How Companies Can Ensure Maternity Leave Doesn't Hurt Women’s Careers

The Harvard Business Review urges companies to pay a high level of attention to reintegrating employees after parental leave, offering several recommendations. One, support an organizational culture that regards and positions parental leave as a brief interlude and not a major disruption. Two, implement phased returns that offer "check-in days" during leave and a gradual return that ramps up from three days a week to four, then to five. A third tip is to set up mentoring programs for returning employees, where high performers who are more experienced caregivers are matched with high performers who are new parents. Other tips range from "create an open dialogue with returning women" and "be aware that this is a deeply personal, individual transition for everyone."