Retain Your Female Engineers Through Maternity Leave - Where Companies Typically Lose Them
Attract, Retain, Thrive
Most engineering organisations don’t lose women during maternity leave.
They lose them in the months after they return – through role drift, unclear expectations, and lack of structured manager support.
Uplifted Leaders helps you prevent that loss.
- Retain experienced technical talent
- Equip managers to lead successful returns
- Strengthen your leadership pipeline
Women working in Engineering and Technology roles has declined in the last year from16.5% to 15.7% and is concentrated in women between ages 35 and 44.
EngineeringUk 2024
Engineering businesses cannot afford to lose experienced talent
Hiring experienced engineers is hard.
Companies consistently cite:
- shortage of skilled candidates
- long recruitment cycles
- increasing salary competition
- pressure to deliver programmes and growth
Yet many unknowingly lose experienced female talent at a predictable point:
after maternity leave
Replacement cost is high.
Loss of delivery continuity is costly.
Loss of future leaders is even greater.
What Actually Goes Wrong
Before Maternity Leave
- leave dates are agreed
- cover is distributed across the team
- supportive conversations happen
But often:
- no structured transition plan
- unclear return role
- no alignment on ambitions
- no clear ownership
After Maternity Leave
Women often return to:
- roles misaligned to strengths
- reduced responsibility
- unclear expectations
- projects that have moved on
- loss of confidence and belonging
And quietly:
they start looking elsewhere
Nice Managers do not guarantee Successful Returns. Structured Transitions Do.
What Women In STEM Tell us
50%+
aim for promotion / career progression within 12 months of return
Most
had no structured maternity transition plan with their manager
Confidence
is commonly rated low on return (1–3/5)
Ambition remains high.
The system around them often isn’t designed to support it.
Careers After Babies Survey 2023
The number of women in management roles drops by 32% after having children
Meet Philippa Davies, Engineering Director and Advocate for Women in STEM
Philippa’s remarkable journey, from navigating a challenging return to work after her second child to achieving a promotion as Head of Engineering a year later has fueled her passion to empower women in STEM. At Uplifted Leaders, she shares invaluable insights and strategies to ensure a successful return to work and pave the way towards the next career milestone for women and their managers. Explore how Philippa’s journey and expertise can elevate your organisation, gain actionable insights, and join the mission to empower women to stay and thrive in STEM careers.
Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society since 2021.
QUESTIONS?
Discover how Uplifted Leaders can empower your organisation with tailored solutions, real-world expertise, and a commitment to diversity and inclusion.
Unleash the potential of your team and explore how we can help you thrive.
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