Returning Well - by Kirstie Sneyd (Paperback)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

There are recognised challenges on returning to work after parental leave, ranging from managing guilt and feeling overwhelmed to dealing with missed career opportunities. There are also changes in the way parents return, with increased working from home and more fathers taking parental leave leading to additional demands such as getting up to speed with changes and dealing with stereotypes from others.

Despite changes in legislation and an increase in workplace policies, progress in supporting parental returners is still limited. Managers often lack the experience, time or skills to effectively manage those returning from parental leave, whilst parental returners may not recognise how they can best support themselves.

This practical, evidence-based guide sees the return to work as a shared responsibility: aimed at professionals who are returning after taking parental leave and managers who are supporting these parental returners. Grounded in psychological research, this book provides examples and practical tools and techniques for new parents to equip themselves for both going on parental leave and returning to the workplace. For managers there is clear guidance and checklists to effectively support these returning parents.

Review Quotes

"We wouldn't have expected anything less than this book from Kirstie. She is a fabulous coach, and this book generously shares her huge experience in supporting working parents to return well. At last Kirstie brings a book on this subject that looks at the process of parental leave through a truly systemic lens, the parents, the managers, the organisation and social narratives and expectations are all included. It does all this whilst remaining incredibly rich in human story and experience and brilliantly practical with helpful checklists and accessible theory. Get it for any working parent you know, their managers and their HR departments."
Sharon Charlton-Thomson, Co-founder & Head of Coaching, The working parent company

"Practical - a must have guide for the shelf of every HR professional, manager, leaver and returner. Checklists are a game-changer."
Michael Knott, Senior Practice Director, Slater & Gordon Lawyers

"Returning well is a well-researched and thoughtfully written guide that offers practical advice and support for working parents and their managers. Personally, I wish I'd read it when I left to have my first baby as the resource and checklists are very useful. Having returned to work 10 months ago I still found it valuable and will be using it as a manager of people going forward. For anyone looking to navigate the complexities of returning to work after parental leave, I highly recommend."
Laura Magee, Associate Partner, Argon & Co

"For Professionals, if you care deeply about both your family and your career and seek long-term happiness through work, then put this book on your required reading list. For Employers, you will learn to empower your team with the necessary tools to have them return to work and be happy and productive. I wish I had this book 20 years ago when I returned to work after the birth of my eldest son. Kirstie Sneyd uses knowledge, research and her own personal experience to guide employees and employers through the emotionally difficult task of returning to work after the birth of a child and an extended period off. The book is very well organized, easy to read and set up to "skip" to the areas one is most interested in."
Rosemarie Iorio, Director, Payor Solutions at Labcorp

"This is the book I wished I had by my side when I returned to work after having my children. A helpful mix of practical advice and science-based evidence with a bit of positive cheerleading thrown in, all designed to help parents 'return well'."
Rebecca Birkbeck, Director Community & Membership Participation, Co-op

"This book should be everybody's Bible of how to do things right. Kirstie leaves no stone unturned on what to consider for a new parent departing and returning to the workplace. It's so important to get it right for everyone involved. Brilliant work!"
Liza Rabaiotti, People support lead, Stantec

"The topic of leaves (and returns) has become a critical component of the broader employee experience. This is a timely book on this important topic. Providing information for different stakeholders - leavers, managers, HR and the broader organization - is particularly valuable."
Bernard Tubiana, Principal, Deloitte Consulting

"Kirstie has provided exceptional support in her work with our business. She is a first-class communicator, able to build trust in challenging circumstances and get to the heart of issues with a rare sensitivity. She has a fantastic insight into the complex interpersonal dynamics of the workplace and can provide practical guidance for leadership and team members alike. This book is a great example of Kirstie's insight, providing an invaluable guide to those returning to the workplace whether that's as a parent, a manager or within the People team."
Tom Weston, Chief People Officer, Inside Travel Group

"As many parents struggle between fulfilling their intellectual potential and following their parenting instincts, Returning well combines pragmatic suggestions with well-rounded research to offer valuable guidance to every parent looking to achieve the right work-life balance."
Clare Marchant, DBE, Vice Chancellor, University of Gloucestershire

"An extremely valuable book helping parents and managers to navigate the emotionally and practically challenging issue of returning to work after having a child. Incredibly accessible and practical, balancing useful checklists and simple to understand models with an empathetic and empowering approach. A must read for any parent returning to work after parental leave."
Bethan Brookes, Coach support & development manager, Parent Gym

"This is an immensely helpful guide. I thoroughly recommend it to anyone embarking on parental leave- and their managers. Kirstie skilfully condenses 25 years' coaching experience and solid research into a hugely readable, down to earth guide."
Harriet Beveridge, Co-author of "Will it make the boat go faster"

"Wall Street employers and employees have never been great at managing leave. This book should be mandatory reading. Returning well provides a road map and planning tools that can be applied to maternity or any leave (planned or unplanned). Kirstie Sneyd steers clear of consulting hype terms and focusses on fact-based examples. I am putting some of these tools to work immediately!"
Chris Thorpe, Chartered Financial Analyst

"Kirstie is an absolute authority on this subject. Her advice reassures and empowers parents, who often experience a range of emotions about their leave and return. The book acknowledges these emotions throughout, normalising them and providing support and advice on how to manage or reframe them. Many of my clients, who are academics and research leaders, have had coaching sessions with her to help them effectively and confidently plan their parental leave and return. I'm so pleased that Kirstie's support and advice are now accessible and captured in this excellent book. Returning well is engaging and easy to read - I will be recommending it to all my clients who are, or who manage or support, parental leavers."
Dr Tracey Stead, Co-Lead for Training, Development and Coaching, Future Leaders Fellows Development Network

About the Author

Kirstie Sneyd is an organisational psychologist and executive coach with over 25 years' experience, specialising in behaviour change. This book is based on her psychology research from Birkbeck, University of London and her coaching experience working with parental returners and their managers. Having coached hundreds of professionals through periods of transition, this book draws on Kirstie's practical experience in understanding how to successfully manage through change and maintain a career alongside being a working parent.