Support, Don’t Suffocate The Newly Returned Working Mom

The most stressed worker in our workforce is not the young intern new to the office but the woman who has re-joined the establishment after a maternity or mid-career break! She is back after a few months or a year and she finds to her dismay that not just her body and her lifestyle, but even her work environment, office and co-workers are no longer the same.
 

She wants to shine, to contribute and prove her mettle again as she juggles two worlds equally dear to her but the roadblocks she faces are both from within and outside.
 

Her mind and body have changed to support the needs of a baby who is wholly dependent on her. Even though she has returned to work, guilt is her constant companion. It is a double-edged sword that pushes her to work yet makes her vulnerable at work. She has made a tough choice, yet many choose to ignore it and belittle her work ethics.
 

For the returning mom, it is not smooth sailing, especially in the beginning as many find themselves at the receiving end of taunts and snide comments. Sometimes excused from overtime and late shifts, she faces resentment from co-workers, who feel that she is getting a free pass to shirk her work responsibilities.
 

The attitude towards a woman returning to work after a break needs to change. Whatever the length of  break in her career, if she is back in the workforce she is there to work and that needs to be understood by all. Usually, the need to prove herself and shine in the workplace drives these woman to work extra hard. The demands from both the workplace and her family add to the strain she feels as she tries to settle back into her work.
 

In this highly driven world, a few kind words and a little help or some tips from those who have been there, can make life easy for this woman. Being compassionate with her will not be an excuse for her to be tardy but to work extra hard. A negative attitude and bias is a hindrance to her work, a deterrent that reduces her performance and output.  
 

Return to work moms do not need to be cushioned from the demands of the job for them to work well.  Just desisting from guilt-tripping them at work will do. We all appreciate support and empathy and working moms are no exception.


Written by Inderpreet Kaur Uppal