Return to Work Post-Maternity Leave in a Pandemic

By: Tara Chiarell

After a generous 20-week paid maternity leave from Allison+Partners, I am back to work! We welcomed our second daughter on March 19, right as the country was shutting down for COVID-19.   

Heading back to work looks a little different than it did when I left. While we have care for our daughters throughout the day, navigating this new WFH environment and not having the ability to see colleagues in-person is a bit of a transition.   

Last week, working parents across the company provided insights about juggling parenting with work. There were many relatable moments and I was inspired by how accommodating and understanding our company and colleagues have been.    

I’m sharing some insights that are applicable to all of us, not just working parents, during these unprecedented times:  

• Grace and Empathy. Regardless if you have a house full of people or live alone, these are tough times. We must give ourselves a break, figuratively and literally. We can’t do it all, this isn’t normal and we miss our old lives, our family and our friends.
• Empower Others. We are all juggling more than ever. This is an opportunity to empower team members to handle elevated work when you are tied up.
• Block Your Time. Do this for yourself and your team to communicate when you are and are not available. For parents, that could be to care for the family; for others. that may be a mid-day workout or trip to the grocery store when it’s safer.
• Walk and Talk. We used to talk about these a lot to get out of the office, and it’s even more important now. You could go days without going outside if you don’t force yourself! We don’t have to do every call on video – move it to a call and walk around the block. Movement and a change of scenery will give you fresh perspective.
• New W/L Balance. For some who need time during the day to tend to family and household needs, we may send emails before and after work hours. This should not mean others are expected to work those hours as well. We all do what we can to get work done when we can do it. Connect with your team to understand what expectations are and communicate when a reply is needed. We MUST give ourselves some separation between the workday starting and ending. The perception of “well you have nowhere to be,” because many cities are still in limited operations, does not mean employees should be expected to work non-stop.
• Find Your Escape. We must remember we are human. We need outside experiences to fuel our work and creativity, especially in communications. Give yourself downtime – watch a show/movie, read a book, start a hobby – to help you disconnect and recharge. It will give you something to look forward to at the end of the day. 
• Mourning. Give yourself time to mourn. Mourn the year of missed birthdays, weddings, baby showers, births, funerals, the high-fives we give each other for a client success or new business win. It’s been a tough year. Acknowledge it with yourself and others.

We are human; we are not robots. We are stressed; we now experience worry and anxiety like never before. We are separated from our support systems  – family and friends. Give yourself some grace. Be empathetic to yourself and others. This is new to all of us. 

Tara Chiarell is the General Manager of the Washington, DC office at Allison+Partners, focused on driving client and employee retention and growth. Coming up on 15 years, spanning two offices at Allison+Partners, Tara leads successful client campaigns across corporate, consumer and professional services.

 

 

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