Sarah Geraghty: ‘It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking, “I have to do everything today and do it really well”’ – returning to work after maternity leave

Originally published in the Irish Independent.

On her first day back from maternity leave, *Rachel arrived at the office to find nobody there.

Not a single colleague. Desk empty, lights dim, the hum of the printer the only sound. One of those hybrid working days – a Tuesday that felt like a Sunday.

It shouldn’t have mattered, but it did.

For many women, that first day back isn’t just a return to work – it’s a quiet test of the new woman you are. A test of whether you’re up to this or not.

A lot has changed. The systems, the faces, the small talk. The office chat has migrated from WhatsApp to Slack, the updates continuing without you. You’re logging back into a version of your career that seems faintly familiar yet foreign in subtle, disorienting ways.

It’s the same for anyone returning from extended parental or caring leave. Reintegration after time away, whatever the reason, can shake confidence and identity in similar ways.

And yet, despite being one of the most predictable transitions in working life, very few workplaces prepare for it properly.

Click here to read Sarah's full article.