Tillys’ Post

The transition back to work after maternity leave isn't easy. But with the right strategy and proper tool, you can be successful! 🌟 Thx to STEP you are not alone in this journey. Meet Lucia, our 2nd employee sharing about her journey with S.T.E.P. 👋   Watch the video to find out!

"A woman's place is at home looking after the baby". This sentence really annoys me and hopefully it really annoys you too! I read yesterday that Severn Trent are now offering 12 months Maternity leave for new mums on full pay, no matter your length of service with STW. This is brilliant and should be celebrated as many people are on their post. In contrast, in terms of paternity leave, as a new dad you get only 2 weeks on full pay after a year of service. If your partner takes 12 months maternity (and why wouldn't you if you get full pay) this means as a dad you are not legally allowed to take Shared Parental Leave (which is sh*t anyway; another post for another day). This means that chances are Dad is going to stay at work and Mum is going to spend more time at home with baby. If we, as a society, believe in gender equality, why do we create one sided policies that reinforce gender stereotypes and drive the gender pay gap? To drive gender equality it needs to be recognised that dad's have a role to play around the home and in the lives of their children. The UK has one of the least generous statutory paternity packages in Europe. I would encourage Severn Trent and Neil Morrison (their HR Director) to do more for dads too. Can they lead the way and offer at least 6 weeks of paternity pay? The Fatherhood Institute is campaigning for this to be government policy as the minimum on offer. I want to finish by applauding Severn Trent for improving their maternity cover and dong what they think is right to promote women's careers in a typically male dominated industry. They offer some great benefits and should be recognised for that. I want to challenge United Utilities; can we match STW on their maternity policy and do more to help dads? #boldthoughts #genderequality #parenting Link to STW maternity leave article; https://lnkd.in/eiWZ5y8k Link to STW Parenting Leave Policy; https://lnkd.in/eMRffk9W Link to Shared Parental Leave; https://lnkd.in/esuqewVz

#employeeappreciationday Couldn’t be better represented than by this announcement from Severn Trent: one year maternity leave on full pay! So what does this mean to the mother? - Choice In when she wants to return rather than having to return. - Health Mental health by reducing stress in ‘having’ to return to work before being ready. Health benefits of the longevity of breastfeeding for both mother and baby (if they are breastfeeding) and more time nurturing and watching them develop. - Finance Less loss of earnings in paying for childcare. Choice and time to decide whether shared parental leave works for the parents. “For women to be attracted to STEM roles they need to be supported in all stages of their lives and can succeed as a professional woman when they become mothers.” So this is a great example of employee appreciation, as the article says this type of policy says “Your skills are valuable to us, and we want you here!”. So let’s share #StrategiseForFamily and embrace this crucial part of careers for all parents.

More companies need to be doing this! Worrying about your finances on top of everything else is just not fair. The better a woman is treated whilst she is on leave, the better she will perform for you before and after that period of time! I recently read about mothers going hungry because they cannot live on statutory pay! #fairpay #maternity #treatwomenbetter #womeninstem

Have someone in your team due to return to work after maternity leave? Know someone close to you that is about to experience this and want to help? Or are you a non-parent wanted to better understand how you can support? Join our interactive virtual workshop on Friday (just a few days away) to explore, discuss and reflect on these practical ways we can help. Returning to work after maternity leave is daunting (iykyk), by brushing up on these skills and practical ways you can help, we not only make the lives of mums that little easier, we support with engagement of those valued employees, which will lead to improved retention and then an increase in representation at a senior level. Can't wait to see you there. Link in comments.

Supporting those returning from leave is not enough - we have to equip and support the managers too! Many of the parents that I coach tell me that their manager does not care. They speak about how their baby announcement was met with a formal 'congratulations' and then they are promptly 'handed over to HR'. They speak about the challenge of navigating a return to work after an extended period of leave and how this is 'ignored' by their manager. But what I hear from the managers that I support is that they are scared! They know maternity leave is a protected leave and they are afraid of saying the wrong thing. The managers I engage with do care, but they don't know how to communicate. Research by DCU Business School found that negative return to work experiences were "compounded by a lack of open and transparent communication between the returner and their line manager." (Freeney, van Der Werff and Collings). We know how important the manager relationship is in the employee experience - so let's make sure they have the support they need. #workingparents #supportingmanagers #foxcobyfiona

About 5 months ago, I received a new title with no salary increase, AWFUL hours and a boss that calls me through all hours of the night. That new title? ‘MOM’😊 As I complete 1 year with Moore Kingston Smith ,I would like to extent my #gratitude for the generous maternity leave policy - especially to someone whose tenure started shortly before taking said leave. A lot of companies talk about equality and considering employees as #assets but fail to deliver when the time comes. I am so #grateful to work for a firm that genuinely cares and allow women (and men!) to sustain their career while they embrace the new role as parents. It wasn’t an easy decision to move out of comfort zone but I am glad I took that chance and choose people over brand name. Naturally I was worried, but being pregnant before joining was met with warmth and genuine discussions about options that would work for both me and the firm. I would like to take this Opportunity to convey my regards to Maureen Penfold for expediting the revision of #maternityleave policy and making sure it is THE BEST in industry. Just one more reason why MKS is such a stellar place to work. A special thank you to Ian Graham and Andrew Barford who made my settle in period a breeze. Same goes to my whole #team who took on additional work to do. #appreciate it. #oneyearanniversary #maternityleave #mks #gratitude #peoplefirst #worklifebalance #Thankyou #workplaceculture #equalitymatters #bestplacetowork #thankyou #peoplefirst #bestmanagement

Today, in our stand-up meeting, I witnessed a powerful moment of empathy and understanding. 🤝 A female colleague announced her upcoming maternity leave, to which a male colleague jokingly wished for six months off too. Our onsite manager, Richard Hardie Assoc. CIPD, FLPI, MITOL, replied both swiftly and insightfully: "It's not a leave, but hard work, and managing all those sleepless nights is a task in itself." 🤰 Maternity leave is far from a vacation—it's a period of significant physical, emotional, and mental effort. As a society and as professionals, acknowledging the challenges and sacrifices involved in maternity leave is crucial. 👪 Kudos to leaders who understand and champion this cause! What are your thoughts on how we can further support our colleagues during such critical times? #MaternityLeave #WorkplaceEmpathy #Leadership #Support #Respect

Returning to work after your maternity leave? Here comes our "Frequently Asked Coaches" bit. 👀 It's likely that any Qs you're eager to discuss with a coach have already been addressed by our team (possibly even on multiple occasions). Dr. Gena Chang-Campbell, PhD, PCC (she/her/hers), our Solution Lead in North America, shares insights on the process of reentering the workforce following events like maternity leave. Quick tip? Collaborate with your manager to formulate a comprehensive return-to-work strategy. More planning equals less anxiety. #coaching #FAQs #matleave #backtowork #maternityleave