My return to work for the NHS was terrible, no phased return, straight to looking after patients, pay was wrong, senior colleagues telling me my career was over now. No support at all. Still 3 years later, I get met with so much negatively. One colleague recently said to me, ‘ have you ever thought about just staying at home and looking after your children yourself’ this is someone with the same job as me, and his own kids. I’m trying to set up a mentoring scheme so other female doctors don’t have the same experience, or at least at supported and know their rights regarding less than full time and pay. Hopefully that will help but there’s a long way to go.
I can't believe that your senior colleagues were telling you your career was over. Aren't they the ones supposed to inspire and get the best out of you? Good on you for starting the much-needed mentoring scheme.
Yeah pretty bad right? Particularly when I found becoming a mother highly motivating career wise as I wanted to provide for my family and set them an example that I do something I love for a career. I’ve met many other women like this who are often met with so much negativity they don’t dare to dream or be ambitious because they’re just put down all the time.
Brilliant article Leila. I also wonder how things would change if employees recognised the new skillsets a mum will have gained during her maternity leave - multi-tasking, crisis management, resilience... the list goes on but only makes a difference if those things are valued on return. Maybe feeling like you had something new to bring to your role would go some way to counteracting the mum guilt?
Thank you for helping me consider this problem as a father and an employer.
Thanks for reading and really seeing the issue from our perspective. Always here for this conversation.
My return to work for the NHS was terrible, no phased return, straight to looking after patients, pay was wrong, senior colleagues telling me my career was over now. No support at all. Still 3 years later, I get met with so much negatively. One colleague recently said to me, ‘ have you ever thought about just staying at home and looking after your children yourself’ this is someone with the same job as me, and his own kids. I’m trying to set up a mentoring scheme so other female doctors don’t have the same experience, or at least at supported and know their rights regarding less than full time and pay. Hopefully that will help but there’s a long way to go.
I can't believe that your senior colleagues were telling you your career was over. Aren't they the ones supposed to inspire and get the best out of you? Good on you for starting the much-needed mentoring scheme.
Yeah pretty bad right? Particularly when I found becoming a mother highly motivating career wise as I wanted to provide for my family and set them an example that I do something I love for a career. I’ve met many other women like this who are often met with so much negativity they don’t dare to dream or be ambitious because they’re just put down all the time.
Brilliant article Leila. I also wonder how things would change if employees recognised the new skillsets a mum will have gained during her maternity leave - multi-tasking, crisis management, resilience... the list goes on but only makes a difference if those things are valued on return. Maybe feeling like you had something new to bring to your role would go some way to counteracting the mum guilt?