The Second Act: returning to work after maternity leave

Returning to work after maternity leave is a visible moment, but feeling professionally established again can take much longer.
The Second Act is a new employer insight report from Performing Perfectly exploring women’s experiences of returning to work after maternity leave. It shares the lived experiences of 11 women alongside perspectives from 15 businesses and two recruitment professionals.
The report provides a snapshot of what can sit beneath an apparently successful maternity return to work.
Download The Second Act

What did women tell us about returning to work?

The individual stories were unique, but shared a common thread: returning to work did not necessarily mean women felt professionally re-established.
Contributors highlighted:
  • Changes in confidence and professional identity that continued after maternity leave.
  • Uncertainty around career progression, including one woman who remained reluctant to pursue an internal move two years after returning.
  • Ambition that hadn't disappeared. Recruitment insight described returning women as “mostly still very ambitious and looking for career development”.
  • A tension between flexibility and progression, with women weighing career opportunities against support they could not be certain would follow them.
  • The need for longer-term support, with employers encouraged to look beyond maternity policy and the immediate return-to-work period.

How can employers support women returning from maternity leave?

The Second Act identifies eight practical pathways for employers, covering career development, manager conversations, internal mobility, trusted support and measuring what happens to women’s careers after maternity leave.
Because a successful return shouldn’t only be measured by whether somebody comes back through the door.

Download The Second Act to read the lived experiences, employer insights and recommendations in full.

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Where it started: The Her Edit Pilot

The Second Act builds on the learning from the original Her Edit pilot, which explored how dedicated professional development can support women navigating periods of significant personal and career change. The pilot captured participants’ experiences of Her Edit, including the impact of creating space to reflect on confidence, identity, ambition and what comes next.
Read the Her Edit pilot report to explore the findings and participant experiences in full.
Read the Her Edit pilot report