ISABEL THEISSEN - Maternity Leave & Return Consultancy’s Post

Many companies lose female talent after maternity leave and don’t fully understand why. Most women don’t leave immediately after becoming mothers. They leave after months of trying to make unsustainable systems work. What often looks like “a personal decision” is actually the result of: – unclear transitions – unsupported re-entry – invisible emotional load – leadership cultures that were never designed with parenthood in mind Retention is not only about compensation or perks. It’s about whether employees feel supported, seen, and set up to succeed through major life transitions. Parental leave is one of the clearest moments where culture becomes visible. Especially for leadership talent. If your organization is ready to rethink how maternity leave and return-to-work transitions are supported, let’s connect. I work with companies to create smoother, more human-centered maternity leave processes that strengthen employees, managers, teams, and culture alike. The future of work must include mothers — and we have an opportunity to shape that future together. #Parentalleave #ReturnToWork #WomenInLeadership #FutureOfWork #EmployeeExperience

One of the biggest blind spots in many organizations is the assumption that women return from maternity leave exactly as they were before. But motherhood changes a person. Women return with new perspectives, new strengths, new priorities, and yes, often new needs too. Yet many workplaces still expect them to perform exactly as before, without acknowledging the transformation that has taken place. Instead of adapting systems and support structures around this reality, the pressure is often placed entirely on the individual woman to “keep up” and fit back into old ways of working. The result? Burnout. Disengagement. And the loss of talented women who no longer see a sustainable future for themselves within the organization. This isn’t a motherhood problem. It’s a leadership and workplace design problem. Organizations that want to retain top talent need to stop treating parental transitions as an inconvenience and start recognizing them as a critical leadership moment — one that requires clear processes, trained managers, empathy, and realistic reintegration support. Because women don’t come back “less than.” They come back changed. And when supported well, often stronger in ways organizations desperately need. If your organization is ready to rethink how maternity leave and return-to-work transitions are supported, let’s connect. I work with companies to create smoother, more human-centered maternity leave processes that strengthen employees, managers, teams, and culture alike. The future of work must include mothers — and we have an opportunity to shape that future together. #Parentalleave #ReturnToWork #WomenInLeadership #FutureOfWork #EmployeeExperience

One of the biggest blind spots in many organizations is the assumption that women return from maternity leave exactly as they were before. But motherhood changes a person. Women return with new perspectives, new strengths, new priorities, and yes, often new needs too. Yet many workplaces still expect them to perform exactly as before, without acknowledging the transformation that has taken place. Instead of adapting systems and support structures around this reality, the pressure is often placed entirely on the individual woman to “keep up” and fit back into old ways of working. The result? Burnout. Disengagement. And the loss of talented women who no longer see a sustainable future for themselves within the organization. This isn’t a motherhood problem. It’s a leadership and workplace design problem. Organizations that want to retain top talent need to stop treating parental transitions as an inconvenience and start recognizing them as a critical leadership moment — one that requires clear processes, trained managers, empathy, and realistic reintegration support. Because women don’t come back “less than.” They come back changed. And when supported well, often stronger in ways organizations desperately need. If your organization is ready to rethink how maternity leave and return-to-work transitions are supported, let’s connect. I work with companies to create smoother, more human-centered maternity leave processes that strengthen employees, managers, teams, and culture alike. The future of work must include mothers — and we have an opportunity to shape that future together. #Parentalleave #ReturnToWork #WomenInLeadership #FutureOfWork #EmployeeExperience

🚀 Women return from maternity leave and don’t just “get back up to speed”… they excel There’s a stereotypical narrative we all hear far too often around maternity leave: “It takes time to get back into it” “You need a slower ramp-up” “It’s a transition period” And while that can absolutely be true for some, it’s not the full picture. Let me give you an example: Anna Lynch 👏 📊 451% of target achieved 🎯 150% of H1 target… already She came back in January to: - A new market - A new continent - A stack of new tech to learn All while running on about 4 hours sleep a night (😭) And she didn’t just “settle back in”… she is absolutely smashing it. A BIG mention to Alexandra Martuccio who has also walked this path and consistently shows anything is possible 💖 💭 But here’s the thing. Anna isn’t a one-off. There are so many women returning to work after maternity leave who bring relentless efficiency, sharper prioritisation, a completely different level of resilience AND a renewed drive to perform We just don’t talk about them enough. The conversation shouldn’t only be about support (although that matters massively!!). It should ALSO be about recognising the level they’re operating at. Anna is a phenomenal example. But there are Anna’s and others (like single working Dads) in this situation everywhere - quietly coming back and delivering at an exceptional level. #WomeninTech #ReturnToWork #Maternity

If motherhood becomes a career penalty at your company, your workplace isn’t family-friendly. It’s just well-branded. Imagine returning from leave and feeling pressure to prove you're still committed, hide caregiving needs, avoid asking for flexibility, or “make up” for becoming a parent. That’s not support. REAL support looks like: • clear leave transition plans • managers trained for postpartum re-entry conversations • flexibility that doesn’t come with stigma • performance expectations that reflect real life, not outdated assumptions Women aren’t leaving companies because they’ve lost ambition. They leave because the workplace stopped making ambition sustainable. What’s one sign a company truly supports mothers after maternity leave—not just in policy, but in practice? 🤔 #workingmom #employeeexperience

Flexible working after maternity leave should not feel like a battle. Our upcoming W.I.S.E Talk is all about Maternity & flexible working, helping women feel more informed, prepared and confident when navigating work, parenthood and the conversations that come with it. Whether you are planning maternity leave, returning to work, supporting someone in your team, or simply want to understand more, this session is designed to give you clear, useful guidance without the overwhelm. Join us for a practical, supportive conversation inside Womeniverse™. Sign up here: https://lnkd.in/evTNxk-4 #Womeniverse #WOOTWiseTalks #FlexibleWorking #MaternityRights #WomenAtWork

There’s a lot of conversation today around women empowerment, inclusion, and equal opportunities — especially on professional platforms. But sometimes, the gap between what is said and what is experienced feels wider than ever. During my pregnancy, I faced medical complications early on and was advised strict bed rest by my doctor from the middle of my second month itself. Like any responsible employee, I first utilized my sick leaves and planned leaves. When my condition didn’t improve, I had no choice but to begin my maternity leave earlier than expected. My delivery wasn’t easy either. I underwent a C-section in my 8th month, and in the same phase, my maternity leave got exhausted. Understanding my situation, I reached out to my organization — requesting either a short extension of leave or the option to work from home for a brief period. The response? A denial. I was asked to report back to the office just 4 weeks after my C-section. I still remember those days vividly — the physical pain, the unhealed scars, the emotional exhaustion, and the responsibility of a newborn. Yet, there was an expectation to show up as if everything was normal. No flexibility. No empathy. No real support. This is not just about one company or one policy. It’s about a larger question: Are we truly building workplaces that support women — or are we just talking about it? Empowerment cannot exist only in policies, campaigns, or panel discussions. It reflects in the small, human decisions organizations make when their employees are at their most vulnerable. If we genuinely want to support women in the workforce, especially mothers, we need to move beyond statements and start showing up with understanding, flexibility, and compassion. Because real empowerment isn’t announced — it’s experienced. #WomenAtWork #MaternityMatters #WorkplaceReality #EmpathyAtWork #WomenEmpowerment

“Policies support maternity leave. Very few organizations support the return.” A performing employee goes on maternity leave. A few months later, she returns… but not to the same career. Her projects are gone. Her visibility has reduced. And eventually comes the “business update”: “We had to restructure the role.” “Team dynamics changed.” “There’s currently no opening at that level.” Then comes the unspoken choice: Accept a different, smaller role… or look for another job outside. Not because performance dropped. Not because capability changed. Only because she became a mother. Maternity leave is protected by policy. Career continuity after maternity often isn’t. Inclusion is not about policies on paper. It’s about protecting careers after women return. Because the hardest part is not going on leave. It’s coming back to a workplace that no longer sees you the same way. #WomenAtWork #MaternityLeave #WorkingMothers #WomenInLeadership #HR #CareerGrowth

Most parents go back to work after maternity leave in a mad rush, a meeting invite with someone they don't recognise, and the anxiety that everyone has moved on without them. No one prepares you for it. So I built something that does. This is exactly the tools I wish I had! The Return To Work Strong Series is a 4-week virtual programme starting 2nd June, designed specifically for women heading back after mat leave. 4 sessions, 45 minutes each, all recorded if you can't make it live. Babies/toddlers/dogs on laps are very welcome! I cover the things nobody talks about at work but everyone is thinking: — How to walk back in without feeling like you've lost your edge — Getting clear on what you actually want now, because it may have shifted — Negotiating flexibility without apologising for needing it — Updating your CV in a way that's honest about the gap and strong because of it — Preparing for the conversations you're already dreading — Setting boundaries that don't quietly collapse by week 2 If you're heading back soon, or know someone who is book your a slot here ⬇️ https://lnkd.in/egiFxTYk

Did you consider your company’s parental leave policy when evaluating your job offer? We ran a survey of ~3,000 women in the U.S, who took mostly or fully paid parental leave in the past three years and asked them this question. Here’s what they told us: ✅ 51% said YES 🚫 6% said NO … the remaining 43%? They said “No, but I would today” 🔥 🔥 🔥 In other words – the times have changed. While 51% of people DID consider the parental leave policy when they took their job, 94% of respondents said if they were on the job market today they would consider it. And this is why a generous parental leave policy isn’t just good for employees, it’s good for business.