MAI SIGUE BISNAR’S TIPS FOR BUSINESSES FACING CHALLENGES WITH THE EXPANDED MATERNITY LAW

1 Think big picture. Craft an effective business continuity plan, where executives and decision-makers create and regularly revisit their business continuity roadmap and succession planning for their teams, especially those with members who are expecting to raise a family soon. “Spreading responsibilities and ensuring that specific tasks or projects do not heavily depend on one person is important,” Sigue-Bisnar said. A good business plan doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive, as companies can take easy steps to improve their resilience in the face of new laws, natural disasters, tech problems and security issues, to name a few.

2 Implement a “keep in touch” program. Pair the mother on leave with a co-worker who can keep her updated on projects, clients and work matters. The program, which helps facilitate a more seamless return to employment, can be customized and packed with resources relevant to the new parent.

3 Work from home. Allow new mothers to work from home and with more flexible hours to help ramp up productivity. A two-year Stanford University study involving 500 employees shows that workfrom-home employees work a true full shift versus being late to the office or leaving early multiple times each week. Employee attrition dropped by 50 percent among the telecommuters, while the company saved nearly $2,000 per employee on rent.

4 Encourage new fathers to avail of their paternal leaves. While this appears counterintuitive, it can help reduce the length of time women are absent from work. It would also make it more acceptable for both men and women to use their entitled leaves to care for their family.