Whilst there are bound to be many sleepless nights for your staff member, maternity leave should be a relaxing and enjoyable process as possible for them, as well as your business. Cultivating and continuing a healthy employee and business relationship during this time is vital as it will help put your mind at ease and ensure your staff member can focus on their new born without worrying about work. Here are some tips to achieve the perfect balance!
Keep in contact – show your interest! Just because there’s a new baby about, your employee will still want to know about how things are going and what everyone is up to. Make sure they are invited to events or evenings out, so you can find out all the updates about the baby and let them know about what they’ve missed at work!
Professionalism and personality – find the equilibrium Following on from our first point, it is important to not overwhelm your staff member with work talk, as that isn’t their priority at the moment. If they need updates about anything vital, then consider sending a company newsletter or getting in touch directly. Don’t be afraid to keep up the relationship by just having a chat every now and then – it will be appreciated.
Send gifts or cards Giving a gift whilst out of the office can show that you are thinking of them and getting everyone to sign a card will also show how sorely they are missed. Encouraging signals like this can help improve the relationship between you even further, laying the ground for a positive work experience when they do return to the office. Plus, who doesn’t love presents?
‘Keeping in touch days’ Companies are required to offer eight ‘keeping in touch’ days during maternity leave, although the staff member doesn’t have to take them. They are good opportunities to allow transition back in to working life, but also introduce the baby to the office and catch up with friends and colleagues. These are a really great way to ensure the relationships built over time are kept strong so the movement back in to work is as easy and seamless as possible.
If you’d like to purchase any gifts for maternity leave for your staff, or all manner of other occasions, get in touch with us on info@giftsfromabove.co.uk or view our online shop here.