New UK government research into pregnancy and maternity experiences has highlighted something organisations need to pay attention to: the difference between having good workplace policies and how those policies are experienced by employees.
And one finding stands out.
In interviews with parents who had experienced perceived unfair treatment, line manager capability emerged as the single biggest influence on their workplace experience.
Not simply the maternity policy.
Not the benefits package.
But the knowledge, communication and decisions of the person managing them day to day.
For organisations investing in maternity benefits, flexible working and employee wellbeing, this raises an important question.
Are we doing enough to prepare managers to support employees through pregnancy, maternity leave and returning to work?
What does the new UK maternity research tell us?
On 22 October 2026, the UK government published Pregnancy and maternity: workplace experiences of parents.
The research was carried out by the Institute for Employment Studies and examined how pregnant women and parents experience unfair treatment and discrimination at work.
It drew on several sources, including existing research, labour market data, employment tribunal cases and interviews with parents and employers.
The qualitative interviews included 22 mothers and two fathers who reported experiencing pregnancy- or parental-leave-related unfair treatment, alongside nine employers.
That distinction matters.
These interviews offer valuable insight into how problems arise, but they aren't a representative survey of every parent's experience.
What they reveal, however, is a series of challenges that employers can take practical steps to address.
1. Line managers can make or break the experience
One of the clearest findings was the importance of line manager capability.
The research identified limited training, lack of awareness and inconsistent application of policies as important contributors to parents' experiences of unfair treatment.
This is particularly interesting because many organisations already have established maternity policies.
HR teams may understand the legal requirements.
The business may offer enhanced benefits.
There may be clear procedures for requesting flexibility or returning to work.
But the employee's everyday experience is often shaped by their manager.
It's the manager who responds when someone announces their pregnancy.
Who discusses changes to responsibilities.
Who communicates during leave.
Who welcomes someone back.
And who makes decisions about workload, opportunities and progression.
Two employees working for the same organisation, with the same policies, can have very different experiences depending on how those policies are put into practice.
A good maternity policy is important. But managers need to know how to make it work.
2. Communication during maternity leave and on return matters
The research also identified problems with communication.
Parents described situations where inconsistent or inadequate communication contributed to feelings of exclusion and uncertainty.
And it's easy to see how this might happen.
Someone goes on maternity leave.
Their team changes.
Responsibilities shift.
Projects develop.
Perhaps a new manager joins.
Then the employee returns, expecting to pick up where they left off, only to discover that the working environment has moved on without them.
Some change is inevitable.
But how that change is communicated matters.
Have expectations about contact during leave been agreed?
Does the employee know about significant developments affecting their role?
Is there a conversation before their return?
Does their manager make time to explain what's changed?
And once they're back, is there an opportunity to discuss how things are going?
These aren't particularly complicated actions.
But they require managers to understand that returning from maternity leave involves more than confirming a date.
3. Career progression can be affected by assumptions about motherhood
Another important finding concerned progression.
Interviewees described missed promotion opportunities, reduced responsibilities and roles that had changed unfavourably during or after maternity leave.
The research also highlighted negative assumptions about motherhood and caring responsibilities.
This is an area I think deserves particular attention.
Imagine an experienced employee returning from maternity leave.
Before having a child, she was considered ambitious and capable.
She regularly took on additional responsibilities.
She was progressing well.
Now she's a mother.
Her manager may want to be supportive.
Perhaps they decide not to offer her a demanding project because they assume she has enough on her plate.
Perhaps they stop discussing promotion opportunities.
Or perhaps they interpret a request for flexible working as a sign that her priorities have changed.
The intention may not always be negative.
But the impact can still be significant.
Supporting someone shouldn't mean making decisions about their career on their behalf.
Some women will want to change direction after having children.
Others will want exactly the same opportunities as before.
Managers need to have those conversations rather than make assumptions.
4. Flexible working is about more than having a policy
The research also identified difficulties accessing flexible working.
These included refused requests, unexpected changes to shifts and return-to-office requirements.
This highlights another important distinction.
An organisation can have a flexible working policy.
But if employees struggle to access the arrangements they need, the existence of that policy may offer little reassurance.
Of course, not every request can be accommodated exactly as proposed.
Different roles and organisations have different operational requirements.
But decisions should be fair, transparent and consistent with legal obligations.
And managers need to be equipped to discuss requests constructively.
For a parent returning from maternity leave, working arrangements can influence whether a role feels sustainable.
That doesn't mean flexibility automatically resolves every challenge.
But it can make a significant difference to how work fits alongside family responsibilities.
5. The problem isn't always a lack of good intentions
Something else stood out to me in the research.
The employer interviews suggested that organisations were often aware of their legal responsibilities and wanted to do the right thing.
But that didn't necessarily translate into consistent experiences for employees.
Managers sometimes lacked the knowledge or confidence to respond appropriately.
HR teams could have clear policies, while individual employees still experienced difficulties in day-to-day interactions.
And this is where I think there's an important opportunity.
Not every problem begins with an organisation deliberately choosing to treat someone unfairly.
Sometimes managers haven't been given the training they need.
They don't know what conversations to have.
They're uncertain about their responsibilities.
Or they make assumptions without recognising the consequences.
That doesn't excuse unfair treatment.
But it does help explain why improving policies alone may not be enough.
If we want better experiences for employees, we need to equip the people responsible for putting those policies into practice.
Why the return from maternity leave deserves particular attention
Although the government research covers pregnancy, leave and returning to work, the return is especially relevant to the work I do at The Parent Shift.
Because returning from maternity leave isn't always a straightforward continuation of someone's career.
For some women, becoming a mother brings changes in identity, confidence and priorities.
They may be reconnecting with their professional identity while adjusting to new responsibilities outside work.
Others return feeling confident and ready to continue exactly where they left off.
There's no single experience.
But the workplace may also have changed during their absence.
And that combination can make the return a significant transition.
Sometimes what appears to be a confidence issue is actually uncertainty about expectations.
Sometimes someone who seems quieter or less engaged is still reconnecting with their role.
And sometimes the real problem is an unmanageable workload or a lack of opportunity.
Managers need to understand these differences.
Because different challenges require different responses.
Coaching may help someone explore confidence, identity or career direction.
But it cannot replace fair treatment, effective management or sustainable working arrangements.
Five things organisations can do differently
So what should employers take from this research?
I think there are five practical areas worth reviewing.
1. Give managers specific maternity and return-to-work training
Don't assume that being a good general manager automatically means someone understands the challenges associated with pregnancy, maternity leave and returning to work.
Managers need clear guidance on their responsibilities, communication, flexibility and career development.
They also need opportunities to practise conversations they may find unfamiliar or difficult.
2. Set clear expectations about communication
Before someone goes on leave, agree how they would like to be kept informed, within the relevant legal framework.
Make sure significant changes affecting their role are communicated appropriately.
And arrange a meaningful conversation before their return.
3. Keep career development conversations open
Managers should continue discussing ambitions, progression and opportunities with employees returning from maternity leave.
They shouldn't assume that becoming a parent means someone wants less responsibility.
Ask what the employee wants.
And make sure decisions about progression are fair and transparent.
4. Provide support beyond the first day back
A return-to-work meeting is a useful starting point.
But the transition may continue over the following months.
Build in opportunities to review workload, expectations, working arrangements and any concerns that emerge.
The aim isn't to create unnecessary processes.
It's to make sure employees know they can raise issues and receive appropriate support.
5. Measure the experience, not just the return rate
Organisations often track how many employees return after maternity leave.
But what happens afterwards?
Are employees staying?
Are they progressing?
Are flexible working requests being handled consistently?
Do returning employees feel included and supported?
And are managers confident in their responsibilities?
Understanding these experiences can help organisations identify problems that aren't visible in a basic return-to-work statistic.
Better maternity support starts with better everyday practice
The research doesn't suggest that every organisation is getting maternity support wrong.
Nor does it mean that manager training alone will resolve discrimination, inflexible working conditions or wider structural inequalities.
But it does highlight a gap that deserves attention.
Organisations can invest in policies, benefits and legal compliance.
Yet employees experience those commitments through everyday interactions.
Through conversations.
Decisions.
Opportunities.
And the way they're treated when their circumstances change.
That's where policies become real.
And that's why supporting managers matters.
If organisations want to improve how women experience pregnancy, maternity leave and returning to work, they need to look beyond what the policy says.
They need to consider whether the people delivering it have the knowledge, confidence and support to do so effectively.
How The Parent Shift supports organisations
At The Parent Shift, I help organisations strengthen how managers support employees through maternity leave and returning to work.
My work focuses on the human transition alongside the practical responsibilities.
That includes helping managers:
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Understand what employees may experience when returning from maternity leave
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Have more effective conversations before and after the return
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Avoid assumptions about ambition, confidence and commitment
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Support career development and progression
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Recognise when employees need practical adjustments or additional support
I offer manager training workshops alongside individual coaching for women navigating confidence, identity and career decisions after motherhood.
If you're an HR, People or Talent leader reviewing your organisation's approach to maternity support, I'd welcome a conversation.
Explore manager training and organisational support
Or book an introductory conversation.
Research source
UK Government (22 October 2026), Pregnancy and maternity: workplace experiences of parents.
Read the government's executive summary.
The research was conducted by the Institute for Employment Studies and included qualitative interviews, a literature review, secondary data analysis and employment tribunal case analysis. Findings from the qualitative interviews should not be interpreted as representative prevalence estimates.