💡 Key takeaway:
To improve the return from maternity leave, companies should focus on three main areas: adapting the workplace, enabling organizational flexibility, and raising managerial awareness. Introducing a breastfeeding chair like the one offered by Pachamama Solutions, allowing for a gradual return, and training managers on parenthood-related issues are all concrete actions that enhance quality of work life, reduce the risk of disengagement, and promote gender equality.
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Table of contents
Each year, nearly 740,000 women become mothers in France (INSEE, 2023). For many, returning to work after maternity leave is a pivotal and sensitive moment. Yet, many companies are still ill-prepared to support them effectively.
Lack of flexibility, absence of breastfeeding spaces, rigid management… these barriers can lead to feelings of isolation, reduced engagement, or even silent resignations.
According to a study by the French Defender of Rights (2020), 1 in 5 women report having experienced workplace discrimination due to pregnancy or maternity. For HR professionals, managers, and those in charge of quality of work life, action is essential.
Understanding the needs of employees returning from maternity leave
Coming back to work after having a baby isn’t just about resuming a position — it means navigating a transformed daily life, with accumulated fatigue, new family responsibilities, and an increased mental load. If this transition period is poorly supported, it can lead to a gradual disconnection from the company.
Several recent surveys highlight the challenges faced by working mothers. According to a poll conducted by Radio France in 2025, 43% of women say that having a child has had a negative impact on their career. Among them, 17% switched to part-time work, and 13% turned down a promotion.
Work environment: often unsuitable for new mothers
One of the main obstacles remains the lack of infrastructure and facilities designed for breastfeeding employees. Yet, French labor law explicitly guarantees rights in this regard: articles L1225-30 to L1225-33 state that any breastfeeding employee is entitled to one hour per day to breastfeed or pump milk, in a dedicated and hygienic space.
In reality, these legal obligations are rarely upheld. Many employees end up pumping in bathrooms, their cars, or unsuitable rooms. This leads to discomfort, loss of time and productivity, and a strong sense of being overlooked or invisible.
Providing a quiet, comfortable, and private space is therefore a crucial first step. Solutions like the Pachamama breastfeeding chair, designed to integrate easily into workplace environments, offer a concrete and suitable answer. Modular, soundproof, and comfortable, they allow employees to express milk in complete privacy — while continuing their work activities if they choose. This kind of setup sends a clear message of support and commitment from the company to its employees.
Flexible scheduling: a key issue for mothers returning from maternity leave
After maternity leave, flexibility becomes essential. Returning to work under rigid conditions (full-time, mandatory in-office presence, fixed hours) fails to consider the new realities of a young mother’s life: interrupted nights, medical appointments, strict daycare schedules, breastfeeding, or a child’s adjustment period.
The French National Association of HR Directors (ANDRH) recommends offering a gradual return: part-time work over a few weeks, partial remote work, or flexible hours are all simple and adaptable solutions. This kind of flexibility fosters engagement and significantly reduces the risk of resignation.
Moreover, according to a 2022 study by Malakoff Humanis, 85% of employees believe that remote work improves their work-life balance. For employees returning from maternity leave, it serves as an effective and reassuring transition tool.
Managerial culture and recognition of parenthood
Material and scheduling accommodations are not enough if the human environment remains rigid or lacking in empathy. In many companies, parenthood remains a blind spot in HR policies. No welcome communication is planned for employees returning from leave. Family responsibilities are often ignored in project management. There is not always a designated point of contact to support this transition.
Subtle signals, such as meetings scheduled very early or late, guilt-inducing remarks, or a total lack of recognition of the parental role, contribute to an uncomfortable atmosphere. Training managers on these issues is a strategic priority. Awareness sessions on parenthood, breastfeeding rights, and postpartum challenges at work can transform the collective dynamic.
Concrete solutions with real impact for companies
To act effectively, there is no need to completely overhaul the organization. A few targeted measures can sustainably improve the return of young mothers to the workplace:
Set up private breastfeeding spaces (such as Pachamama’s modular chairs)
Offer a gradual return with temporary part-time or flexible hours
Maintain some remote work options
Integrate parenthood into quality of work life (QWL) and corporate social responsibility (CSR) policies
Appoint a parenthood coordinator within HR
Train managers on the professional challenges of the postpartum period
Conclusion: supporting means retaining
Facilitating the return to work for young mothers is not a mere perk. It is a concrete lever for quality of work life, sustainable performance, and social responsibility. By acknowledging the real needs of employees, companies commit to professional equality and managerial empathy.
Would you like to learn more about installing a Pachamama breastfeeding chair or discuss best practices to better support your employees returning from maternity leave?
