Baby's 3 months and my leave ends in June. I run a research team, and most of my work is sessions booked in advance, so on paper a phased start would work: three days a week for the first month, then full time. HR says 'it depends on your manager'. My manager says 'let's see what HR says' 😂 If you did a phased return, how did you pitch it? And was it easier, or just a slower version of the same shock?
surgeons don't get phased anything, theatre lists don't care. but i'd go to your manager with exact days and an end date, not a request. 'tue, wed, thu till early july' is much harder to bat away than 'can i do fewer days for a while'
Did it long ago. Three days became five by the second week because meetings didn't respect my days. Block the off days in your calendar as busy, not just 'off'.
I sit on the employer side of this one. We run a small company and have said yes to two phased returns. What made it easy to agree: a written plan of which days, who covers what on the other days, and a date to review it. What made it hard: 'flexible, we'll figure it out'. You sound like someone who already thinks in plans, so put it in writing before anyone has to decide on the spot ❤️
Not the same situation as a mother, but when my younger one was born I didn't get a phased schedule either. I took two days a week off from my leave balance for a month instead. If your company won't formalise a phase, that might get you most of the way there. It was a much gentler month at home ❤️
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