Getting Back In The Rat Race

Going back to work after having a break, either on maternity/paternity leave or a career break can be a daunting thing. You’ve changed, often your priorities have altered and you’re not the same person that left the role. 

On top of this, is the fear about returning to the workplace: will I be able to do the job? Will I remember anything? Will my old colleagues be there and how will I get on with new ones? 

Here at Daisy Chain, we – sadly – hear a lot of stories about quite a negative ‘return to work’ process, especially for parents. One included a woman going back to her full -time role in a marketing team in the music industry to learn that not only was the woman who replaced her for her maternity cover staying, but she had been promoted and was now her boss. No one had thought to maybe tell her this prior to her first day back, they broke it to her that morning when she was already feeling wobbly – good one! 

These insensitive and often misjudged decisions are all-too-common within employers and a lot of the time, they don’t realise the impact it can have on an individual. It can leave them feeling insecure, under-valued and fearful and insecure about their job – something no one needs when trying to seamlessly return to work which is hard enough as it is.

Unfortunately, a lot of the candidates we have on Daisy Chain have come armed with stories like this and through bad management and general lack of care and have taken it upon themselves to leave their roles and seek something more rewarding, flexible and, importantly, to work for an employer who values their staff.

We are committed to helping these people as much as we can by placing them in fulfilling roles that benefit their work/life balance and ultimately, don’t punish them for having a child or a break – I mean, god forbid! 

We want this attitude and going back to work dread to be a thing of the past, but we know there is a lot of work to do. This is why we are dedicated to working with employers to educate, inspire and fully embrace flexible working and to understand that sitting at a desk Monday to Friday 9-5 is not a pre-requisite for maximum productivity – far from it. 

If this resonates with you, especially over the Christmas period when we all have time to reflect about the issues in our lives, please do register and get in touch and see how we at Daisy Chain can help you. Next year we have big plans to grow our employer reach, to name and shame the ones that don’t offer flexible working and bring the cause and need to service these amazingly talented people with the roles they deserve. We plan to shout loudly and proudly that flexible working is not only a need from all employers but a right.