Better Maternity Policies Aren't Enough: Why the Return to Work Matters
There's been real progress in how organisations support women at work.
Maternity policies have improved in many workplaces.
Flexible working has become a more prominent part of the conversation.
And changes to UK employment law are strengthening certain rights for working parents.
In March 2026, The Guardian reported on the Employment Rights Act and the government's description of the reforms as a significant step forward for women in the workplace.
That progress matters.
But it raises another question.
What happens when someone returns from maternity leave and has to navigate the reality of working life again?
Because having a good maternity policy and providing a good return-to-work experience aren't necessarily the same thing.
Why maternity policies matter
Maternity policies provide important protections and expectations.
They help employees understand their entitlements, how leave works and what arrangements are available when they return.
For organisations, they provide a framework for managing leave consistently.
And stronger employment rights can help address barriers faced by working parents.
These developments shouldn't be underestimated.
But policies have limits.
A policy can explain someone's rights.
It can't guarantee that their manager knows how to have a supportive conversation.
It can't ensure that an employee feels included in career development opportunities.
And it can't automatically resolve the practical challenges of combining work and family life.
That's where the difference between policy and experience becomes important.
The return to work is more than an administrative process
When someone returns from maternity leave, organisations usually have practical arrangements to make.
Confirming the return date.
Agreeing working hours.
Updating systems access.
Clarifying responsibilities.
Arranging any necessary training.
But the experience of returning can involve much more than those practical steps.
For some women, becoming a mother changes how they see themselves and their relationship with work.
They may be questioning their professional identity.
Reconsidering what they want from their career.
Or adjusting to new responsibilities and routines outside work.
Others return feeling confident, motivated and ready to continue exactly where they left off.
There's no single experience of returning from maternity leave.
But that's precisely why the transition deserves more than a standard administrative process.
Organisations need to understand the individual, not simply complete the paperwork.
Why returning to work can feel difficult even with good policies
Imagine an employee returning to an organisation with an enhanced maternity package.
She's had a positive experience during her leave.
Her working arrangements have been agreed.
On paper, everything is in place.
But when she returns, she discovers that her team has changed.
Colleagues have taken on new responsibilities.
Important projects have moved forward.
And she's uncertain about where she fits.
Perhaps she's questioning whether she's still as confident as she was before.
Perhaps she's finding her new childcare arrangements difficult to manage.
Or perhaps she's concerned that colleagues now see her as less ambitious.
None of these issues necessarily means the organisation's maternity policy is inadequate.
But they do highlight something the policy alone cannot resolve.
The everyday experience of returning to work.
And that experience is shaped by managers, colleagues, expectations and organisational culture.
Why line managers make such a difference
UK government research published in October 2026 into pregnancy and maternity workplace experiences highlighted the significant influence of line managers.
The research identified manager capability, communication and consistent application of policies as important factors shaping employees' experiences.
This matters because even a well-designed policy can be applied inconsistently.
One manager might proactively prepare for an employee's return, discuss expectations and schedule regular check-ins.
Another might assume that because the employee has returned, everything is back to normal.
One might keep career development conversations open.
Another might assume that becoming a mother means someone no longer wants additional responsibility.
Those differences can shape how employees experience returning to work.
And they show why manager capability needs to sit alongside maternity policy as part of an organisation's approach to retention.
The retention question organisations should be asking
The conversation about retaining women after maternity leave often focuses on whether employees come back.
And that's an important measure.
But it doesn't tell us everything.
What happens three months later?
Six months later?
A year later?
Are returning employees still engaged in their work?
Are they accessing development opportunities?
Do they feel supported in their roles?
Are their working arrangements sustainable?
And when employees leave, do organisations understand why?
Not every decision to leave or reduce working hours reflects a poor return-to-work experience.
Some women make positive choices to change direction, take a career break or pursue different opportunities.
But where people leave because of avoidable barriers, unclear expectations or inadequate support, organisations have an opportunity to learn.
The aim shouldn't simply be to get employees back through the door. It should be to create conditions in which they can build sustainable careers.
What better return-to-work support looks like
Improving the experience doesn't necessarily require a complicated new programme.
But it does require organisations to treat the return as a transition rather than a single date.
1. Prepare managers before the employee returns
Managers should understand the relevant policies and have practical guidance on how to support returning employees.
This includes conversations about responsibilities, working arrangements, workplace changes and career development.
2. Avoid assumptions about ambition and capability
Becoming a parent doesn't automatically change someone's professional ambitions.
Some women will want different things from their careers.
Others will want exactly the same opportunities as before.
Managers should ask rather than assume.
3. Recognise the psychological transition
For some women, returning to work involves questions about identity, confidence and priorities.
This broader transition into motherhood is sometimes described as matrescence.
Understanding that these experiences can occur may help managers respond with greater awareness.
But it's equally important not to assume every returning mother will experience them.
4. Build in ongoing conversations
The return-to-work conversation shouldn't end after the first week.
Regular check-ins during the following months can help identify concerns about workload, expectations, inclusion or development.
5. Address structural barriers
Supportive conversations matter.
But they can't compensate for unmanageable workloads, discriminatory treatment or working arrangements that are impossible to sustain.
Organisations also need to examine the practical conditions in which employees are expected to work.
Good return-to-work support combines effective management with meaningful organisational action.
Why better policy and better practice need to go together
Employment rights and maternity policies provide an essential foundation.
But the experience of returning to work is shaped by what happens in practice.
How managers communicate.
How expectations are set.
Whether employees feel able to raise concerns.
Whether career opportunities remain accessible.
And whether the organisation responds when working arrangements aren't sustainable.
These are the moments when policy becomes lived experience.
For organisations concerned about retaining experienced women, they're worth paying attention to.
Because supporting maternity leave well is important.
But supporting the return to work is part of supporting someone's career beyond it.
How The Parent Shift supports organisations
At The Parent Shift, I work with organisations to improve how employees are supported through maternity leave and the transition back to work.
My focus is particularly on manager capability: helping managers understand the psychological and practical aspects of the transition, have more effective conversations and avoid assumptions about ambition or commitment.
The aim is to help organisations turn good intentions and policies into more consistent, supportive return-to-work experiences.
If you're an HR, People or Talent leader looking to strengthen your organisation's approach, I'd welcome a conversation.
Explore support for organisations or book an introductory call.