Building an Effective Return to Work Plan for Employees

Creating a thoughtful and compassionate return-to-work (RTW) plan after parental leave is essential for ensuring a smooth transition back into the workplace for both the employee and the organization. These are truly memorable times for employees taking parental leave and this is an opportunity for companies to create an experience that many employees would be grateful to look back on. 

Leading this work takes careful attention to the steps and communications that take place during this time. Working with leadership to align on a collective view that can be shared across the company is also important to building a scalable and flexible approach. 

Here's a step-by-step guide on how to develop a thoughtful and effective return-to-work plan:

1. Pre-Leave Preparation

• Discuss Expectations: Prior to the leave, have a conversation between the employee and their manager about the leave duration, potential return date, and any expectations.

• Handover Process: Ensure there’s a clear process in place for handing off responsibilities to colleagues or temporary staff during the leave period.  Provide employees with a transition handover plan template (i.e. create a templated spreadsheet) that they can start using to create a documented and collaborative plan that can be shared with other stakeholders and those impacted.

• Staying Connected: Establish how the employee prefers to stay informed during their leave (optional). Some employees may want to be updated on key company developments, while others may prefer limited contact.

2. Create a Transition Plan

• Flexible Return Options: Offer flexible return options, such as part-time hours, phased return, or remote work, if possible. This allows the employee to gradually adjust to being back at work (see below for some examples to consider).

• Updated Role and Responsibilities: Review and, if needed, revise the employee’s role or responsibilities based on any changes that occurred during the leave, keeping in mind any job protective provisions that apply under FMLA or comparable state laws.

• Re-Training (if necessary): If significant changes occurred in the employee’s role or the company, schedule time for re-training or updates on new tools, policies, or processes.  

 3. Set a Return-to-Work Meeting

• Schedule a Meeting Before Return: Have a one-on-one meeting before the employee’s return to discuss the transition back to work, workload, and any accommodations they might need.

• Reintroduce Workplace Policies: Use this meeting to remind the employee of any updated workplace policies or procedures that have changed during their leave.

• Reintegration Into Projects: Discuss current projects and any changes in team dynamics to ensure the employee is smoothly reintegrated into ongoing work.

 4. Provide Supportive Resources

• Childcare or Family Support: Inform the employee about available company benefits, such as flexible work arrangements, on-site childcare, or employee assistance programs (EAP) that might help with the transition.

• Benefit Elections: Most companies allow for Life Status changes, including welcoming a new child, for eligible employees, so timely sharing of those steps and procedures for making life status changes to their benefit elections is important.  Be sure to share any timelines related to submission deadlines, since status updates typically will need to be submitted within 30 days of the qualifying event.

• Mentorship or Peer Support: Assign a mentor or peer to help the returning employee reintegrate into the workplace. This can provide them with someone to consult about practical issues, work/life balance, and other challenges.  This is also sometimes your HR team who has had some experience with others going through similar transitions.

5. Monitor the Transition

• Regular Check-Ins: After the employee returns, conduct regular check-ins to ensure they are adjusting well and to address any issues with workload, work/life balance, or other challenges.

• Workload Management: Gradually reintroduce the full workload, especially if the employee is transitioning from part-time or remote work, ensuring they don’t feel overwhelmed.

• Feedback Loop: Encourage open communication and ask for feedback on how the return-to-work process is going and if further adjustments are needed.

 6. Create a Supportive Workplace Culture

• Promote a Family-Friendly Workplace: Ensure the workplace culture supports work-life balance and flexibility for parents and caregivers.

• Parental Support Networks: Establish or promote any existing employee resource groups or networks for parents within the company.

• Celebrate the Employee’s Return: Make the return to work a positive experience by welcoming the employee back and showing appreciation for their time away on parental leave.

• Flexible PTO: Understanding that some PTO and sick time requests may be a result of the additional time needed for child(ren) doctor visits and sick days.  

7. Considerations for Flexible Work Arrangements:  

• Discuss with leadership and management the potential considerations for supporting team members returning from leave. Tailor these discussions to identify what accommodations or support options may be most effective for the company, department, or specific managers and teams at that time. For example:

  • Adjust Hours Worked for a Shorter Week: Shift the employee's schedule to 10 hours on M-Th for a 40 hour workweek over 4 days.

  • Move to a Hybrid Schedule: Have the employee work from home 2 days per week and be onsite for 3 days. 

  • Create a Flexible Daily Schedule: Allow the employee to work different hours each day. For example 8am - 3pm on Mon & Fri, 9am - 5pm on Tues & Thurs,  and 8am - 6pm on Wed.

  • Allow for Selective PTO Usage: Create a plan using accrued PTO such that the employee can spread it over a set number of weeks. For example, 1 day per week over 6 weeks. 

    
    

• Additionally, work with management to create a structured timeline for a phased return of responsibilities:

  • Weeks 1-2: Start with part-time or reduced hours, focusing on catching up with team members, reviewing important updates, and attending key meetings.

  • Weeks 3-4: Gradually increase workload, reassign projects, and introduce more responsibility.

 Key Considerations When Creating a RTW Plan

• Legal Compliance: Ensure the return-to-work plan complies with local laws related to parental leave protecting the employee’s job, such FMLA or similar state laws.

• Flexibility: Remain open to adjusting the return plan based on the employee’s needs. Flexibility is key to ensuring a smooth transition back to work.

• Each Leave is Unique:  Sometimes what works for one person doesn’t work for the other, so please be mindful of personal bias and ask them what they need to support their return to work.

By following these steps, both the employee and organization can benefit from a well-structured and supportive return-to-work plan after parental leave.