Maternity Leave Support: 2 Reframes & 4 Action Steps to Retain Top Talent

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Here’s an uncomfortable truth: If you don’t adequately support employees on maternity leave, you risk losing them.

They won’t storm out of the room immediately shouting, “I quit!” But feeling unsupported and undervalued will plant a seed of discontent and erode their commitment. Every disappointment, frustration, or instance of feeling unseen will make the discontent grow. Eventually, your employees will find another opportunity that offers the support they crave.

Careers after Babies released a report after surveying 848 working moms in the UK. They found that 57% of the women who returned to work full-time after having a baby left the company within two years. Parentaly conducted a similar survey of over 2,750 U.S. women and found concerning results. One-third of new parents left their organization within 18 months. And 73% thought about it at least “occasionally.” 

This exodus of new parents is hardly surprising. According to Parentaly, 60% of new mothers reported their companies provided ineffective support for their parental leave transitions. If your organization is one of them, you risk significant turnover as your employees grow their families.

Inadequate maternity support is one of many systemic issues surrounding caregiving and work in the US. However, you can take steps to prevent losing valuable employees during these major life transitions. I’ll share two ways to rethink your leave policies and suggest four actions to better support your employees and retain talent.

Reframe #1: Believe The Best In Your Employees

Employers often cast a wary eye on maternity leave negotiations. It comes from a good place–a desire to provide fairness to new parents and non-parents alike. The new parent is already getting leave that non-parents don’t get. Anything else wouldn’t be fair.

As any parent of more than one kid will tell you, “fairness” should not mean “treating everyone the same.” Siblings are different people with different needs, just as your employees are. True fairness is meeting and balancing those individual needs. Trying to make things equal between siblings often backfires. Kids compare everything to what their sibling has instead of feeling happy with what they have. Meet the individual needs, and you’ll increase contentment.

When discussing my return to work and accommodations after maternity leave, I had one goal. I wanted to continue performing well while acknowledging the increased demands of parenthood. My superiors often misinterpreted my motivations. The implication was that I was trying to “game the system.” But I was simply trying to be realistic about my situation.

If you are dealing with an employee on or about to go on leave, I suggest a simple shift in perspective. If this employee is already a dedicated worker who cares about the organization, believe they will continue to be one.

If you’re a fan of Dr. Becky Kennedy and Good Inside, you might recognize this as the “Most Generous Interpretation” principle. In a nutshell, she encourages parents to assume the most positive motivation behind their child’s behavior. If you’re Pollyanna-ish like me, you might think of it as “seeing the best in people.” We should apply this principle to all our relationships. Assume good intent in others’ actions.

Don’t assume that having a baby will make an employee less dedicated, willing to work hard, or interested in career progression. Instead, assume they want to continue succeeding at work while navigating these new life changes.

Reframe #2: Humanize Your Policies

When I made requests or suggestions about my leave or return to work, I often heard, “Well, this is what our policy says.” Ugh.

A policy and procedures handbook cannot address the full spectrum of human experience. It’s impossible. That’s what makes this response so infuriating. 

Sticking to written policies provides legal protection that many organizations find appealing. But it can also limit and dehumanize employee interactions. Every employee has unique experiences and circumstances. Success looks different for everyone, and people handle situations in unique ways.

I’m using an extended analogy here, so stay with me. Let’s compare the U.S. Constitution to some modern constitutions. The U.S. Constitution is a “negative rights” constitution—it mainly outlines what the government cannot do. Think about the Bill of Rights. The government can’t do things like tell us what religion to practice. Many modern constitutions are “positive rights” constitutions. These documents define certain rights that the government must guarantee. Negative rights define limitations, while positive rights open up possibilities.

Like modern constitutions, workplace policies should shift toward positive rights over negative ones. Instead of treating policies as absolute laws, we should see them as frameworks for employee treatment. They should set parameters for our work but also give us flexibility to address situations outside those parameters. 

Instead of a policy that states ‘Employees are entitled to 12 weeks of unpaid leave,’ a more human-centered approach might be: ‘We recognize the unique challenges of parenthood. At [organization], we are committed to working with employees to create a leave plan that meets their individual needs as well as the needs of the company.” You could outline a few boundaries, then let employees and managers negotiate leave arrangements that best suit their specific situations.

4 Actions To Retain Talent After Maternity Leave

These reframes will improve your relationships with employees on leave. You can also take some concrete, actionable steps. Here are four steps to better support employees on leave and make them want to come back.

1. Offer Paid Leave

Unlike most developed countries, the U.S. doesn’t provide paid parental leave, which is insane. Yet, somehow, this glaring gap in our social safety net fails to spur significant change.

I’ve never understood the argument that an organization can’t afford to pay an employee on leave. If you could pay someone while they were working, you can afford to pay them while they’re on leave. Especially if their workload hasn’t changed and you’re not hiring a replacement.

Offering paid maternity leave also benefits employers by improving acquisition and retention rates. Turnover costs half to two times an employee’s annual salary. Twelve weeks of leave only represents one-quarter of their salary. The math adds up. It doesn’t make financial sense for organizations not to offer paid leave.

2. Offer An Adequate Length Of Leave

The current threshold for parental leave in the US is insufficient. While the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) offers 12 weeks of unpaid leave, the exceptions to avoid qualifying are glaring. That’s partly why the average U.S. mom returns to work 10 weeks after giving birth, and 25% go back after only two weeks. It’s not enough time for both mother and child to fully recover, even when there are no complications. Throw in issues like c-sections, premature delivery, postpartum depression, or feeding issues, and twelve weeks leave can feel heartless.

In many other developed countries, maternity leave is significantly longer, with some offering six months or more. I believe at least 16 weeks of paid parental leave would be a better starting point here in the US. Those extra weeks would allow new parents to recover, bond with their children, and return to work feeling prepared. It’s a win-win for the parent and the employer.

3. Cover Or Reduce Their Workload

Employees’ workloads don’t disappear when they go on maternity leave. The work still needs to be completed. Many companies lack a clear plan for handling this during the employee’s absence.

A lack of clarity around the workload can create significant stress for employees before and after their leave. They either overload their plate to tackle that work in advance or return to mountains of work and projects behind schedule. It’s also inequitable, especially if the leave is unpaid. Essentially, the employer is asking prospective parents to complete the same amount of work for less pay and in less time. 

You need a proactive plan.

Managers should discuss an employee’s workload with them and explore options for coverage. Solutions could include hiring a temp, reassigning tasks to other team members (be explicit about responsibilities and expectations, and pay them for the additional work), or using freelancers. If you can’t hire help, talk to the employee about reducing their workload while they’re on leave. Would that mean a temporary shift in workload distribution? Maybe. But proper planning and communication can minimize the disruption.

Planning for how work will get done while someone’s on leave is a win-win-win. The employee feels less stressed, the team isn’t overwhelmed, and the company doesn’t take a productivity hit. The payoff is worth the extra planning.

4. Figure Out How To Accommodate Them When They Return

After your employee has a baby, nothing in their life is the same. It would be a huge mistake to assume that their approach to work and relationship with you shouldn’t evolve, too. Their dedication to their job and doing it well won’t change, but what that looks like and what they need from you absolutely do. 

Before your employee goes on leave, you should discuss what accommodations they think they’ll need when they return. A gradual return to work? (Yes). More work-from-home time or flexible hours? (Yes). Having a supportive plan in place will reduce the new parents’ anxiety as they approach their return date.

HOWEVER, as any parent will tell you, there’s no way to know what parenthood will really be like before the baby arrives. Once the employee returns, continue to check in regularly.

They may need to adjust their schedule. For example, a new mom may need to add pumping breaks or adapt working hours to accommodate childcare. These needs may evolve as the child gets older.

Recognize that your employee may not voice these needs to avoid appearing unprofessional. Initiate these conversations and schedule regular check-ins to address evolving challenges.

Finally, be mindful of changing communication preferences. Someone who once liked spontaneous video calls might prefer chat or phone calls due to fatigue. Avoid assumptions and just ask.

Give New Moms The Support They Need To Stay

An employee going on maternity leave is about to have their world turned upside down. But it doesn’t mean they’re any less committed to their job or being a stellar employee. Supporting new parents is about recognizing that long-term success will look different than before they had kids. By supporting new parents, you can retain valuable employees and maintain a productive workforce.

Do you need maternity leave coverage for employees on your marketing or fundraising teams? I can help! As a freelance content and copywriter, I can keep essential projects moving forward to reduce the burden on the new parent and the rest of the team. Contact me now to get started.

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