Tine Bech Flanagan was looking for a flexible maternity model that would allow her to stay connected to VELUX and take care of her newborn son simultaneously. Luckily, Tine’s manager was open to the idea of a maternity setup that could leave room for both.
When Tine Bech Flanagan was going on maternity leave with her third child, she knew that she did not want to take a full time-out from work. During her previous maternity leaves, she had experienced a loss of connection to her workplace and felt that her job had changed when she returned. This time around, she was determined to try a different approach. So she sat down with her manager Thomas Marcussen to discuss what a flexible solution in VELUX could look like.
They agreed that Tine would be away for the first five weeks after giving birth, and then return to work one day a week. After four months, she would work two and a half days a week. Tine’s husband made the opposite arrangement with his employer.
“Finnley is our third child, and we feel much more confident as parents this time around. My husband really wanted to take paternity leave, so this solution suited us both. And I agreed with Thomas that I could make the switch to a full-time maternity leave at any time if I wanted to. That really gave me peace of mind, because you never know what your child will be like,” says Tine Bech Flanagan, Head of Operational Excellence, Region North West.
Clear goals from the beginning
One of the most important things for both Tine and Thomas was to set clear goals for the maternity leave: What would it take for the arrangement to be a success both privately and professionally? The overall success criteria was for Tine to have a great maternity leave and enough time with Finnley. In terms of work, Tine had a list of tasks which they together narrowed down to ‘minimum viable product’.
“We agreed that Tine would only focus on two things: building her team and preparing the NWE Business Review. If she got anything more done, it would be icing on the cake, but not expected,” explains Thomas Marcussen, Senior Director CIC/AFS.
Tine did struggle a bit to find the right balance between work and maternity leave, especially in the beginning when she was only working one day a week.
“It was quite difficult to manage my work hours, because there were so many projects that I wanted to get involved in. I have really learned a lot about letting go of responsibilities and tasks. And Thomas has been very good at helping me focus on the right things. I suspect he even kept some things from me, because he knew I would not be able to leave it alone,” laughs Tine.
A leap of faith
The flexible maternity arrangement was unprecedented in VELUX, so there were no experiences to draw on. But it was important to Thomas to prove that a flexible approach was possible:
“It was definitely a leap of faith, because we had no idea if it would work. But I am proud that we took the chance. I hope we can inspire other companies to consider alternatives to the classic maternity leave. We need to support modern families if we want to attract and retain talent,” says Thomas, who also acknowledges that this model is not for everyone:
“For some, this solution might seem like a nightmare. And I would never recommend this to someone who was having their first child. But we have to listen to our employees’ needs and try to find a solution that works for them. It is not a one size fits all.”
This time, I have been able to spend time on something I am really passionate about, and that has given me lots of energy to spend on Finnley on the days that I am with him.
Tine Bech Flanagan, Head of Operational Excellence, Region North West
Tine and Thomas agree that the alternative maternity leave set-up has been a success. For Tine, the flexible solution has meant that she returns to work even more motivated and energised.
“I have found my previous maternity leaves to be quite boring. This time, I have been able to spend time on something I am really passionate about, and that has given me lots of energy to spend on Finnley on the days that I am with him,” says Tine.
“From my perspective, the arrangement has been a clear success. We have a talented employee, who feels appreciated and has been offered a custom-made maternity leave which has made it possible for her to be a great mother and be included in meaningful work at the same time,” concludes Thomas.