Diksha Bhagat’s Post

I recently spoke with a friend facing a tough situation, and instead of offering my own advice, I wanted to tap into the collective wisdom of the amazing leaders, and advocates for women and mothers, that I’m connected with. So Please read on: She's a manager at a large company that offers 5 months of paid maternity leave. Of her 7 direct reports, 4 happen to be pregnant at the same time and will be taking their well-deserved leave. As a mother who's worked full-time through the births of her own children, she knows maternity leave is no vacation. Her priority is minimizing their stress and assuring them they'll return to the same roles. However, with no budget allocated to cover their work, the rest of her team will have to shoulder the extra load, even though they’re already stretched thin. To complicate matters, her leadership raised a concern—if the team manages well without them, could it suggest those on leave aren't necessary? On her behalf, I’m seeking collective feedback on how to: Support both the team members going on leave and those staying without overburdening anyone. Address her leaderships concerns without undermining the value of her team on leave. And ensure this is not perceived as a "woman's problem" but instead as a collective corporate opportunity. What are your thoughts? I have also posted below a 2019 (and still VERY relevant research report) from HBR on how we can make workplaces work for caregivers. https://lnkd.in/gZjwbVXg

2 reasons why you should read this amazing post - The topic: making work compatible with parenthood and very concrete tips to handle a complex situation - The advice is crowdsourced: this shows the power of LinkedIn when we use it in a genuine and creative way

Recently half my team went on maternity at the same time. I appreciated how Kristi Rible generously summarized the advise (much of which we followed). A couple things that made my gut twist - reading this post. 1. This "problem" was not being solved at the right level. Leadership absolutely should have be involved in resource allocation as they often have the best perspective across silos. 2. It made me angry/sick to read that leadership believed that they could identify opportunities for redundancies based on who took maternity leave. What that says to me is that the policy was BS. That they were signalling that they cared about wellness and work life balance - but that was a lie. When folks go out - team members sometimes have to "step up" - we call that hustle or surge time. Right now 20% of our surge time happens because of personell needs - 80% happens because of the client needs (expected and unexpected). Right now our team has a good balance. Yes we can surge and sprint. Surges can and should be celebrated, rewarded and appreciated! Sprint are fantastic and useful - but we also need the marathoners - the rock stars - slow and steady often wins the race. and yes because #Diversity Manipulating folks into constantly sprinting destroys trust. For so many reasons it is dumb and unkind, signals a lack of care. It is demoralizing, disrespectful and and risks to burn out both for the sprinters and marathoners -- just no. Honestly. 😡

Establishing Boundaries After Maternity Leave Jennifer Raibon shares the importance of setting boundaries after maternity leave while reflecting on career aspirations and growth during challenging times. She recognized that it all started with her. How do you set boundaries at work? #whyileftpodcast #CareerGrowth #WorkLifeBalance #SelfAdvocacy #WomenAtWork #Leadership

Establishing Boundaries After Maternity Leave Jennifer Raibon shares the importance of setting boundaries after maternity leave while reflecting on career aspirations and growth during challenging times. She recognized that it all started with her. How do you set boundaries at work? #whyileftpodcast #CareerGrowth #WorkLifeBalance #SelfAdvocacy #WomenAtWork #Leadership

Are you thinking about starting a family, planning for maternity leave, or currently on maternity leave? (or maybe you know a colleague or friend who is?) Join Maturn’s FREE Masterclass on October 18th: "Strategies to Safeguard Your Leadership Status Through Maternity Leave." 🌟 Did you know that the motherhood penalty can impact your career trajectory during and beyond maternity leave? This masterclass is designed to empower you with strategies to protect your professional standing and career momentum. ✨ What you’ll gain: 🔍 Awareness of the motherhood penalty and how it may affect you. 🛠️ Guidance, tools, and resources to prepare for a seamless transition into maternity leave. 🤝 Strategies to maintain your social capital while on leave and during your return. 🚀 Tips to re-enter the workplace smoothly, reclaim your role, and continue advancing your career. Secure your spot today and take charge of your career journey! Consider sharing this with a friend or work colleague. 👉 Register Now, spots are limited! https://lnkd.in/gRxes8y2 #MaternityLeave #Leadership #CareerGrowth #ProfessionalDevelopment #WomenInLeadership #MaturnMasterclass

👶✨ Proactively Create Your Maternity Leave Plan While Advancing Your Personal Brand! ✨👶 When you go on maternity leave, you embark on a journey of transformation. Your newborn is learning to breathe, connect, and depend on you, while your workplace continues to thrive in your absence. 📈💼 Set your employer and colleagues up for success with these three goals: ✅ Show your employer you’ve got this! ✅ Ensure your colleagues won’t be left to pick up the pieces. ✅ Give yourself permission to step away worry-free. Consider this template a leadership opportunity. Reassure your manager of your dedication by outlining your transition plan. The Mindful Return Maternity Leave Plan Template is your ultimate guide to a smooth transition. 💪📝 Buy Now and Lead with Confidence! 💼✨ https://lnkd.in/gtviX6U #MaternityLeave #Leadership #PersonalBrand #WorkLifeBalance #MindfulReturn

👶✨ Proactively Create Your Maternity Leave Plan While Advancing Your Personal Brand! ✨👶 When you go on maternity leave, you embark on a journey of transformation. Your newborn is learning to breathe, connect, and depend on you, while your workplace continues to thrive in your absence. 📈💼 Set your employer and colleagues up for success with these three goals: ✅ Show your employer you’ve got this! ✅ Ensure your colleagues won’t be left to pick up the pieces. ✅ Give yourself permission to step away worry-free. Consider this template a leadership opportunity. Reassure your manager of your dedication by outlining your transition plan. The Mindful Return Maternity Leave Plan Template is your ultimate guide to a smooth transition. 💪📝 Buy Now and Lead with Confidence! 💼✨ https://lnkd.in/dQnVvkB #MaternityLeave #Leadership #PersonalBrand #WorkLifeBalance #MindfulReturn

Get rid of maternity leave stress once and for all with these 3 tips: 🔵 Early Planning, 🔵 Continuous Support, and 🔵 Proactive Reintegration Start planning your return before you even leave! This means having discussions with your manager, outlining your career goals, and setting clear expectations. By having a plan in place, you reduce uncertainty and set yourself up for a smooth transition. Don't wait until the last minute. Early planning is crucial for maintaining your career momentum. Our course at Uplifted Leaders covers everything you need to know. Let's make maternity leave work for you! #MaternityLeave #CareerPlanning #WorkLifeBalance #STEMWomen #Leadership #CareerGoals

I'm obviously not a mother, but I joined the Chief of Staff Roundtable's "Mother and Chief" event today to learn how I could better support the wonderful mothers in my life. Thank you to Rae, Libby, Priya, and Melinda for sharing your wisdom with us and Philip for facilitating a great panel discussion! Here are my key takeaways in case you couldn't make it: 🎯 Balancing Work and Home Life: The speakers emphasized the importance of setting clear boundaries to balance work and family responsibilities effectively. For example, one panelist mentioned negotiating specific work hours to ensure she can dedicate time to her family during evenings. 🎯 Support Systems: The necessity of building a support system both professionally and personally was a recurring theme. This includes leveraging partnerships at work and seeking help or sharing responsibilities at home to manage the dual demands of career and motherhood. 🎯 Adapting Leadership Styles: Adapting to different leadership styles and communicating personal boundaries with executives was highlighted as crucial for a chief of staff. This helps in managing both the expectations at work and the responsibilities at home. 🎯 Self-care and Presence: The significance of self-care and being fully present in interactions with children was stressed. Panelists shared personal anecdotes about ensuring they are mentally and physically available for their children, which sometimes means setting aside work. 🎯 Navigating Maternity Leave: Discussions about maternity leave focused on the challenges of disconnecting from work and the strategies to stay informed without being actively involved. This includes setting up systems and processes that allow chiefs of staff to take necessary leave without work piling up. 🎯 Emotional Intelligence: Emotional intelligence plays a pivotal role in managing relationships both at work and at home. Understanding and managing one’s emotions and boundaries, and recognizing the emotional needs of others are essential skills for a chief of staff. 🎯 Professional Growth and Personal Development: The event also touched on how personal experiences as mothers can enrich professional capabilities, bringing empathy, multitasking, and crisis management skills to the workplace. 🔥 Libby's key quote of the event was: "If it doesn't have to be me, it should probably be someone else." --Libby Pier This statement emphasizes the importance of delegation and recognizing which tasks require her specific attention versus those that can be effectively handled by others. Thus, she manages her workload and maintains a balance between her professional and personal life.