Disclosure – this is a collaborative post.
The big question for young women just starting out in the workplace is, can you or should you, hold off on your career to have kids? The answer you want to hear is, ‘yes, sure, go ahead!’ But, it’s not as good as that. It’s still good, but there are some things you need to be aware of. You can have children and pick up where you left off, but you will need to plan this out! You have to involve your employer right from the beginning, so they know how to plan around you! The other challenges will be personal, as in needing to keep up with your career from home if possible, and designing your motherhood around your work in the future.
Speak with employer
Most businesses will be absolutely fine with your maternity leave request. You can speak with your manager first, but you should make an appointment with the HR team as well. They will ask you a couple of simple questions.
- How long will you be out of work, aside from the 9 months? (you should be entitled to 12 months maternity leave, as standard)
- Can you work from home after a certain amount of time? (some employers would love it if you could do some light work, maybe 1-2 hours a day from home)
- Once back at work, will you need a special arrangement? (as in, if you need to respond to your baby’s needs urgently, will you need to leave work in a hurry?
Once you get the details ironed out, you should be good to go. Most employers already have procedures and protocols in place to pick up the slack and move things around to make it work despite being down one team member.
Doing work from home
By now, the pandemic has probably shown you that most of the work you do at the office can easily be done at home as well. The question is, how much time do you have to do work at home? The first 6 months will be hectic and you’ll be tired. But after which, you’ll be able to do a little work as your baby will be settled in, you’ll be more adept at motherhood, etc. it’s highly advisable that you continue to catch up on your industry’s news, and keep up to date on the projects going on at work.
Heading back to work?
Most of the time, you can go back to work and pick up where you left off. But even this depends on your job title. If your career is intense and people need you to be in your role, then you may have to quit work and then find another job when you’re ready. For example, finding your new medical career with this website is easy because they are specialists in this field. They have over 30 years of experience and have never failed to match professionals with an awesome job and career opportunities. Find a specialist like this for your industry if you’re seeking a whole new start.
Being a mother is a high priority for many women. But that doesn’t mean you can’t pick up where you left off in your career or even, find a new job to suit your own skills and needs.
Disclosure – this is a collaborative.