Planning for maternity leave--advice

dobrydney · September 2013

I work in a small storefront travel agency. There is the owner (who is basically never here), me, and two other agents. I'm wondering when/how STM+ have planned to go on maternity leave and be out for an extended period of time? I will likely be out approximately 6 weeks because that is what short term disability covers. I'm somewhat flexible and think my office would be too if I needed to ease back in or needed to take slightly longer. My EDD is 11/26. So far I'm planning on letting clients that have things going on (final payments, traveling etc.) during the time I anticipate being gone so that if they have anything I can take care of for them now I can, highly organizing my desk with labels so the other agents can find stuff if they need to, putting some reminders/sheet of notes on my desk, and making up an easy to read calendar of when people are where etc. Any other general advice? I don't want to feel completely stressed out either right before my due date or feeling like I have to worry about work after LO arrives. One girl in my office can be a real bitch, to be honest, and I want to make sure that things are as taken care of as possible!

fluttergirlmoonchild79 · September 2013

My boss knew I was going to be out (well based on my due date anyway, ended up being out way earlier than expected). I work in a bigger office than you, so I had to go into the office 2 days in a row (I work exclusively from home) and trained someone as much as I could (she worked in the office already, just a different department). Once DH called my office and advised them I was going to be out because of giving birth, my boss was able to get into my email and forward and clean out what was there and set my out of office on to automatically forward emails. I didn't think about work once while I was out. Honestly, once LO is here, you won't give work a 2nd thought. I would just make sure everyone in your office is aware of when you're due (and understands that's just a rough guestimate) and that's really all you can do.

BSnipes35 · September 2013

When dealing with clients, it might help whoever picks up your "slack" while you're out to have notes about each client. For example Mrs. Smith may say she will send her payment today, but it will likely be another week; or Mr. Jones does not want to be called on his cell, only email him. Things like that can really come in handy. I think you've got just about everything covered with notes and lists. You MAY want to offer to call in one day a week to answer any questions. Just a thought.

Kfran84 · September 2013

I'm making a desk manual of on going projects/issues so that whoever ends up working my desk knows right where I left off. It is saved in a shared folder and I basically add to it every day, just in case I go out unexpectedly early.

When I worked with wealth management clients, we would meet or at least be introduced by phone or letter to the clients. It gave them a sense of continuity and let them know the best way to reach their interim contact. Within the office we just kind of made the best client manual we could and put reminders on each others Outlook calendars with due dates and other info.

dobrydney · September 2013

Thanks everyone! One thing I should add is that I do have remote access at home and a lot of our business is done via e-mail--so I was thinking of committing to checking my e-mails once a week and forwarding things onto the other agents/deleting things. I wouldn't really be doing any work, and it would be more for my mental health benefit of knowing that I won't have to go crazy when I get back to work.

BabySuprise01 · September 2013

dobrydney said:
Thanks everyone! One thing I should add is that I do have remote access at home and a lot of our business is done via e-mail--so I was thinking of committing to checking my e-mails once a week and forwarding things onto the other agents/deleting things. I wouldn't really be doing any work, and it would be more for my mental health benefit of knowing that I won't have to go crazy when I get back to work.

Be careful with this. If you are using Short Term Disability, some policies say you can not work at all during that time. Even answering work e-mails can be considered work and you could lose the disability. I would check into what your STD policies are before committing to anything.

Kfran84 · September 2013

dobrydney said:
Thanks everyone! One thing I should add is that I do have remote access at home and a lot of our business is done via e-mail--so I was thinking of committing to checking my e-mails once a week and forwarding things onto the other agents/deleting things. I wouldn't really be doing any work, and it would be more for my mental health benefit of knowing that I won't have to go crazy when I get back to work.

My concern would be that if a client has an immediate need, checking email just once a week may leave them hanging. My out of office will direct people to contact my supervisor directly, but she will also have access to my inbox and will check my emails daily.

Good luck!

DebateThis · September 2013

My office will absolutely not let me be working at all once I leave for maternity leave for the reasons PP mentioned (legal reasons)and I actually prefer it that way. I have a very large instruction manual (contacts, pending items etc) on a shared drive that all my backup people have access to, and a few will have my phone number to call with questions if things crop up, but beyond that I'm cutting off contact for four months.

Let your clients/contacts know who they can call if they have questions so they don't feel like they've been left adrift, but beyond that your coworkers can deal.

Maimes10 · September 2013

I've been in the travel industry for 20 years now, I'm not longer an agent, now the Team Leader of development and automation. I totally understand your being over protective of your clients. Can you split up the bookings you have that require payments, document delivery etc and email reminders to the agents outlook so they can each take on some of the tasks? Bottom line is, doesn't matter if they don't WANT to do it or if they are bitchy, they have no choice but to pick up for you while you are on leave...it's called the law and their jobs!! I'd definitely give the owner the heads up so she knows your concerns and knows your plan. Once you have done your best to prepare for your leave, walk out the door and don't look back. I'm a workaholic as well (and work from home) so i'm concerned I'm going to have the urge to log in while i'm out but we have earned this time and should embrace and enjoy every minute of it. The walls are not going to cave in because you are out, I promise that! Good Luck!!

dobrydney · September 2013

@BabySuprise01 and @DebateThis (hopefully those tags work haha) I hadn't really thought about the legal aspect to be honest, I was just thinking of what would make me not go batty and what would make the office run more smoothly--but definitely will look into it.

@Kfran84 If I did do this (aka if it's not illegal) I definitely plan on putting up an out of the office reply so that people aren't hanging--that makes me stabby when people don't!

dobrydney · September 2013

Maimes10 said:

I've been in the travel industry for 20 years now, I'm not longer an agent, now the Team Leader of development and automation. I totally understand your being over protective of your clients. Can you split up the bookings you have that require payments, document delivery etc and email reminders to the agents outlook so they can each take on some of the tasks? Bottom line is, doesn't matter if they don't WANT to do it or if they are bitchy, they have no choice but to pick up for you while you are on leave...it's called the law and their jobs!! I'd definitely give the owner the heads up so she knows your concerns and knows your plan. Once you have done your best to prepare for your leave, walk out the door and don't look back. I'm a workaholic as well (and work from home) so i'm concerned I'm going to have the urge to log in while i'm out but we have earned this time and should embrace and enjoy every minute of it. The walls are not going to cave in because you are out, I promise that! Good Luck!!

Thank you for your insight, having been in a very similar situation. My boss already knows approximately when I'll be out and is fine with it. She even brought up, to the office in general, if we wanted/needed to get someone for while I was out and both of the other agents said that they thought it would be more trouble than it was worth--so they had their chance for extra help! I'm hoping that I can get everything to a point where they can just pick up where I left off. We don't work on commission, so I really don't mind if my clients have to be taken care of by someone else it's just my workaholic and over-considerate attitude that is making it difficult!

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