How Can Tech Companies Retain Female Leaders After Maternity Leave?

Tech companies keep female leaders after maternity leave by treating the return as a new chapter, not a reset. That means flexible schedules, honest conversations about the role, regular check-ins and mentoring from women who have been through it.

PR and comms is one of the handful of industries where female representation has always been fairly high. However, when it comes to senior leadership, particularly in my chosen fields of tech and fintech, leadership roles are still predominantly filled by men. According to the most recent stats I could find online, just 14% of global tech leaders are female. 

This lack of equality at the leadership level has a big impact on young women at the start of their careers. I remember when I started out in PR. I would sit in meetings dominated by senior men feeling like I couldn’t weigh in. It was also clear that there was a double standard at work. When men spoke up, people listened. When assertive women did the same they were often labelled “bossy.” 

These dynamics are deeply rooted, but they can be overcome. What’s needed is for women to be mindful of their strengths and for organizations to rethink what leadership can look like.

How can future female leaders find their voice?

No two professionals are the same and everyone brings their own style to leadership. That means women don’t need to change their personalities to lead. All that’s really needed is self awareness of where they can make the greatest impact.

We’ve all been there: sat in that meeting room or on a video conference afraid to speak out for fear of saying the wrong thing, or worse; being ignored entirely. 

What helped me break out that cycle was positive mentoring from supportive female coworkers. They gave me the tools to speak up with confidence and navigate dominant personalities. In my case, it was as simple as coming prepared to meetings with pre-formulated questions, or agreeing with my manager beforehand that I would take ownership of specific agenda items. 

My mentor also helped me identify stress triggers and come up with ways to overcome them. Over time, this built up my confidence and empowered me to speak up to anyone, anywhere.

How can female leaders navigate maternity leave?

As a mother of two, I’m well aware of how stressful the so-called “fifth-trimester” can be – the period when a new mom returns to work. The temptation here for employee and employer alike is to turn the clock back to before the birth and pretend like nothing’s changed. Same role, same expectations, same schedule. 

That’s madness, and it will most likely end up pleasing nobody. 

For a start, having a newborn necessitates a new schedule. There can be no more long-haul travel for meetings on short notice. Even a day away from home now requires careful planning and childcare arrangements. 

Practicalities aside, becoming a mother is a major change. You have new priorities, responsibilities, and ambitions. Returning from mat leave offers you a chance to build your careers around these shifts. To help you get there, be straightforward with your employer about what you want from your position, and work with them to get the training and support you need to set a new strategic direction for your career.

How can you apply your mom skills at work?

Becoming a mother doesn’t mean abandoning your professional life. Indeed, being a successful professional can make you a better mother. For example, I’m proud that my career allows me to model what a strong work ethic looks like for my children, something that will help them as they grow up and enter the workforce themselves.

Conversely, you don’t need to abandon your identity as a mom when you sit at your desk each morning. There are many skills you pick that can be applied in the office, particularly when it comes to managing teams with empathy. As a mother, you learn whole new ways to listen actively and decipher the true meaning of what your children are saying, when at times it’s not immediately clear. That can help at work if team members are reluctant to say how they really feel about a subject.

Mothers are also experts at navigating high-emotion environments. This can come in handy in a busy PR agency when you have to manage the emotional ebb and flow of passionate people taking pride in their work.

Finally, there’s the skills us mothers learn around giving constructive feedback to our children without discouraging them. Translated to the office environment, that means being able to deliver professional guidance effectively and empathetically.

What must organizations do to retain female talent?

With all these skills to offer, businesses that fail to keep hold of their female leaders are doing themselves a disservice. So, what can they do differently? The starting point is offering structural support such as comprehensive maternity policies, caring post-leave check-ins, and active female-to-female mentorship programs. But more than that, it requires creating a flexible culture and workplace that is adaptable and empathetic, one that enables women to grow within their leadership roles while balancing their work and family lives.

Female professionals shouldn’t need to choose between career ambition and family. Both can serve as a source of purpose and fulfillment. What’s more, mothers returning to work in leadership positions bring with them new skills and perspectives that ultimately benefit the business. Attracting and retaining top female talent in the tech industry post maternity leave should be seen as a clear “no brainer,” and should be something we all work towards, regardless of our gender or family situation.