Navigating Maternity Leave, Workplace Challenges, and Career Decisions

Dear All,

I have 7 years of work experience, and for the past 2 years, I have been working in an MNC as a Manager. Our company is a Korean-based organization with our head office located in Korea. We have 3 people from the head office, all of whom are Koreans. The first is the Managing Director, followed by the other 2 who are team leaders of 2 different divisions. In my division, including the team leader, there are only 3 of us.

So far, I have been performing well in my role, and all my targets have been achieved. However, I'd like to share my current situation. I am six months pregnant, and due to being in the Marketing department, I had to inform my management about this. When I informed my immediate boss, he subjected me to a lot of pressure for almost 15 days before eventually being understanding.

Unfortunately, I recently faced health complications, and the doctor advised me to take bed rest for 15 days. I sought permission from my management to work from home during this period, which they granted by activating my emails for remote work. I worked from home for 15 days, and during this time, a new team member joined. Just a day before I was supposed to return to the office, I was informed that all my responsibilities had been reassigned to the new team member.

On my return day, my immediate boss instructed me to hand over all my tasks to the new joiner, using words that surprised me, implying I could do as I pleased in the office. However, my boss now ignores my greetings and is avoiding me, making it challenging for me to even stay in the office. I feel drained and disheartened as I have done nothing wrong.

I am unsure of the reason behind this treatment, especially when my performance has been commendable, appreciated not only by the head office but also evident when they inquired about my health, unaware that I had already returned to work.

This situation is taking a toll on me, considering the relationships I have built with my clients and the effort I put into working from home. I seek your advice on how to navigate through this challenging period.

Regards,

Dear Madam,

They have taken another resource for your job. Anyway, you will take maternity leave in the coming months. The new joiner will take care of your responsibilities. If anyone comments, the boss asks for resignation, or reduces the salary, you may feel like you did something wrong. Do not worry about the situation you are facing. Sometimes, these types of hard situations will arise due to management behavior, making us feel insecure. Your hard work and experience will help you overcome the situation.

Please meet your boss and ask for your job responsibilities.

Regards,
Krishna.

Dear Tanu,

After going through your email, at this moment, I can only suggest that you have patience and take care of your health. Do not take unnecessary pressure on yourself. I feel that your immediate boss is unable to replace you since your head office people are happy with your performance. Or perhaps, he has recruited another person to handle the day-to-day tasks that you were unable to do while operating from home.

Anyway, this is not the end of the world. But do not forget that you are expecting a child, and it is your prime responsibility to take care of your health as well as your expected baby.

So, all the best.

Subh

Dear Tanu,

Don't worry, I would also suggest you to be calm and patient since this time is not favorable for you to take stress. Maybe your boss is segregating your work with the new joinee to reduce your workload and pressure.

You really don't have to worry because you know that you are a performer and your management is aware of it. This is not the end; hard work never goes to waste.

Take care of your health and say goodbye to worries.

All the best!

Regards,
Shabana Jamal

It is better to look for suitable opportunities elsewhere if the present employer is unhappy with you.

Tanu,

Don't worry about the current situation in your office. That may be because of many reasons. You just take care of your health and be happy for a healthy child and to avoid any complications. Your job is secure. Believe in God.

With best wishes,
Ramesh

Dear Friends,

Thanks a ton for all your support and replies. After your reply, I am feeling comfortable. The good part is that my immediate boss will be leaving India forever in April 2011 as his 3 years in India will be completed. Our Korean staff is on rotating contracts for 3 years.

I am considering discussing this situation with my MD (who is also Korean). When I tried discussing with my immediate boss why he took my assignment, he was not interested in talking and just asked for my daily work report. When I questioned him about the work, considering I had no assignment, he simply replied, "Whatever you are doing." Following his response, I have been updating him on market situations by going through news sites as I have had no other work.

Now, I am seeking your advice on whether I should discuss this with my MD or remain silent without any work until I go on maternity leave in September for 6 months.

Thanks once again.

Regards, Tanu

Hello Tanu,

At this stage, you should hang on until September. A collision course of any kind will be counter-productive. Apply for maternity leave in September. Upon completion of maternity leave, resign from the job.

However, it is important for you to understand the reasons for their change of attitude. The following could be the reasons:

a) They may not have been satisfied with your performance. Instead of directly addressing this, they are hinting for you to resign. They have already selected a fresher for your position. It is also possible that they are waiting for your maternity leave.

b) They may not want to grant you maternity leave, seeing it as a loss for their company. If you could resign without taking maternity leave, it would be preferable.

Okay...

DVD

Hello Mr. Dinesh,

Thanks for your reply.

Regarding performance, my target this year is $200 million, out of which I have achieved $120 million. We have another 7 months to complete my target. My head office in Korea is happy with my performance, and I have emails from them appreciating the same.

My immediate boss has one point against me. When I joined this company, I had said that at present, I have no plans for marriage. However, they never asked about my marriage plans as it is against the rules in our head office. When I got married, my boss attended the wedding and never raised this issue. After a year and a half, why does he have an issue with my marriage now?

There is no question of not giving maternity leave as they cannot do so. We follow our head office policies. In fact, our head office provides paid maternity leave for 7 months, whereas the company is only giving me 3 months, which I can raise my voice about, but I am choosing not to.

For my division, we were short-staffed with only 2 people handling all the work. We have been looking for new staff for the past year.

My point is, I am willing to go on leave, but the company's work should not suffer because of me. A new employee is taking care of this. However, they could have discussed this openly with me. The new employee is not aware of the work I was handling, and I am guiding him in every manner. But when I am guiding him, why am I not kept in the loop of work emails? I am not allowed to reply to emails or be part of discussions. I am being avoided for no reason. My good mornings are not replied to. This attitude is not tolerable.

Even though the head office allowed me to continue my work from home during maternity leave because I love my job, I had informed them that I would not engage in business development until after my leave but would continue with my current responsibilities.

I have no clue about what's going on around me. Sometimes I feel like discussing this with my Managing Director first. If there is no response (as all Korean staff seem to influence each other), then I will write directly to the head office or our CEO against all this, as I am the only female employee in this branch, and they seem to be misusing it.

Please advise.

Regards

Also, one more point. What I have planned is that I will rejoin after my maternity leave and then, with a 2-month notice period, I will resign if things remain the same when I return, as I don't want a gap in my CV or career. What do you say?

Okay, that should be the last option. After trying to sort out this problem, if you don't find any desired output, then this last option you can use. But while doing this, please discuss with at least your friend or husband.
All the best...!