Motherhood is one of the best things you can go through as a person and it is almost inevitable that you will need to take maternity leave to go through the process.
A clear and thoughtful maternity leave email to your colleagues can help them better manage work in your absence.
And in this blog post, we will look at some key considerations and best practices when writing a maternity leave email informing your colleagues along with a sample email template that you can copy and modify based on your needs.
Things to Remember
Timing is critical so before you send out the email, read up on your companies policies regarding maternity leave and if there are any required timelines that need to be adhered to when communicating about it. Generally, earlier the intimation means more time for your colleagues to plan accordingly.
Keep the email honest and to the point by mentioning the relevant details without beating around the bush. Give details like the start date of your absence, when you plan on returning, key projects that need to be prioritized, etc.
While this is a happy occasion, remember that you are communicating with your colleagues, so keep the language professional or even largely formal, while focusing on necessary information and omitting details that are too personal.
Best Practices for Writing a Maternity Leave Email
Draft a clear and obvious subject line that will get your colleagues' attention and deliver an accurate preview of what they are going to get on the email.
Address all relevant members of the team who might be affected by your absence and might need to step in for you. This will make the process of planning and resource allocation more manageable.
Clearly outline things that need to be attended to and how they need to be done. Add detailed instructions if possible, especially if the task is a fairly new one that your team members might not necessarily be very familiar with and might need some hand-holding.
Provide contact details that people can reach you on in case of an emergency. This will help improve your team's confidence that they can handle your workload and in the cases they can't, they can always reach out to you if it is an emergency.
Sample Maternity Leave Email to Colleagues
Subject: Maternity Leave Starting [Starting Date]
Dear [Recipient's Name],
Hope you are doing well. I am excited to announce that I am going on maternity leave from [Start Date] and I will likely return on [Expected Return Date].
During this period, [Team Member's Name] will be managing my ongoing tasks and communication. If you need any assistance or clarification on tasks in my queue, you can get in touch with them on [Team Member's Phone Number] or [Team Member's Email] during working hours.
Remember, there are some priority projects that need to be given extra attention to like [List of Projects that Need to Be Prioritized].
If there are any urgent matters that need me, please reach out to me on [Your Email] and [Your Phone Number]. I will try my best to respond back promptly.
Thank you for your ongoing support for our team.
Best regards,
[Your Name]
Conclusion
Letting your colleagues know about your upcoming maternity leave will help them manage additional tasks that might arise due to your absence. Giving them ample time to plan, sharing the necessary details around new POC, emergency contact details and more will ensure that operations run smoothly even in your absence.
Thanks for reading and if you want to learn more emailing scenarios like referring a friend for a job through email, take a look at our latest blog post!
