Being a mother is a full-time job on its own. Having a newborn baby in your life is always a joyous occasion. However, motherhood brings with it a lot of challenges, especially for working moms who have just given birth and are looking to make a comeback into work.
As new moms finish their maternity leave and start getting ready to get back to work, they can be overwhelmed with the stress of what they would be doing in order to handle the pressures of work as well as their responsibility towards their newborn child.
It is, in part, the employer’s job to make sure new moms return to their offices with as much ease as possible and that they get fair and considerate opportunities that match their new situation. Here is how your establishment can accommodate new mothers and help them find their feet back at work without any hassle.
Quick Navigation
Allow Remote Work
After giving birth, any mother would want to spend as much time as possible with her baby. Even after maternity leave comes to an end and they have to go back to work, the thought of leaving a newborn alone is never easy for any parent.
In order to become a considerate employer, you should try and introduce a remote work policy to new mothers where possible. This would allow them to do any work needed from them from the comfort of their own home while minding their children and everybody wins.
Invest in a Baby-Friendly Space
Sometimes sudden circumstances occur that would make mothers have to bring their babies to work with them to nurse them when they have no other option. As mentioned at sleepauthorities.com/dockatot-review/, In order to accommodate any new mothers at your company, you should try and invest in developing baby-friendly spaces where mothers can bring their newborns to work and care for them without disturbing other employees.
You should also consider creating suitable spaces for mothers to nurse their babies privately and peacefully whenever they need to. Even if they do not bring their infants to work with them, chances are they would still have to pump milk while at work so it would be nice if they had proper space to do so with as much privacy as possible.
Introduce a Transition Period
Being a career-oriented woman then pausing for a while to care for a child can make it really challenging when it comes to going back to work. Many employers take it upon themselves to introduce a transition period for new moms when the time comes for them to return to their offices.
This makes it easier for them to gradually get back to normal or create a new normal for themselves and allow employers to benefit from the expertise of their experienced employees.
Be More Flexible
Emergencies happen all the time when it comes to being a new parent. It can be anything from the babysitter canceling at the last minute to the infant getting ill and needing full attention.
This can affect the work schedule of any mother and it is part of the employer’s ethical responsibility towards women to be a little more flexible and accepting in such situations. New mothers should be allowed more emergency paid leave days and have more flexibility to come and go when they need to if it comes to caring for their child.
Provide Suitable Snacks
A lot of large establishments offer their employees a wide range of snacks and drinks for a free or reduced charge while at the office. In order to become more welcoming for returning mothers who have just finished their maternity breaks, work managers should consider introducing healthy snacks and beverages that new moms could benefit from and consume without any worries while nursing their babies.
The easiest way to know what mothers are actually going to benefit from is by simply asking them what they would like to consume and what they would rather steer clear from. It is a welcoming gesture that could make all the difference in the world.
Motherhood is an incredible and overwhelming experience. Being a working mother brings with it a lot of challenges and new stresses that many women may have not realized before having a baby. Employers have a responsibility towards their female employees who are returning to the office after a period of maternity leave.
They should try their best to accommodate mothers and make the office environment as healthy and welcoming as possible. Talking to new moms about their needs and what would make their work lives easier and help them balance everything is key to creating a healthy employer-employee relationship.