Managing maternity leave: The impact of maternity leave on relationship building and strategic management for female public relations practitioners in Canada

Abstract

In Canada, new parents who meet requirements outlined by the federal employment insurance program have the option of taking up to 18 months of maternity leave. As more women are becoming pregnant later in life, many women are taking maternity leaves after spending years working and establishing careers. Through in-depth interviews with 17 women currently working in public relations and communications who have taken one or more maternity leaves in the last ten years, this study explores how female practitioners perceive maternity leave impacts them professionally in terms of their ability to maintain and build relationships with stakeholders and remain connected to their organization and profession.