Society to launch guides for lawyers returning after children
Legal services professionals returning to work after maternity, shared-parental or adoption leave are to have the benefit of new guidance publications from the Law Society of Scotland, aimed at smoothing the process, and the Society is appealing for those who have had good experiences in the past to share these.
The guides, to be produced for the Society by The Talent Keeper Specialists, aim to ease the transition back to work for new parents, as well as highlighting best practice for line mangers who have staff on leave.
To help shape the guides, the Law Society would like to hear from solicitors and other legal professionals, via an online survey, about their positive experiences, whether as a new parent returning to work (however long ago), a line manager or even as someone covering a maternity leave post. Participants can remain anonymous if they wish.
Themes covered include:
- How to ensure a smooth handover to and from your cover
- How to ask for and make the most of keep in touch (KIT) days
- How to pitch for flexible working
- How to renegotiate your role
- How to set yourself up for a great return
- How to reignite your confidence
- How to ensure a strong first 90 days back in role
- How to draw boundaries between work and home
- How to get on the right people's radar and get ahead when you're back
- How to signal the desire and get on the partner track
- How to make a positive start to combining fatherhood and career
- Best practices for managing maternity leave for line managers
Janet Hood, convener of the Society’s Equality & Diversity Committee, commented: “Over the past decade we have heard both horror stories and enlightening stories about women’s experiences when returning to work after maternity leave. But becoming a new parent and returning to work does not only affect new mums – new dads too have to make the transition to being a working father, and line managers need to play a big role in supporting those on leave and managing their experience as they return to work. That’s why we thought it was imperative to produce these guides for new mums, dads and their line managers too. We hope solicitors, paralegals and others will share their positive experiences with us in order to help others.”
Click here to complete the survey, which is open until 26 August 2015.