Empowered Return to Work – 6 Essential Conversations to Have Before Maternity Leave
Updated: Sep 20
Written by Isabel Theissen, Founder of &BEYOND
Isabel Theissen is the founder of &BEYOND, the maternity transition consultancy. She supports organizations in creating more structured and sustainable maternity transitions, while guiding women through the personal and professional shifts that accompany motherhood.
Returning to work after maternity leave is often expected as a “return to normal.” Over the past few months, I have had many conversations with women across industries, roles, and countries to understand how they truly experienced this transition, what had been most challenging, and what helped the most. It became clear that this is not a simple return to a previous state. It is a complex re-entry into work as a changed person, with new strengths but also new demands. Understanding both sides of this experience is key to navigating it more effectively.
That’s why preparation matters. Honest, structured conversations, both at work and at home, are the foundation of a smoother leave and re entry experience. When expectations are openly discussed and turned into clear agreements, you create more stability and certainty for yourself and those around you.
Here are six essential topics to address before going on maternity leave:
1. Understand your legal rights and company policy
Before making any plans, get fully informed. Understand your legal entitlements in your country, as well as your company’s maternity leave policy. This includes:
Duration of leave
Compensation and benefits
Bonus eligibility or timing
Job protection and return conditions
Your HR department should provide clarity on these points. The more informed you are, the more confidently you can advocate for yourself and make decisions that align with your needs.
2. Map out a clear timeline with your manager
Clarity reduces stress, for you and your team. Work with your manager to outline a detailed timeline, including:
Your last working day
Key milestones before departure
Transition periods
Contingency plans if your leave starts earlier than expected
While flexibility is important, having a documented plan creates a sense of control and preparedness.
3. Align on handover and work coverage
A smooth handover is one of the greatest gifts you can give your future self. Start by mapping out your responsibilities, ongoing projects, and key stakeholders. Then, together with your manager, decide what can be redistributed within the team, identify what requires temporary cover, and clarify ownership and accountability. The clearer this process is, the easier it will be for you to truly disconnect during your leave.
4. Set expectations for communication during leave
This is often overlooked but incredibly important. Discuss with your manager whether you want to be contacted at all, in what situations contact would be appropriate, your preferred communication channels, and the frequency, if any, of updates.
There is no “right” answer here. Some women prefer occasional updates, others prefer complete disconnection. What matters is that expectations are agreed upon in advance to avoid awkward or stressful situations later.
5. Define your needs for returning to work
Returning to work is not just a logistical shift, it’s an identity shift. Prepare yourself and your manager by thinking ahead about whether you will need flexible hours, whether lactation facilities are required, what your boundaries are around travel or workload initially, and what pace feels realistic in your first weeks back.
A helpful mindset. Envision yourself as a sleep deprived new mother. Plan for that version of you. It is always easier to take on more later than to scale back after overcommitting.
6. Align on childcare and support at home
Even in the most supportive relationships, unspoken expectations can create tension. Have open conversations with your partner about childcare arrangements and securing them early if needed, how responsibilities will be shared, plans for handling sick days or emergencies, and your wider support network.
Clarity at home is just as important as clarity at work. It creates a foundation that supports both of you as you transition back into your professional lives.
What comes next, from expectations to agreements
Unspoken expectations often sound like:
“I assumed”
“I thought”
“I was under the impression”
These phrases signal misalignment. Agreements, on the other hand, are discussed, clarified, and co created. They are written and visible. Before your leave, take the time to turn key expectations into clear agreements, with your manager and your partner. When you return, revisit them. Your needs may evolve, and your agreements should evolve with you.
An empowered return doesn’t happen by chance. It starts with the conversations you choose to have today. If you would love support with preparing for these conversations and templates to create aligned agreements, contact me about my Empowered Return Package.
Read more from Isabel Theissen
Isabel Theissen, Founder of &BEYOND
Isabel Theissen is the founder of &BEYOND, the maternity transition consultancy. She supports organizations in creating more structured and sustainable maternity transitions, while guiding women through the personal and professional shifts that accompany motherhood. Her approach combines professional expertise, research, and lived experience of navigating motherhood alongside a corporate career, giving her a grounded understanding of the realities of this transition. Isabel challenges the idea of a simple “bounce back” after maternity leave, instead defining the return as a leadership transition that requires structured processes and intentional support. Through &BEYOND, she helps organizations move from well-intentioned policy to meaningful implementation, supporting talent retention, strengthening leadership pipelines, and creating more inclusive, sustainable ways of working.
