The Low-Down on Balancing Career, Family Life, and a New Baby

If you pay close attention to the news you will see that the gender pay gap debate is still very much alive, even in a country like the UK. And if you do want to start a family or have another baby, then is it going to have an impact on your career, especially if you choose to go back after maternity leave? It can be a really juggle, without there being any issues from your employer.

For starters, it is a good idea to check that you know your rights when it comes to this. In the UK, if you are employed full-time or part-time, then you are entitled to a whole year (52 weeks), of statutory maternity leave. You don’t have to take it all if you want to return sooner, and men have the option too now in the UK to share the parental leave with you. If you are self-employed, then things are a little bit more complicated, but maternity allowance, while you aren’t working is something that you’d be entitled to.

Strike a Balance That Works For You

Having a baby can turn your world upside down. And as a result, your best-laid plans may change once the baby is actually here and you settle into motherhood. The good news is that there are options, and where possible, your employer should be able to help you to find something that works. You could change your hours to work part-time, for example, or even apply for flexible working, to make working from home more possible, or hours with more flex so that you can make baby drop offs and picks up easier.

There are other options, as well as returning to your old job. You could start work in something completely new, or at least a similar role but for a different company that does offer what you need. You could even look to work from home as a freelancer doing what you did before. There are several other roles that you can do from home too. So having a baby could be the push you need to start something on your own, especially if there are no careers that will work for you no you have a child.

In a similar vein, you could get back to studying while you are on maternity leave, or if you decide not to go back to work right away. There are plenty of courses and Universities that allow you to study online, whether it be for an online management masters or getting a bachelor’s degree in marketing. If you are more qualified, then it could be the thing you need to apply for a job that pays more or to move into a career that does offer more flexibility.

At the end of the day, having children doesn’t mean that your career has to be over if you don’t want it to be. You will just need to figure out the costs to make sure that it is worth going back to what you were doing. If not, then it could be the right time for a change.

This is a collaborative post