Going on maternity leave can be a stressful time for new mothers, not only because of the physical and emotional changes that come with having a baby, but also because of the uncertainty of leaving your team behind.

As a spa coach, this required a lot of planning and communication for me when I was pregnant with both of my children because there are a lot of people who depend on my regular communication.

However, with proper planning and communication, your transition can be smooth for both you and your team. (Listen to this podcast episode about my maternity leave experience!)

The earlier you communicate with your team about your maternity leave plans, the more preparation time you will have to make sure the team feels comfortable and secure in your absence.

This gives all team members proper notice to plan how to proceed while you are gone. You’ll have time to delegate your responsibilities and train whoever is taking over your duties.

Delegating your responsibilities will look different for every spa. Depending on your position and the workload you carry, you may need to delegate to different team members to ensure that your work is fully covered.

Finding coverage is something you’ll want to begin talking about early because it includes your day-to-day tasks and any important meetings or deadlines that will happen during your absence.

This is why Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are so important to have in place because they can be used as a reference to answer any questions that may arise while you are away.(Check out this podcast episode about SOPs!)

You also want to give the team members a proper amount of time to ask you questions before you are on maternity leave.

This goes hand-in-hand with communicating your plans early. Make sure that the team knows about important deadlines, tasks, and projects that need to be completed while you are on leave.

In a managerial position, you will need to make sure your team knows what you expect of them during your absence, and what you will expect of them when you return.

Before your leave officially begins, make sure all necessary documents, files, or contacts are easily accessible and organized for your team.

Google Drive and Monday.com are your best friends! Make sure all of your files are organized in Drive and that all of your tasks and deadlines are mapped out on a Monday.com board. You can even assign the person who is taking care of your responsibilities to the tasks to help them stay on track..

One task I have every person on my team complete is writing down every task they complete for 30 days straight so that all that information can be put into a “(Employee’s Name) Routines.” This gives everybody on the team a blueprint of what that employee completes on a weekly and daily basis.

The more organized you are, the less questions your team will have while you’re away.

Bringing new life into this world is going to be your top priority and a very special time that you should enjoy to the fullest. Take care of yourself and your new baby.

Try not to stress over work and focus on the first few months of spending all the quality time with your baby. Make sure that you are getting the proper rest and support that you need during this new phase of your life.