CircleBumpCheckedFilledMedicalBookmarkBookmarkTickBookmarkAddCheckBoxCheckBoxFilled

How to Turn Your Maternity Leave Into a Leadership Opportunity

You’re a powerhouse, and maternity leave doesn’t have to slow you down. Here’s how to use your leave to demonstrate professionalism and foresight.
save article
profile picture of Robyn Stein DeLuca, PhD
Published May 8, 2019
Two colleagues discuss maternity leave plan
Image: Getty Images

A lot of women are nervous to tell their boss they’re expecting, worrying taking maternity leave will somehow hurt their career. You might fear that your boss and colleagues will no longer think of you as competent and ambitious, and that whatever momentum your career has gathered will suddenly take a dive.

There are, sadly, people in the workplace who discriminate against pregnant women (despite it being illegal). A viral tweet back in 2014 reported an overheard conversation between IBM-hiring managers about not wanting to hire young women, because they’ll just “get themselves pregnant, again and again and again.” More recently, in a 2018 segment of Full Frontal, Samantha Bee slammed workplace culture for ongoing pregnancy discrimination.

But there’s some good news! You can take control of your situation by learning about your rights and what you’re legally entitled to under the US Family / Medical Leave Act (FMLA). You can also encourage your local congressional representative to support a paid family leave policy in the US (which most other industrialized countries offer), which will enable more parents to take the time they need to care for a new baby.

The even better news? You can do something about how your maternity leave impacts your career. In fact, you can turn it to your advantage. How? By creating a detailed maternity leave plan, you can use your leave as an opportunity to show professionalism, leadership, foresight and accountability.

A maternity leave plan is a document you create in collaboration with your boss that precisely lays out your leave and return dates, the projects you will complete before you leave, your critical responsibilities that need covering while you’re out and your recommendations for who should cover them. It’s of course incredibly helpful for your boss and team members, but what does preparing a maternity leave plan do for you?

Related Video

1. Gives You Control Over Work So You Can Focus on Baby

Most Americans don’t even take all of their vacation days for fear they’ll lose a grip on their workload, so the prospect of a two- or three-month maternity leave can feel overwhelming. Creating a maternity leave plan will give you more control over your work situation by taking the guesswork out of preparing for this transition. If you can do that, you’ll be able to relax and focus on you and your baby while you’re home rather than worry about work.

2. Impresses Your Boss

He or she might have some anxiety about your leave and how your work is going to be covered, so if you take the initiative of anticipating what’s needed, you show yourself to be a strategic thinker who cares about the success of the department while you’re away. By documenting all that needs to be covered and best practices for how, you’ll be removing much of the stress that besets many bosses when an employee announces their pregnancy.

3. Sets Clear Expectations for Your Boss and Colleagues

People may feel awkward asking you how long of a leave you intend to take or when you’re due—and you certainly don’t want people guessing based on the size of your belly! Presenting a plan will put it all out there in black and white.

4. Creates an Opportunity to Show Your Value

Within your maternity leave plan, provide a list of projects you will complete by the time you leave, a list of those that are ongoing and all of your responsibilities that need to be covered. Especially in a large company, it’s not always clear what each employee handles. Documenting those responsibilities is a great way to show how productive and important you are to the organization.

5. Shows Leadership by Creating Opportunities for Direct Reports

If you plan to assign some of your responsibilities to those who report to you, frame it as a development opportunity. If they perform well while you’re out, they’ll better position themselves for a future promotion by expanding their expertise. If you’re clear about your expectations and give them good training, it can be a win-win situation for everyone. Part of how a leader is evaluated is based on how well they develop and advance their team.

6. Establishes You as a Good Role Model by Taking Maternity Leave

I worked at a school where the head of my department took THREE DAYS for her maternity leave. It set a terrible precedent for the women who worked there. Is that what we were all supposed to do to be taken seriously? Yikes! Preparing your department by creating a comprehensive maternity leave plan means you can take your full leave without creating chaos, and proves to other women that they can do the same. Also, encouraging fathers and non-birthgiving parents to take parental leave will make your company stand out as a family-friendly place, in addition to helping to lessen the burden on women in the long run. By doing so, you set the tone for a healthy work/life balance. Ultimately, the more parents’ needs are respected, the more employees will choose to return after their babies are born, which boosts morale and reduces the cost of hiring and training new employees.

Robyn Stein DeLuca, PhD, is a health psychologist and postpartum consultant who helps women and their managers navigate the transition to working parenthood with presentations, online courses and private coaching. If taking the chaos out of maternity leave and returning with confidence sounds good to you, check out Dr. DeLuca’s website at momsbacktobusiness.com. You can also find her on Facebook and LinkedIn.

Published May 2019

save article
ADVERTISEMENT

Next on Your Reading List

pregnant woman getting checked by doctor
New York Could Be First State to Offer Paid Prenatal Leave
By Wyndi Kappes
postpartum mom caring for newborn baby at home
Moms Respond to Viral TikTok With What Maternity Leave Is Really Like
By Wyndi Kappes
These Are the 10 Best Cities Worldwide for Expectant Parents
These Are the 10 Best Cities Worldwide for Expectant Parents
By Nehal Aggarwal
ADVERTISEMENT
meghan mccain from the view advocates for paid maternity leave in the U.S.
Meghan McCain Speaks Out Around the Need for Better Maternity Leave
By Nehal Aggarwal
pregnant woman laughing and sitting on bed at home
To-Dos for Planning Your Maternity Leave
By The Bump Editors
hoda kotb and jenna bush host the today show
All Parents Need to Hear Hoda Kotb’s Maternity Leave Advice for Jenna Bush Hager
By Stephanie Grassullo
The 10 Hardest Things About Maternity Leave (and How to Deal)
The 10 Hardest Things About Maternity Leave (and How to Deal)
By Jenna McCarthy
ADVERTISEMENT
meghan markle with prince harry is not making any more public appearances
The Next Time We See Meghan Markle May Be When the Royal Baby Arrives
By Stephanie Grassullo
pregnant woman sitting on couch using tablet
Manager Fires Pregnant Woman Because of Upcoming Maternity Leave
By Stephanie Grassullo
skin to skin contact with mom and her newborn baby
Massachusetts Now Has the Most Generous Paid Family Leave in the US
By Laurie Ulster
ADVERTISEMENT
prime minister of New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern gives birth
New Zealand PM Is Second Leader in History to Give Birth While in Office
By Laurie Ulster
pregnant woman telling employees at work that she's pregnant
How to Tell Your Workplace That You're Pregnant
By Celia Shatzman
Pregnant woman at work with tablet
Why Maternity Leave Should Be a 3-Part Plan
By Georgene Huang and Romy Newman
ADVERTISEMENT
empty office desk
What You Need to Know About FMLA
By Erin Walters
The Affordable Care Act and Your Pregnancy: What You Need to Know
The Affordable Care Act and Your Pregnancy: What You Need to Know
By Kylie McConville
Is Parental Leave Becoming a Boys Club?
Is Parental Leave Becoming a Boys Club?
By Christine Cordova
Bumpie Tip of the Week: Should You Take an Early Maternity Leave?
Bumpie Tip of the Week: Should You Take an Early Maternity Leave?
By Kylie McConville
ADVERTISEMENT
Checklist: What to Ask HR About Maternity Leave
Checklist: What to Ask HR About Maternity Leave
By The Bump Editors
Checklist: Maternity Leave
Checklist: Maternity Leave
By Paula Kashtan
Screwed Out of Maternity Leave!
Screwed Out of Maternity Leave!
By Elena Donovan Mauer
ADVERTISEMENT
Article removed.
Article removed.
Name added. View Your List