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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Winding down for mat leave

16 replies

Jsnb9319 · 14/10/2019 15:41

Hey ladies

Just wondered when you started handing over work and winding down in preparation for going on maternity leave?

I'm not going for another 11 weeks yet but I'm still being given new clients and to me it just doesn't make sense when I'm going soonish. HR and my manager know when I'm going on mat leave and have signed it all off but my manager hasn't communicated this to my team or what is expected of me in terms of handover.

I know every job is different and 11 weeks is still a while away but not sure if I should start saying no and just managing what I have currently?

Thanks

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Mintypea5 · 14/10/2019 15:50

I'm off next week and starting my handover tomorrow.

I guess it depends on what kind of work you do but if your able to start the work 11 weeks is still a long time so I expect a lot of work places may expect you to take on new clients etc.

Is it the kind of work where you need to close whatever it is or can the clients be easily handed over? Will your current workload keep you occupied for the next 11 weeks?

AmIThough · 14/10/2019 15:57

Speak to your manager and ask what their plan is.

I didn't start winding down until about two weeks before I was finishing.
I did start my written handover about 6 weeks out though, just in case. I could then delete things as and when they were no longer relevant, and add things where necessary.

Andersonx3 · 14/10/2019 16:44

I finish in 5 weeks, and we haven't even got any maternity cover yet. I'm taking on projects that don't even begin until December and I leave on November 15th. So frustrating - there is no way enough time to adequately train someone so I feel so nervous leaving all of my projects with someone who's has potentially 3 weeks training

Bol87 · 14/10/2019 17:37

My last pregnancy, my maternity cover started a month after I left 🙄 but such is the nature of my employer, disorganised HR!

I started winding down a week or so before but that worked for my job. I didn’t take on any new work and concentrated on getting what I had wrapped up or in a handover position. It was enough time. But I don’t case load, so probably a bit different.

tisonlymeagain · 14/10/2019 18:13

10 weeks - don't think they are getting any cover in (Pretty sure I'll be made redundant soon enough anyhow) but they're still setting me new targets etc which seems a bit pointless. I've asked not to be put on any long projects as I don't want to start what I can't finish but they weren't receptive to that...so instead they'll just set me up for a fail. Sounds about right.

CAG12 · 14/10/2019 18:48

Mentally ive been winding down for mat leave since I found out I was pregnant 😂

If I were you id think about how long each job/role will take to handover, then plan for that? Does the person taking over need supervision or are they ok to just carry on with it?

Original poster

Jsnb9319 · 15/10/2019 06:55

Thanks all, good to know that other workplaces a bit disorganised too! They are looking to hire 2 new people to my team anyway so I think they might be waiting for that because they've not found anyone yet.
I've emailed my manager asking for a meeting over the coming weeks just so I can plan what I am expected to do in terms of handing over these clients.
My last day in the office is 31st Dec anyway so I kind of feel that everything will have finished well before then anyway with Christmas etc.
Thanks ladies :)

OP posts:

FairyBunnyAgain · 15/10/2019 07:04

Not for maternity leave but in a job where I gave a 3 month notice period prior to a similar long absence for medical reasons, HR and the directors didn’t seem at all bothered. In the end I wrote down what I did that needed to be covered and my open projects and clients then left them to it. Unknown to me they had decided on my cover/replacement but decided to have them starting 2 weeks after I left. From friends and colleagues still there I learnt it was a complete disaster.

AmIThough · 15/10/2019 07:21

@tisonlymeagain they didn't get any cover for me and called me after 3 weeks to say they've made 50% of my team redundant but I'm protected because I'm on mat leave and much more competent than them.
Part of me still hopes they make me redundant when I go back so I can get the payout and find a job closer to home!

SnuggyBuggy · 15/10/2019 07:24

I just carried on as usual. It took something like 5 months and 3 rounds of interviews to get cover. I'm certainly nothing special it's just how bad the NHS is at recruitment.

I'm guessing your bosses want to manage the workload fairly and not have a situation where your colleagues take on a bigger propoet3just because you are going on mat leave. I'd get good at documenting so you can do a decent handover.

EdithWeston · 15/10/2019 07:33

You don't get to wind down, not do you get to finish off well before your last day.

If it's quiet over Christmas, that would be an excellent time to brief the staff who will be covering your leave.

I think you need to consider what is needed to hand over a project/client relationship, how many you have, add a half day for general orientation I'd the person is new to the role, and then tell your line manager, copied to HR bod that you need cover person alongside you, with functioning IT, no later than date X.

Warning: handover of more than 1 week (unless they include multiple site visits) are rare

IoMoon · 15/10/2019 07:33

I’m also finishing in less than 5 weeks and they still haven’t hired a maternity cover for me. I’ve let them know I was pregnant when I was 8 weeks or so. There is no way I can hand over what I do even in 5 weeks. I think all the projects I’m involved in are going to be either canned or they’ll take all my maternity to get their heads around what I do for me to return to exactly the same place where I left..

Mammyloveswine · 15/10/2019 07:36

I'm
A teacher and didn't "wind down" at all, I worked to 38 weeks pregnant.

My pupils needed teaching and I needed to know I'd left them in the best position possible.

Spam88 · 15/10/2019 07:41

11 weeks sounds like ages, depends on the nature of your work of course though.

I've got 6 weeks left. I'm a bit snowed under at the moment, but once I've cleared all that in maybe 2 weeks then I'm planning to have a look at what needs to be handed over. Giving myself a bit more time because I think there'll be a few documents I need to write (our QMS is somewhat lacking!). Not picking up any more project work now unless they can be finished before I go off, or at least reach a logical point for handover. Plenty of routine, quick work that comes up which will keep me busy until I finish though.

HB2019 · 15/10/2019 07:45

My employer is recruiting for my maternity cover, I'm sat here nursing a 3 month old baby.
11 weeks is ages, keep on keeping on!

asmv · 15/10/2019 10:28

My handover was on my last day! I really wouldnt worry about it, carry on working and doing what youre doing, it wont matter when you get to up and leave in 11 weeks... whether they do a handover or not youre still going and they'll be left to pick up the pieces if they are that unorganised!!

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