According to the World Economic Forum, countries with the strongest economies are those that have found ways to advance the careers of women, especially working mothers. Fortune 500 companies with a high ratio of women as senior executives or on the board of directors measure highest in every form of profitability. At a time where gender opportunity is making strides and the percentage of female participation in the workforce almost at parity to men, we seem to know more about parental leave from the employer’s side, surrounding predictors of retention and engagement metrics, than we do about the personal experiences of mothers in the workforce. To truly support and advance this cohort, it is important to complete the full picture of this transition by understanding the experience of taking time off work to have a child and returning to work from the women’s point of view. Through speaking with women individually and engaging in a full spectrum conversation about aspects of both work and family in this transition, this project aims to address this gap in academic literature, in order to achieve a healthier distribution of knowledge and understanding of women returning to work after maternity leave. The output of this project uses secondary and primary research to generate insights and recommendations that invested stakeholders can use to create positive impact and enhanced experiences for these women.
Keywords: Employment, Diversity and Inclusion, Canada, Maternity Leave, Maternity Benefits, Gender