Sticking to the regulations is only half the battle when it comes to managing maternity in the workplace, yet in a shrinking talent pool managing the issues is crucial for success. Annie Hayes looks at where the opportunities lie.
A tidal wave
Poorly managed maternity is costly for employers. Those that recognise this realise that pregnancy and the early years of parenting can represent a critical period in the career of women and, without adequate strategies in place, they risk losing key skills.
Added to this is the growing trend towards longer maternity leave. According to the ICAS in partnership with Managing Maternity Ltd 2007 survey, in almost a third of organisations women take 10 to 12 months off work to bring up their baby. This has, in part, been fuelled by an extension to the paid maternity period to nine months from the previous six, and with longer leave there are inevitably implications for communication and managing return.