The Baby Has Arrived

Staying in Touch with Line Managers and Your Team

Once the excitement of the first few days and weeks has settled down, we recommend staying in regular contact with your line manager, department or office, and your colleagues, in the period before you return to work. You’ll find useful tips on the mamagenda website (in German, French, Italian).

You should also revise any agreements you have made about returning to work if there have been any changes in that regard.

While you are on parental leave (whether paid or unpaid), think about whether you would like to amend the agreements you have made for your return in light of the current situation. If so, we recommend making an appointment with your line manager in good time to discuss the next steps. It is also worth thinking about a plan B, in case your preferred plan A is not possible for operational reasons. As before, any changes should be recorded in the Memorandum of Conversation on Parenthood (PDF, 208 KB), and the form should be signed by both the member of staff and the line manager.

Ask About or Draw Up Arrangements for Balancing Family and Career

As a member of staff, ask if your department has any general rules about balancing family and career. As a line manager, you should find out about any arrangements that already exist, or possibly draw them up along with your team, using the mission statements as a guide.

Best Practice Examples for Balancing Family and Career

How can I balance my career with everyday family life? The WHO CARES? discussion group has produced a summary of best practice examples: WHO CARES-Best Practices.