Our client identified that returning mums face challenges re-entering the workforce after maternity leave, particularly those in academic roles. This is negatively impacting on wellbeing and is preventing women continuing on their career pathways and achieving leadership positions. Our client wants to ensure that employees have a better lived experience, receive the support they need to make a smooth return to work and help more female staff reach senior levels.

To address this, we designed a suite of training that launched with a live webinar for National Inclusion Week, followed by a half-day online workshop for line managers and concluded with a special panel event for International Women’s Day. 
 

Our client approached Returning Works in the run up to National Inclusion Week as its Women’s Network wanted to start a conversation across the board on the impact of parenting responsibilities on colleagues and how everyone can be allies.

Together, we designed a webinar to cover topical challenges, including:

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• hybrid working and ensuring working parents can participate

• how managers can support parents upon the return to work

• empathy around the emotional impact of returning to work and leaving your baby with another care giver

• how assumptions might get in the way of career development and progression.

The session was a resounding success, with staff commenting that it was “great to be listened to” and how beautifully our facilitator Claire created a safe space where people could contribute with confidence. 

Building on this engagement and positive momentum, Returning Works delivered a half-day online Parental Allyship workshop for twenty of the University’s line managers. The live, interactive session covered:

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• an appreciation of the business case for re-engaging returners and their lived experience in the workplace

• how to help parental returners by working to a best practice framework

• the importance of empathising with women going through the maternity transition, with relevant case studies and scenarios

• maternity bias and how it can influence the attitudes and behaviours of managers

• how to help parental carers successfully blend their professional responsibilities with their professional lives.

Again, engagement was high and feedback was positive. Following the session, the group decided to explore how to develop a support network for parents, create clearer and consistent guidance for managers, and ways to share positive experiences around being a working parent.

The training programme concluded with a special Parental Panel as part of the University's International Women's Day programme of events. 

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The live, interactive session was hosted by Returning Works Associate Claire Burgess and explored how becoming a parent impacts on parents professionally. Colleagues from across the university joined Claire and the Chair of its Women’s Network to discuss the lived experience of parental returners and explore the role they as a colleague, partner or manager can play as allies, to help returners overcome any challenges or barriers to participation.

The panel and audience were absolutely fantastic; it was a really positive, lively session and a brilliant way to celebrate International Women’s Day.