Awkward Vibe at Work After Maternity Leave

[sammyeyan]

Today I went into work to discuss my hours when I return in February.

Before I left my manger ask if I wanted to say hello to the team. As I walked in everyone seem to leave the room and hide behind their computers. I said hello to a girl I was close to before I left but she could barely make eye contact with me, she then walked out the room without coming over to catch up. It was so awkward and I felt really embarrassed. My manager even said she thought it was strange.

My workplace is negative and can be toxic but I have always been on good terms with people. I didn't take my daughter into work but I did meet up with a few people just after she was born.

I'm trying not to take it personal but now I'm worrying about my return to work.
I think sometimes people just love to hate life and wake up negative for no reason.
Has anyone had a frosty reception when returning to work after time off?

I'm still on my maternity leave so I can't comment on a return to work, but I just wanted to say that I'm sorry that happened to you today. I understand that you felt embarrassed but try to shrug it off and move on (easier said than done, I know) as some people aren't worth your energy. Your raising a beautiful baby now and I would say to try and enjoy the rest of your maternity leave without giving that girl a second thought. When the time to return comes, if you come across any hostility, raise it asap and face it straight on. Don't let it hang over you and build into something bigger. All the best x

Sounds familiar in toxic workplaces unfortunately.

Someone will have been talking about you in some kind of negative light, maybe they don't like how the human race procreates. Tell them if they've got any better ideas to take it up with Mother Nature.

I had the exact same problem when I went back recently. Some sort of clique had developed and tbh the attitude towards me felt almost like bullying (excluded from conversations, talking would stop when I walked in the room, whispers...etc). I have always been taught that the only way to defeat a bully is to stand up to them. And that's exactly what I had to do. Things have been much better since.

Hopefully you'll slot back in when you're back. You earned that job and worked hard before going on maternity leave. Don't let anyone try and make you feel like you don't belong just because you had a baby.

Best of luck, OP. It'll get easier.

Thank you. 🩷🩷xxx

Yep - I had a massively awkward return to work. My maternity cover was kept on as my job share (I went back pt) but made life really difficult for me because he didn't want me to come back to work. He was lazy as f* and kept complaining about me rather than getting in with anything - i think because I was showing up how lithe he was doing
There was also a new junior assistant in the office who was super frosty - I think she felt threatened by me arriving and taking back some of my projects which she was helping with.
I also had a new line manager (old one left while I was away). We'd never met before and he wasn't that keen on me suddenly arriving back and just wanted to keep working with the people he knew.
If I'd known it was going to be like this I would have gone back full time - asserted myself properly back into the role - then asked to reduce hours later.
I didn't stay long...

Think you've had a name change fail OP