How do mums cope with returning to work after maternity leave?

Author: Zuzana Kocáková

Lifestyle

10 reading minutes

Working in IT and motherhood can be managed thanks to employer helpfulness and time flexibility.

Returning to work from parental leave can be challenging for some women, especially if they have decided to give their full attention to a new family member and have taken a break from work. At msg life Slovakia, we offer mothers the opportunity to gradually return to work alongside their maternity leave on a part-time basis. Our colleagues will give you tips on how to combine family and work responsibilities and integrate into your work team.

Although motherhood is the most important mission in the world, the work team and new incentives are sooner or later necessary for every mum. Returning to work after parental leave doesn’t have to be stressful, especially if you have a tolerant employer and supportive colleagues.

Coming back to work after parental leave could now be like returning from home office mode after the pandemic. The difference is that while during the work-from-home period, employees remained focused on work-related issues, mothers are usually dealing with an entirely different agenda. This is also why returning to work after maternity leave and the end of their parental leave tends to be associated with apprehension.

Can I work during maternity/parental leave?

The answer is yes I can. Earning extra income during maternity leave or even part-time work during maternity leave depends on the legislation and in Slovakia it is regulated by the Labour Code. In Slovakia, there are several ways to work alongside maternity/parental leave and not lose your allowance:

• Work activity agreement. Conclude a work activity agreement with the original employer or conclude a new contract.
• Apply for a trade licence or for s.r.o. licence.

One possible solution for mums on maternity leave is working from home. A gradual return to work after maternity/parental leave will give you the opportunity to set your own routine, balance your maternity responsibilities with work and prepare for a permanent return to work.

For many mothers, maintaining work habits is beneficial not only financially, but also in terms of personal and professional development. Of course, everyone is different and various ways of dealing with going back to work after parental leave are the right ones, whether a mum decides to work alongside maternity leave or remain a full-time mum for a little longer. “Coming back to work from maternity leave helped me in a number of ways. One of them was that I had my first child in a nursery and the the company was helpful to me. I was able to gradually integrate more and more into the working regime. Working from home on maternity leave was also helpful and saved me time spent travelling. The friendliness of my colleagues, with whom I work on the same project, certainly played a role,” says IT tester Lucka. Our colleague Monika, also a tester, has a similar experience: “The option to change to part-time work as well as the flexible working hours helped me a lot. This way I avoided time stress and was able to return to my original project with the same colleagues.” At the same time, each colleague chose her own volume of work, which she added to her maternity duties as it suited her.

Working for mums on maternity leave is beneficial for a number of reasons

Our tester Monika decided to devote herself to her family and Zuzka, the office manager, preferred worked at first and later take a break. IT tester Lucka preferred the opposite, as did Simona, a project management team leader, for whom the combination of maternity leave and work made sense. Although they had different workloads, they all agreed that working while on maternity leave was a nice refresher for them. “The home office tasks were great for clearing my head,” says Simona. “I was given less time-consuming tasks that kept my brain busy and I was able to discuss more challenging topics,” adds Andrea, the regression test leader. “Working alongside motherhood was my psycho-hygiene and socialization. I didn’t want to lose my knowledge and contacts in three years, so I greatly appreciate that my employer allowed me to continue working.” says IT tester Lucka.

For many mums, working alongside parental leave is also a financial benefit. “I was glad to be able to work in the evenings. Not everyone has the opportunity to earn something on top of parental leave,” says Simona. This is one of the reasons why we have a very individual and lenient approach to working mothers. “We try to approach each employee individually and take into account not only her capabilities but also her needs. We want to support our colleagues in this special time in their lives,” adds HR manager Maria. “We don’t ask about their family plans in any way at interviews or during the job. We understand that motherhood is a natural part of life, so we welcome such news,” adds Maria.

Management and colleagues as support

Announcing your impending maternity leave doesn’t have to be stressful. Here at msg life Slovakia, we are sincerely looking forward to seeing every colleague in joyful anticipation and we are equally looking forward to seeing our colleagues after they return from parental leave. Working for mothers with children is one of the ways in which we try to be as supportive and accommodating as possible during this period, which is full of life changes. At the same time, it is a way for mothers to continuously prepare for their return to work after parental leave. The reactions of the management of msg life Slovakia are proof of this. “My superior was pleased and congratulated me. My colleagues also congratulated me. I don’t feel that my pregnancy has disturbed our relationships in any way, everyone has been very nice,” says IT tester Lucka. Andrea, a regression test supervisor, has the same experience: “The supervisor congratulated me and we agreed to train a colleague to take over my tasks.” Nikola, office manager, also has positive memories. “My colleagues were also very helpful. They asked me how I was feeling, gave me advice and made sure I didn’t carry heavy things,” she says. Motherhood is a big change in a woman’s life, which is why many of them often rearrange their priorities or ambitions. We asked our female colleagues how they experienced this period. “Children come first for me, but I don’t see myself having to choose between work and family. Moreover, msg life Slovakia has a very positive attitude towards children, I can take my child to work if necessary.” says IT tester Lucka. Team leader Simona confirms it: ‘Although I had to switch to part-time work, I am more efficient in my approach to solving tasks. This is also helped by the company’s above-standard relationship with children. msg life organizes a lot of events for them with lots of presents.” Andrea, the head of the regression test, also realized the change. “Now I know I’m replaceable at work, but not for my son. Maternity leave also provides a different perspective on life. I still do my work honestly, but when my son needs me, I give my full attention to him”, she concludes.

Advice from our colleagues for future working mothers

Lucka, IT tester: “They certainly have nothing to fear. At msg life Slovakia, it is possible to combine motherhood with the opportunity to earn while on maternity leave.” Nikola, office manager: “If one has good colleagues, there is no need to worry. They have helped me by summarizing all the news that has come up, which I have very much welcomed. I recommend working alongside maternity leave. Working while on maternity leave, or even part-time work alongside maternity leave, is also an opportunity for many mums to earn extra money. At the same time, you don’t experience such a big change when you come back to full-time work.” Danka, software tester: “Colleagues assured me that they are used to working with mothers, so there is nothing to worry about. Whether women choose to work alongside their maternity leave or after it ends, the employer will help them secure an income and a smooth return to the work environment.” Monika, IT tester: “I would definitely recommend to maintain your foreign language skills. Although I watched and read German media, it was difficult to start speaking fluently again. I realized the problems the first time I spoke German on the phone after three years.” Office Manager Zuzka: “It is important to maintain your work commitment to make it easier to return to work after parental leave.” Although the phrase “maternity leave” makes more than one Slovak mum smile (in Slovak we say “maternity holiday” and motherhood definitely is not a holiday), this period of life is a unique and precious time for both parents and offspring. Come back to work after maternity leave in an IT company like ours is easier thanks to the time flexibility and the possibility to work alongside childcare. In addition, during the pandemic we got used to working part-time remotely, and although we like to see each other live every day at work or at work events, the ease of working from home alongside maternity leave is a great benefit for a mum for many reasons. Whenever the baby needs her, she’ll be close by and doesn’t have to waste precious time traveling. At msg life Slovakia we do not compromise between family and work. Join us too, you don’t have to worry about sensitive questions at the interview, if and when you plan to become a mother. Working during parental leave in IT allows you to combine the pleasant with the useful.

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How do mums cope with returning to work after maternity leave?

Zuzana Kocáková

At msg life Slovakia I take care of the company culture, events and I am part of the marketing team. I like a job where I can be creative and contribute to making my colleagues at msg feel good. I regularly prepare for you not only news and interesting things from the world of information technology and insurance, but also from behind the scenes events at msg life Slovakia.