Managing maternity differently

Workplace policies that fail to create inclusion and equality risk costing businesses as talented professionals leave their workforce and go to rival companies or set up their own. In order to avoid that, it's important for businesses to change how they manage maternity in order to improve their workplace and become more inclusive to working mothers and fathers.

Here are a few key changes businesses can embrace in order to attract, retain and promote their female talent and nurture the emotional intelligence of their employees.

Building well rounded leaders

While businesses have been focusing on diversity strategies and programmes, they will inevitably be ineffective if there is not an inclusive culture embedded in the DNA of the organisation - or investment to support change.

A culture of inclusion and equality needs to come from the top, and businesses that are able to build a talent pipeline high in EQ and IQ, with the full support of their CEO and Board will be the ones best placed to ensure they attract and retain the most talented professionals.

Parents are often hesitant to acknowledge that the experience of parenthood will change them, particularly from a professional perspective. Data now shows that both working mothers and fathers worry that they will be seen as lacking in skills, commitment or ambition when they start a family. However, the changes that come with being a working parent can spark personal growth that sets up future career success.

Businesses instead should look to harness the potential of this so-called ‘baby brain’ and the leadership potential that it offers.

Five key business opportunities and challenges

Lisa outlined the core areas where businesses must take action in order to help build a diverse, cohesive and inclusive workplace:

1. Manage maternity as part of your diversity and inclusion strategy and include your learning and leadership development teams – A strategy with measured targets needs to include mothers and fathers and look at all ways the business is supporting growth.
   
2. Invest in change and engage stakeholders across the business – Make a progressive approach to parenthood in the workplace a ‘need to have,’ not ‘nice to have.’
3. Harness the leadership potential of “baby brain” – Empower parents to value the journey of parenthood and its potential to enhance leadership skills.
4. Understand the changing attitudes of the Millennial Man – 53% of Millennial men would downshift to a less stressful career to help balance work and family commitments; it's clear that our approach to shared parental leave and Dads' long term involvement needs to shift.
5. Create an inclusive culture that values talent – Share stories of success and celebrate difference.