Imagine that a temporary absence from your workplace could lead to 10 years of sustained high performance being forgotten. Imagine that your relationship with senior partners at your firm, with whom you had previously worked closely, significantly worsened. This was Diane’s (not her real name) experience following her early return to work from parental leave. “Before I went,” she told us, “I was promised, ‘You will get all your clients back,’ so that was part of the reason I came back. I thought the sooner I came back and got my clients back, the better. But when I came back, that didn’t happen — I didn’t get any of them back.” On her return, she found that not only did she fail to get her clients back, but the colleague who took them over didn’t even know that she had previously managed them.
How Companies Can Ensure Maternity Leave Doesn’t Hurt Women’s Careers
A study of 300 women shows what companies and managers can do to keep their stars on track.
September 11, 2018
Summary.
For many women, returning to work after parental leave is a key career transition point. A survey of over 300 women in the UK and Ireland, and an additional round of interviews with people at 28 companies, shows that companies often bungle this transition. To fix the problem, HR leaders should position leave as a brief interlude rather than a major disruption; support a culture that values outputs over face time; and offer a phased return, where a woman can come back to work gradually. Managers should create an open dialog with returners, check their assumptions, and be aware of the outsize impact their attitudes and decisions have on new parents.
New!
HBR Learning
Attracting and Cultivating Talent Course
Accelerate your career with Harvard ManageMentor®. HBR Learning’s online leadership training helps you hone your skills with courses like Attracting and Cultivating Talent. Earn badges to share on LinkedIn and your resume. Access more than 40 courses trusted by Fortune 500 companies.
Discover how to attract, hire, develop, and keep talented people who will grow and thrive throughout their employee journey.
Learn More & See All Courses
New!
HBR Learning
Attracting and Cultivating Talent Course
Accelerate your career with Harvard ManageMentor®. HBR Learning’s online leadership training helps you hone your skills with courses like Attracting and Cultivating Talent. Earn badges to share on LinkedIn and your resume. Access more than 40 courses trusted by Fortune 500 companies.
Discover how to attract, hire, develop, and keep talented people who will grow and thrive throughout their employee journey.