#24 Re-entry post parental leave - get informed & know your rights with Sandra Runge

For many parents, returning to work after having a baby is the
first - and biggest - hurdle to staying in a career. What can
really help is knowing the possibilities, and having the
transparent conversations that you need to have at work and at
home so that both you and your team can plan ahead for your
re-entry. 


In this podcast, lawyer, author and entrepreneur Sandra Runge
takes us through some of the options, starting with her own
experience as a cautionary tale: when she came back to her job as
head of a legal department 10 years ago, she found an empty
office where her computer had been, was told that her role had
been outsourced, handed her notice and sent home. Although she
was devastated at the time, she says now that the experience
changed her life for the better. 


Today, she gives legal and professional advice to parents who
want to return to work; she has set up kindergartens to provide
childcare solutions for working parents; she runs campaigns for
better legal frameworks as the co-founder of ProParents; and she
has written a celebrated book - "Glückwunsch zum Baby, sie sind
gefeuert!” - or “Congratulations on your baby, you’re fired!"


This podcast is full of invaluable advice for parents returning
to work, including:


️ Communicate! "Communication is one of the most important parts
of a strategy coming back to work,” says Sandra. "Look for a
conversation, ask for a meeting, come by when the baby is born,
participate in activities of the company like a training day, or
a summer party or Christmas party of whatever. Keep in contact
with colleagues - and from time to time talk to your employer to
ask for updates. I know you are in this baby bubble and it’s not
always easy to go there - but it’s really good to be active and
to show your face.” For employers, it's a good idea to check in
with your parental leavers from time to time.


️ Be bold. “Ask for an onboarding after your parental leave,”
suggests Sandra, so that you know "what will happen when you come
back.” She suggests asking for a mentor too - it would benefit
both you and your company. 


️ Cover your legal bases and put any important decisions on the
record: "When you have meetings and your manager is saying
part-time is no problem, fix it in a written form."


️ Be a role model. Family-friendly companies don't necessarily
need to make a big financial investment, says Sandra: "it's more
the mindset - that there are role models, managers in a higher
position that work part time, fathers that work part time - that
this is really the real life that is lived in the company.” You
are a part of that!


Whatever your company's policies, everyone can be proactive about
removing those initial hurdles. If we all do it, we can change
the narrative around parental leave and working parents, together
️


Speaker: Sandra Runge - lawyer, author, entrepreneur


Interviewer: Dr. Ricarda Engelmeier - Founder @MyCollective


Music: sponsored by @Michaelkadelbach


Picture: Manu Wolf / Sandra Runge


Graphic & Production: MyCollective


#getinspired #podcast #inspiration #MyCollective #parentalleave
#elternzeit