organisations are setting a great example when it comes to parental leave. For example, Swedish company Spotify have introduced a parental leave policy where each full-time employee is entitled to six months of paid parental leave to be taken anywhere between the birth of their child and 3 years of age. They also provide a one month "welcome back" programme that allows their employees to ease back in to their job with the ability to work from home, on a part-time basis with flexible hours. In another example, Netflix offer their employees unlimited paid parental leave, inviting them to take "as much time as they want" in the year following the birth or adoption of a child.
While these are indeed fantastic examples of organisations being innovators, we also acknowledge that these parental leave policies are not realistic for small businesses. But aren’t they inspiring!
So, back to our mums and dads
Now that you are back at work, how do you juggle it all?
The key to being able to juggle home, work and a social life is to accept that you can’t do it all and to have a good support network.
We would like to leave you with some suggestions that help some of the working mums and dads at Lincolns get through the week:
Start and finish your day on a happy note
Be as organised as possible without being too pedantic, eg pre-planning and pre-cooking meals
Schedule in “me time” whenever you can (“me time” does not include going to work)
Learn to go with the flow and adapt as things arise
Try to have a clear separation from home and work, eg checking your emails at home is not always a good thing, neither is being distracted by home when you’re at work
Don't be too hard on yourself
Most importantly leave work stresses at work and leave your home stresses at home
And if all comes crashing down, have a wine and start over
