Maternity matters

The cultural sector is largely populated by small organisations (both in terms of budgets and number of employees), and while being great places to work, they can be vulnerable in times of change. The prospect of a senior member of staff taking maternity leave can seem daunting to both staff and the board of trustees of a small cultural organisation. Operating without dedicated HR departments, boards are often left to navigate the process of managing maternity leave with little or no previous experience. However, while there is a recognition to get maternity leave right it does not always happen, as the three case studies below demonstrate (names have been changed).

She was asked to calculate the cost of her leave and identify where it could be found in the annual budget

• Lauren, working as the director of a small performing arts organisation, said that her board was not aware that 103% of her maternity pay could be reclaimed (small organisations with a Class 1 NI contribution of less than £45,000 can claim back 103% for statutory maternity pay paid to an employee through Small Employers’ Relief). She was asked to calculate the cost of her leave and identify where it could be found in the annual budget. Once on leave, things were managed fairly well and she was clear about what was expected of her through ‘keeping in touch days’, but she would have liked more such days to get the work done.
• Stella, working as education manager of a small visual arts organisation, found the management of her maternity leave disappointing and lacking in professional cohesion. She had to write the letter agreeing to her maternity as well as prompt her board to acknowledge her leave in writing within the required timeframe. Once on leave she struggled to stay informed as requests for board papers and keeping in touch days were ignored.
• Debra, working as a senior manager in a small performing arts organisation, felt that she could not have an honest conversation with her line manager about her situation and delayed telling her organisation about her pregnancy until as late as possible. On a number of occasions board members expressed her maternity leave as an inconvenience.

Situations like these are not uncommon with half of all pregnant women in Great Britain having experienced some form of disadvantage at work, simply for being pregnant or taking maternity leave. So what can we do to improve the situation?

From my own experience, a good starting point for both the expectant parent and the organisation is to access the correct information on legal responsibilities and entitlements. Most of this is available on websites such as the official government services and information site as well as the Equality Advisory and Support Service and Maternity Action. It is vital to get the necessary guidance to support the process. More and more organisations are recruiting HR and employment law experts to their boards. Organisations such as Arts and Business and Business in the Arts: North West can help recruit qualified board members through their board development programmes. Alternatively, short-term support can prove invaluable and can bring a neutral perspective.

When I took maternity leave from the Centre for Contemporary Chinese Art (formerly Chinese Arts Centre) I was the first person to do so in the organisation’s 27-year history. As such, there was limited familiarity and awareness of the process. In my situation, advice and guidance from an HR expert, sought through Business in the Arts: North West, was essential. It offers short-term interventions through its Quick Fixes scheme as well as a Skills Bank. There is also scope for small organisations to develop buddying and mentoring relationships with HR departments in larger organisations or small organisations that have recent experience of managing maternity leave.

Often more difficult, but equally critical, is getting the communication right during the maternity leave period. One high-profile case was Yvette Cooper, Shadow Home Secretary, who revealed that she had felt cut off from the Department for Communities and Local Government during her maternity leave. Her experience is by no means unique and was echoed by numerous interviewees during my research. An article in the Guardian said, many managers are so concerned about the potential legal risks of getting it wrong that they find it easier not to have the conversation at all. Both parties need to ensure that communication is right for the individual situation, which will depend on how informed and involved the person on leave wishes to be, which may not become clear until after the birth of their child. However, what is really important is that some of the allocated ten keeping in touch days are used and agreed between the board and the person on leave. It can ensure that the new parent can feel involved when their contribution is important, such as annual reviews with funders, and that the transition back to work is made easier and more feasible.

In doing this research, what is apparent is the need to shift the perception of maternity leave. A staff member’s leave can be viewed as an opportunity, as it allows the organisation to employ or second someone for a limited time period who can bring a new set of skills to the organisation. This shift in perception could be encouraged by having working mothers on the board of arts organisations. The board of the organisation I worked for was highly skilled and connected but with hindsight there was one glaring omission – a working mother. It is not easy recruiting board members with young children, given the time commitment that is required, but first-hand experience of maternity leave as an employee could not have been more valuable.

Sally Lai is Co-Director of Feral Studio. She was previously Director of the Centre for Chinese Contemporary Art and took maternity leave in March 2013.
www.feralstudio.co