Liz Hall
Professional services firm Ernst & Young has launched a maternity coaching scheme to help it retain talented women and “unblock” any “blockages in the talent pipeline.”
The scheme is open to all female staff and has already been taken up by more than 240 people across the UK and Ireland.
As one of the UK’s leading recruiters, Ernst & Young says the scheme aims to ensure that at a major point of transition in employees’ lives, they are able to make informed decisions about how and when they return to work.
Liz Bingham, partner sponsor of the programme at Ernst & Young said: “Gender diversity isn’t just an issue in the boardroom. It’s vital that organisations create talent pipelines to ensure that high-potential women are being developed at every level through their careers.
“Initiatives like our new maternity scheme are designed to remove any perceived or real blockages in the pipeline. We want to ensure that all our people, at every stage of their personal and professional lives are supported and are able to make informed choices about their career development.”
Participants in the programme receive four coaching sessions before, during and after their maternity leave. The coaching covers issues ranging from managing relationships with clients and colleagues, to exploring alternative work patterns, and re-integrating into the workplace. Line managers who have someone in their team going on maternity leave, also attend a coaching session on how to provide the right level of contact and support.
It is too early to tell whether the scheme has improved employee retention levels but Bingham says the feedback from participants so far has been extremely positive.
“Maternity coaching isn’t about informing staff about our corporate policies. It’s about giving our people the confidence to have conversations about their working arrangements, keeping them informed whilst on leave and helping them transition and reintegrate back into the workplace.
“The scheme was initially aimed at women and their line managers, but the anecdotal feedback has been so positive that we are planning to open it out to new fathers. Becoming a parent is a life changing event and we recognise that fathers, as well as mothers, need help as they seek to adjust and balance their personal and professional commitments. I am personally delighted to sponsor this programme as part of our broader commitment to diversity and inclusiveness and the development of all our talented people.”