Supporting mothers returning from maternity leave

“Give to gain”, that’s the theme of this year’s International Women’s Day which was celebrated on Monday 8th March 2026. 

Whether it is fundraising, mentoring, advocacy, education or opportunity, we are sure that many SMEs across the country will be getting involved now or at some point during the year.

We wanted to use the momentum of the day to focus on a long-term action that SMEs can take: ensuring they have a supportive procedure for welcoming mothers back into the workforce after maternity leave.

New mothers are an important part of the workforce, but their lives will have changed with a new bond created and a major extra responsibility to focus on. Everyone’s different but they may well have built up extensive experience with you prior to the maternity leave and have a valuable skillset. A supportive workplace on their return will help you retain this asset for the future.

Before we talk about all the ways in which you could CHOOSE to support returning mothers, it is important to highlight the legal obligations.

What are your legal obligations towards mothers returning from maternity leave?

From the moment an employee tells you they are pregnant they become entitled to a number of rights and protection which last through maternity leave. These include protection of certain employment rights, protection against dismissal and access to various leaves, including maternity leave.

When the leave ends they are entitled to return to the same job, or if there is a good reason for this not being available, something similar with terms and conditions as good as they enjoyed before.

There are also health and safety matters, including carrying out a specific risk assessment for them, and providing paid time off or reduced working hours without a loss of pay for breast feeding, should they wish to do this. You do not have to provide breastfeeding facilities if it would cost more than a nominal cost, but it is something to consider.

How can you support returning mothers further?

With the legal obligations met, you can think about what kind of workplace culture you want to set or continue with, through your post-maternity-leave policy. 

You can’t second guess how a new mother will feel. But fatigue from sleepless nights and the strains of caring for a new-born, anxiety at the return to work, “baby brain”, and more serious mental health conditions like post-natal depression could potentially be at play. Or everything could have gone swimmingly (it does happen for a lucky few, apparently!). 

She may have childcare juggling to contend with, or that could all be in hand with nursery or the support of family. There will be no one size fits all, so what can you do?

Temper expectation. With all the changes, she may take time to get up to speed, or find a way of achieving the same outcomes but through a different rhythm. Developing a return-to-work plan with the new mother is a great place to start. If you’ve used keeping in touch hours (up to ten available), these could inform the plan well.

Phased returns and flexible working

In the plan, you may outline whether she comes straight back for a full return or if it will be phased to allow her to adjust to the dual role of employee and mother to a baby. There are 20 post maternity leave return-to-work hours available to help with this.

A new baby may be a prime time for a flexible working request. Eligible employees have a statutory right to request flexible working for caring purposes, like adjusting start/finishing times. You can refuse a request, but you must have a good business reason and follow a fair process. Balance her needs against those of the business as she, of course, has a very strong reason for asking. 

Training and support

A lot can happen in a few months in some industries, so assess the situation to see if your employee will need training on the latest industry developments. Or maybe even some brief refresher training along with a reorientation introducing any new colleagues who have joined and other organisational changes.

More informal support could come in many guises, from regular check-ins with you or a line manager to a buddy or mentoring system if it fits your culture. It’s a fine line though. If you’ve been a parent yourself, you’ll know that not all advice is asked for, or welcomed.

Support from The HR Dept

We are always here to support you as the business owner. Whether it is meeting your legal obligations or nurturing a more supportive culture, we can provide professional guidance that works for your business.