In this series, manpower reporter Tay Hong Yi offers practical answers to candid questions on navigating workplace challenges and getting ahead in your career. Get more tips by signing up to The Straits Times’ HeadSTart newsletter.

Q: I am about to go on maternity leave. What do I have to look out for?

A: In Singapore, working mothers are entitled to 12 or 16 weeks of maternity leave, subject to a minimum tenure of three months at work.

They can choose to take it all in one go, or take eight weeks of leave and arrange to use their remaining entitlement over a 12-month period with their employers, notes Ms Linda Teo, country manager at recruitment firm ManpowerGroup Singapore.

“Should mothers be unable to complete the full duration of their maternity leave in one go, they should negotiate with their employers on a maternity leave schedule that will work best for both parties,” Ms Teo says.

Common reasons why working mothers may not use up their maternity leave include the lack of an equivalent replacement at work and being unaccustomed to staying away from work for long.

“While they value the bonding with their newborns, they also want the opportunity to be back at work.

“Some mothers might also be motivated to cut short their leave because they feel socially isolated caring for their newborn, while others might do so because they wish to regain the sense of autonomy and their ability to choose how to act for themselves they had pre-childbirth,” Ms Teo says.

One main challenge for expectant working mothers lies in handing over their work.

“If the handover process is not done properly, they will likely receive calls from colleagues for work-related issues while they are on maternity leave,” says Ms Teo.

She advises expectant mothers to start the handover process early to allow colleagues covering their work to clarify any doubts.

“They should brief their colleague or replacement one to two weeks before going on leave so that (the latter) have time to familiarise themselves with the work.”

She adds: “Establishing a proper timeline and tracker outlining the handover process and the responsibilities assigned can also be helpful.”

With this, the supervisor will know who to look for while the employee is away and the working mother knows the status of her handover process, Ms Teo says.

During their maternity leave, these employees can also keep in touch with their colleagues on work updates, if they wish, to make the return to work less abrupt.

Before returning to work, working mothers should have a childcare plan in place too, to ensure they can focus on work instead of feeling constantly worried about their newborn, Ms Teo advises.

To ease the transition back, working mothers can check with their managers to see if a temporary arrangement like working from home for a few days a week is feasible.

“They can also help reduce the anxiety and stress of returning to work by having a conversation with their managers to understand what to expect and what is expected of them when they are back at work,” Ms Teo suggests.

She also advises expectant employees to check in advance whether their workplace is equipped with the appropriate facilities for new mums to extract breast milk, as not all workplaces come with such spaces.

“Working mothers could speak to their employer to request a space in the office be converted to a nursing room so that they can pump their breast milk in a private and hygienic environment instead of doing it in the restroom.”

Some women are concerned that being away from work for a long time can affect their careers, Ms Teo notes.

To this, she advises that the best way to demonstrate that one is still on top of things is to ensure expectations are managed and set with their bosses, and then met.

“However, they should be mindful not to overwhelm themselves and rush back into work,” she cautions.

Have a question? Send it to askst@sph.com.sg