27 May Supported every (baby) step of the way
Sharing big personal news should be met with support – not silence or stress. Especially when the big personal news involves precious little ones.
At BellchambersBarrett (BB), we love nothing more than the opportunity to celebrate and back our new parents, every step of the way.
In this article, our Audit & Assurance Managers, Grace Graham, Chloe Tatti and Yen Le, share their experiences before, during and after parental leave at BB.
First of all, was it hard to share the news and start the conversation about your parental leave?
Grace: It was incredibly easy. And it was clear from early on that it was up to me how much time off I wanted and that the team would accommodate this.
Chloe: Due to a few challenges in my pregnancy, I had a bit of a rollercoaster to get to the point of parental leave. But when I was finally there, it was great! People were celebrating with me, and I had a lot of support.
Yen: Starting the conversation was easy. I had a chat with one of our Partners, who was very excited and supportive about my news.
Did you have any concerns about taking parental leave?
Grace: I was concerned that I might forget how to do my job or lose interest in my work after having a baby. I was also worried about falling behind in my career.
Chloe: I was quite worried about leaving my colleagues in the trenches and disappearing without providing an adequate handover. I didn’t want to be seen as not a team player.
Yen: I wanted to make sure I finished all my work before going on leave. And that there would be a point of contact for clients during my absence.
How did the firm help you prepare for stepping away from work?
Grace: My work was slowly scaled back so I wasn’t overwhelmed in my final weeks, which I greatly appreciated. I also enjoyed hearing about the experiences of the other working parents in the team. And I was encouraged to stay in touch throughout my leave.
Chloe: Kathleen, my wonderful coach (and the best Partner ever), helped me plan and manage my expectations. And all the Partners made it clear that they didn’t want me to think or worry about work while on parental leave.
Yen: I appreciated the regular check-ins from the Partners throughout the process. I was also given sufficient time to tidy up and hand over jobs to other managers before my leave started. And we put plans in place to ensure all my mentees would be cared for.
How did BB support you more personally as your leave approached?
Grace: By the end of my pregnancy, I was exhausted. But I felt incredibly supported by the team. I got a lot flexibility in terms of being able to work from home, as well as starting parental leave slightly earlier.
Chloe: I had a few complications towards the end of my pregnancy, and BB offered me to go part-time or work from home as much as I needed. I ended up having to go on leave a few weeks earlier, but luckily, BB had a contingency plan, so that was reassuring. I’m glad we have the type of relationship where we can openly communicate and plan together.
Yen: The Partners were flexible about when and how long I wanted to take my leave and how I wanted to be paid (e.g., spreading my parental leave pay over a longer time). They were also willing to adjust my leave period if I needed to, which I really appreciated.
And how about during your time away? Did you stay connected to the team?
Grace: I was grateful that some of the Partners checked in on me during my time off, as that made me feel connected to work while on leave – like I’m still part of the team from afar! I’m also incredibly fortunate to have amazing friends at BB who were there for me through the early days of motherhood. They were also a great conduit to work while I was off being a mum.
Chloe: Honestly, a lot of my closest friends work at BB as well. Genivive (our Practice Manager) hosted my baby shower. My daughter sleeps in a cot that Kathleen gave me. Rinda gave us a portacot and a highchair. I was the first person in a while to go on parental leave at BB, so I reaped a lot of the benefits! And I kept in touch with many colleagues while I was on leave.
Yen: I received so many congratulatory messages, and everyone ensured I had enough time and space to recover. There were phone calls and texts to check on me, but never work-related talks. At one point, one of my clients contacted me for assistance, and my colleagues quickly took care of it.
How was your return-to-work transition?
Grace: Returning to work after having a baby was really positive, but also a little challenging. I felt like a completely different person with different priorities. But other working parents at BB really threw their arms around me since I came back. Knowing there are other people in the same situation made my transition a lot easier. My workload for the first few months was also considered, allowing me to ease back nicely into the work mindset. I’m also grateful to have flexible work hours to accommodate daycare pickups, sicknesses and the like!
Chloe: It was a bit hard, just because there’s so much to juggle as a new parent. But the Partners understand that work is just one facet of your life, and a lot of people here have young families. So we meet regularly to talk about workload and deadlines, which are ever evolving because toddlers are often sick, throwing a spanner in the works!
Yen: The transition back was relatively smooth. A Partner contacted me beforehand to make sure I was ready to come back and that I was comfortable with my hours and days, as well as the jobs I’d be working on. On my first day back to the office, my workstation was all set up for me – with beautiful flowers sitting on it! Everyone was excited to have me back and offered help if I needed it, which was really nice.
If someone in the team is considering starting a family, what would you say to them?
Grace: I would assure them that they’d be supported. I would also tell them to rely on all the amazing working parents we have at BB. They have so much collective wisdom and are always ready to support. And they’ve shown me that you can balance work and family life.
Chloe: You will never relax or sleep the same again… but it’s all worth it! You can always earn more money or return to another job, but your kids are only young once. And it obviously hasn’t been all bad because I’m doing it all over again in August!
Yen: Do not hesitate or be afraid, because we work at a place with a supportive culture. Starting a family is hard work and a massive personal milestone. Everyone should do it with excitement, knowing they will be supported throughout the journey.