Parental Leave Tips

Here is a handy reference guide for handling your parental leave, summarized from the Parental Leave Guide for Parents.

Tips for Before You Go

Write up a delegation/coverage plan
- Who will handle communications,
- What is your anticipated schedule, and
- Who are your delegates, if applicable?
Finalize your plan at least one month before you expect to leave (two is better),
Share your plan with everyone (manager, reports, peers, business partners),
Draft your e-mail auto-response early and include a link to your Parental Leave Plan,
Draft your announcement e-mail if you plan on sending one so that you only have to fill in details and/or photos later, and
Establish your support network: folks you can lean on if things are tough later.

Let your manager (and HR, if applicable) know that your leave is beginning!
If you wanted to send out an announcement e-mail, send that now.
Turn on your e-mail auto-responder, and consider disabling e-mail notifications.
Consider uninstalling work messaging from your phone and computer; you have other, more important things and people to focus on for a while!

Reach out to your manager to chat, sharing any questions ahead of time so they have the opportunity to get answers before your meeting,
Try to live in the present and enjoy the remaining extended time you have left with your family,
If you’re experiencing anxiety of things to come, talk to someone: your partner, your friends, your parents group at work, or strangers on the internet. Lean on the support network you previously established!
Think about what your return schedule will look like and discuss it with your boss. Plan on experimenting until it feels right.

Make an onboarding plan. Share it with your boss to avoid surprises,
Talk with your support network as often as you need to; every day is a fine cadence,
Find the smallest ways to feel useful and rebuild your confidence if you need to.