As pregnancy isn’t an illness, you may wonder
why you should make any special allowances for an employee.
But with regulations of the Work and Families Act 2006,
organisations are being encouraged to sit up and listen
to their female workforce and efficiently manage pregnancy
in the workplace.
The main thing to remember is that every individual
pregnancy is different, so what you, a partner, friend
or relation went through in terms of pregnancy may
be totally different to what your employee goes through.
However, the following steps can make a huge difference
to your employee’s physical and emotional well-being,
not to mention your own.
1. Be aware of physical changes
A pregnant woman’s body changes throughout
her pregnancy, so having a basic understanding of
these changes may help you to understand the physical
implications – for instance, that it’s
not appropriate for pregnant staff to work longer
than usual hours or operate heavy machinery.
It’s also important to reduce stress levels
wherever possible for your employee. If your employee
needs to slow down, let them – it could be
their body’s way of letting them know they
need to have a rest.
Simple things in the work environment can make all
the difference in providing a comfortable workplace
for pregnant employees. Examples include easy access
to the toilet, readily available drinks and snacks
and having somewhere quiet to sit down during breaks.
2. Consider complications
Unfortunately, not all pregnancies are free of complications.
If, for instance, your employee has a premature baby,
she may ask for unpaid leave, especially if her maternity
leave ends just as the baby is sent home from the
hospital. It’s worth checking your employee’s
contract to see exactly what special leave allowances
can be taken.
3. Carry out a risk Assessment
A risk assessment might sound quite alarming, but
it’s a simple way for employee and manager
to work together to identify any potential hazards
so that appropriate action can be taken to deal with
them.
A risk assessment may pick up anything from lone or
night working to working with certain chemicals, prolonged
sitting or standing and lifting or carrying heavy items.
Once a hazard is identified, steps will need to be
taken to reduce or remove the hazard from the working
environment.
The assessment should be reviewed regularly because
as the pregnancy progresses, things may change for
the employee.
4. Work together as a team
It may seem obvious, but if you and your employee
work together from the time she tells you about her
pregnancy until she goes on maternity leave, then
it is likely that this time will be far more productive.
When your employee first tells you of her pregnancy,
you may feel worried about the effect it will have
on the workload of the rest of the team, but remember
that you will have time throughout the pregnancy
to work out how you, as her manager, are going to
cover the maternity leave or reallocate work.
5. Know the legal basics
Your employee must inform you of her pregnancy by
the end of the fifteenth week before the baby is
due if she is to take advantage of maternity leave
and pay. As soon as you are formally informed of
the pregnancy, your employee is entitled to paid
time off for antenatal appointments and parent-craft
or relaxation classes if recommended by her midwife/GP.
A summary of the maternity legislation is as follows:
- Employees are entitled to take up to 52 weeks’ maternity
leave.
- Statutory maternity pay, if the employee qualifies,
is paid for up to 39 weeks. It is paid at 90 per
cent of average earnings for the first six weeks,
then a flat rate for the following 33 weeks.
- Employees can do up to 10 days’ work during
maternity leave – known as “keeping
in touch days” – which can be used
for an employee to do her usual job, or for training
or
events. Both parties must agree to the arrangements
(including what the employee will be doing and
how she will be paid).
- Your employee must give you eight weeks’ notice
if she wants to change her date of return to work.
6. Build for the future
It is discriminatory to allow an employee’s
pregnancy to cloud managerial decisions about furthering
her career – from providing training to offering
her a promotion.
Remember that pregnant women are still a significant
part of the team, with a valuable skill set. Building
a strong relationship during this important time
in your employee’s life will have a positive
impact on your organisation’s culture. Ultimately,
looking after your staff at this stage means you
will have a higher level of staff retention, saving
you money in recruitment and training.
Key points
• Ensure a healthy, non-smoking working environment
• Provide a suitable resting place for breaks
• Your employee is allowed paid time off to attend
antenatal appointments, so ensure you are prepared
for this
• Develop individually tailored risk assessments to
identify potential hazards
•
Arrange optional “keeping in touch days” to
help keep your employee involved during her maternity
leave
<Back to
News
|
|
|
