To ask your views (it’s a work one)

[collywobbled]

NC for privacy reasons. I’m on maternity leave and not due back until the end of 2025. My manager has reached out and asked if we can call every few weeks to discuss any business updates and just have a general check in. I didn’t make a plan for frequency of contact prior to going off and now realise this was a mistake. I do think I’ll do a couple of paid KIT days but not until summer as I am breastfeeding and don’t want to leave my baby anytime soon.

I’m happy to have one call prior to KIT days to catch up and outline anything important but I am wondering whether it’s standard practice to liaise with your employer so often while you are off? I have quite a busy schedule of classes and plans with new mum friends and would prefer to not think about work at least for a few more months yet. That said I enjoy my job and don’t want to ruffle feathers so it might be best to just find the time, but my head is not in that zone at all right now. What are your thoughts, and how should I respond?

It’s standard to be led by the employee. Some people want less, some want more, so just be clear about what you want to happen.

Personally I wouldn’t have an issue with it as I know it would be a mix of business talk but personal talk too as I get on really well with my manager, so it would feel more like a friendly chat rather than a work one

Sounds excessive
tell them what level you are happy with.

Every few months, not every few weeks.

It sounds reasonable to me. You could see how the first call goes and then suggest how often you would like future calls to be.

Every few weeks is excessive. You want to enjoy your mat leave and your baby, not be thinking or stressing about work.

a call before any KIT days seems reasonable to get you up to speed. Other than that it would be a no from me (and I like my job).

Retired civil servant and a kit when on long term leave was mandatory.

When I went on extended sick leave, I told my manager that I wouldn't be taking their kit calls. I had no intention of ever coming back, but needed to know the prognosis of my illness before I officially decided to take early retirement.

Just to clarify, at that time, if you died in service your appointed person would receive three time (could have been one and a half, cannot quite recall now) your annual salary. If I'd retired, they'd get nowt.

A 15 minute chat every month or so, to keep you in the loop? What’s the problem with that?

Personally I wouldn't agree to that. I don't want to give work a single bit of headspace when I'm away from it. Fully paid kit days fine, opening the door to "quick chats"? Nah.

For both my nat leaves I had a maternity "buddy" ( who was a work mate). We'd have a chat once a month to keep me in the loop but was very informal and I liked having a vague idea of what was going on.

Your manager maybe has no clue what is best and is just suggesting this to feel like they are being a good manager to you. Just be clear what you want and they will probably be relieved you have a plan!

I think it depends on how useful it will be to you when you go back - I had no contact whatsoever with work while I was off, but my work is quite ‘in the moment’ so this week’s work is not relevant to next week’s.

However, if your work is on long term projects, or your maternity cover is making decisions that you’d normally make / will have to pick up on your return, then I think it’d be really helpful to have some level of involvement and be in the loop and will make your transition easier.

Legally if you don’t want to think about/talk to work then they can’t require you to, but a bit of input now might make going back a lot easier - and going back to work is stressful so you might be glad of anything that can smooth the process.

To be honest, I wouldn't mind it. I'm not career orientated and my job is just a job but I'd like to hear about what changes are happening so I'm not blind sided when I go back. If my manager said a day or time that didn't suit, I'd just tell them I was busy and suggest some other times. I like the people I work with and my manager is great so even though I don't love my job, that's probably influencing my view.