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Pregnant presenteeism: a clear case for better maternity coaching
• Presenteeism – the phenomenon of people being at work when they really shouldn’t be particularly when they are putting their health at risk.
• In an article posted recently on The Guardian’s Women in Leadership section, Dr Caroline Gatrell noted she had come across an increasing number of pregnant women who were refusing to take sick leave. They pretended to be fit and healthy when their reality was otherwise because of a fear that they would be reinforcing negative stereotypes. ‘Pregnant women can’t cope with the demands of a career’.
• The more aspirational the woman – the higher she has already risen within the organisation – the more pronounced the problem becomes. And, of course, it’s a lose, lose situation. Not only does the woman run the risk of seriously impairing her own or her baby’s health, she also risks reinforcing the very prejudice she’s trying to counter because if she is unwell, her performance will be affected. The final outcome could very well be a breakdown in mutual trust and respect between the woman and the organisation resulting in the woman deciding not to return to work at all after giving birth. The woman’s loss. And the organisation’s loss.
• As is so often the case, the fundamental problems are more attitudinal than they are practical. Of course
there are a number of practical issues that need to be resolved to ensure that a pregnant woman is able to make her full contribution. But typically they are easily resolved if the mindset is right.
• Maternity coaching is often the best way to change resisting mindsets.
