The departure of a key team member for maternity leave often triggers a frantic scramble for cover. The focus is typically on finding a temporary replacement to keep the seat warm until their return. This approach, while understandable, is a significant missed opportunity. Viewing maternity leave cover as purely logistical, rather than a strategic opportunity, overlooks the potential to strengthen your team and inject new skills.
Promoting internally versus hiring externally
When a maternity leave period approaches, you face two primary choices: promote from within to cover the role temporarily or hire someone external on a fixed-term contract. Each path presents its own set of opportunities and challenges.
The internal promotion
Promoting a junior team member to temporarily fill a senior role seems like a perfect solution. It rewards a promising employee, demonstrates a commitment to internal progression, and ensures the person stepping up already understands the company culture.
However, this decision requires careful planning for the entire cycle. What happens when the original employee returns? The individual who stepped up has now gained valuable experience and may feel demotivated returning to their old role. Without a clear career path forward, you risk losing a talented employee you’ve just invested in.
Before you promote internally, ask:
Is there a clear progression plan for the temporary replacement after the cover period ends?
Can their newly acquired skills be utilised in a different capacity upon the original employee's return?
How will you manage the expectations of both employees to ensure a smooth transition?
An internal promotion can be a powerful development tool, but only if it’s part of a broader talent strategy, not just a convenient stopgap.
The external hire
Hiring an external professional for a fixed-term contract is often the more straightforward route. The challenge, however, lies in attracting high-calibre professionals for a short-term role who can hit the ground running.
The key is to position the opportunity correctly. Senior professionals are often motivated by more than just job security. Many are seeking new challenges, a better work-life balance, or the chance to make a significant impact in a short amount of time.
To attract senior talent, you must sell the job specification, not just the contract length:
Frame it as a high-impact project
Position the contract as a mission-critical assignment. For example, "We need an expert to lead our marketing team through a crucial product launch," is far more compelling than "maternity leave cover for 12 months." This appeals to experienced professionals who are driven by results and enjoy solving business challenges.
If the role isn’t tied to a single project, highlight the influence they’ll have on the team or business, such as, “We need an experienced leader to maintain momentum and guide the team through a critical growth phase" or "Your expertise will help us refine our marketing strategy and strengthen our brand presence during a pivotal period.”
Highlight flexibility and autonomy
Many senior professionals are attracted to a job that offers greater autonomy. A fixed-term contract can be a perfect opportunity for them to lead a project, showcase their expertise, and enjoy a degree of freedom without the long-term commitment.
Tap into the ‘professional interim’ market
There is a growing pool of highly skilled professionals who deliberately choose interim or contract work. These individuals thrive on variety and the challenge of adapting to new environments. They bring a wealth of cross-industry experience and can inject fresh perspectives into your team.
How to onboard for maximum impact
A typical onboarding process spread over several months is not feasible for a fixed-term contract. The goal is to get your new employee up to speed and delivering value as quickly as possible.
The three pillars of rapid onboarding:
Clarity of purpose: From day one, the new hire must understand their core objectives. Focus on the 'what' and 'why': What are the three most critical goals they need to achieve during their contract? Why are these goals important for the business right now? A clear, concise 30-60-90-day plan is essential.
Structured knowledge transfer: Don't leave knowledge transfer to chance. The weeks leading up to the departing employee’s leave are crucial. Facilitate structured handover meetings, document key processes and contacts, and create a central document or folder containing all essential information. This empowers your new team member to find answers independently.
Immediate integration: Integration is about relationships, not just information. Assign an onboarding buddy (other than their direct manager) to help them navigate the social dynamics of the workplace. Schedule brief introductory meetings with key stakeholders across the business within the first week. Feeling connected to the team is just as important as understanding the role.
Managing returns to work
The final, and often most overlooked, phase of the process is the return of the employee from maternity leave. A successful re-integration requires as much thought and planning as the initial departure.
The person returning will have been out of the business for a significant period. The company may have evolved, processes might have changed, and team dynamics could be different. Simply expecting them to pick up exactly where they left off is unrealistic.
To ensure a smooth return, treat their return like you would a new starter. Schedule update meetings, re-introduce them to key projects, and provide a summary of what has changed during their absence. Offer flexibility, such as a phased return to full-time hours, and ensure open lines of communication to discuss their needs and capacity.
Leverage the cover employee’s insights
The person who covered the role has a unique, objective perspective on the processes and workflows, so conduct a thorough debrief to capture their insights. What could be improved? Where are the inefficiencies? This feedback is invaluable for driving positive change. Also, if the returning employee needs a phased return or additional support, consider keeping the cover employee on for a short overlap period. This ensures continuity and reduces pressure on both sides.
Talent retention and contingency planning
In some cases, the cover employee may have demonstrated exceptional skills and cultural fit, so why lose that talent? Explore whether there’s an opportunity to move them into a different role within the business. This can be a win-win: you retain someone who already understands your organisation while filling other gaps or strengthening your team.
It is also important to plan for the possibility that the original employee may not return. Circumstances can change during maternity leave, and some employees decide not to come back. Having a contingency plan - whether that means extending the cover employee’s contract or starting a recruitment process early - will help you avoid disruption and maintain stability.
Handled correctly, maternity leave cover is a great opportunity to bring in fresh expertise, test-drive potential future leaders, and refine your team’s processes. By planning for the entire cycle - from recruitment and onboarding to the employee’s eventual return - you can transform what might seem like a simple staffing gap into a strategic advantage that strengthens your team and your business for the long term.
Ready to find the right interim professional? Our experts specialise in connecting businesses with high-calibre interim talent who can deliver impact from day one. Whether you need maternity leave cover or short-term expertise, we’ll help you position the role to attract the best professionals. Get in touch with one of our specialist consultants today to discuss your requirements.
