Motivation Theories: Returning to Work After Parental Leave
21 May 2025
Continuing our series on Pink and Maslow’s motivation theories, we’re exploring how to engage and motivate employees returning to work after parental leave, including adoption leave. Becoming a parent changes employees’ lives – not just their outlook but the pressures they face, and the demands on their time. They need to come to terms with a new reality. Read on to discover what you need to know about this transition and how to motivate working parents.
In 2021, we published this blog, ‘Harness the Power of Motivation with Maslow, Herzberg, and Pink’. The theories presented have stood the test of time, so we’re developing a series of blogs drawing on them. We’ve tackled burnout in our blog, ‘Pink’s Motivational Theories: A Return to Work After Burnout’, and here we’re moving on to returning to work after taking time off for parental leave.
11% of women leave the workforce after maternity leave (Careers After Babies) - talented, highly skilled women who no longer find the working environment compatible with their new life.
There’s a broader topic to discuss - whether the workplace is supporting working parents enough, and you can explore this in our guide, Families that Thrive. For this blog, we’ll focus entirely on motivating working mums, because there is a disparity between mothers and fathers, and how you can make the workplace somewhere they feel they belong.
Parental Leave: A Quick Review
Before we dive into motivation theories, let’s explore parental leave. Pregnant employees are entitled to take 26 weeks’ ordinary maternity leave - the basic period of maternity leave entitlement - followed by 26 weeks of additional maternity leave.
That’s potentially one year where an employee will have been off work. One year where their life has been dominated by their new arrival, and one year where they haven't had to think about fulfilling work responsibilities.
When we spell it out like this, it makes it clear why motivating employees returning to work after parental leave needs thought.
It’s not just working mums, though. Fathers can take one to two weeks’ paternity leave, and there’s also the option to apply for shared parental leave, which only 7% of couples opted for during a 'Careers After Babies' review.
Why Parental Leave is Important
Parental leave is vital for mothers, fathers and babies. For some, it may be a period to recover mentally or physically, but fundamentally, it’s a time to bond with a new family member and make memories.
Parental leave is regulated in the UK because these early times are so crucial for development and connection. Not to mention, many people are very sleep-deprived during this time and not always functioning at full capacity.
What Are Motivation Theories?
The motivation theories we’re discussing date back to the 1940s, yet we’re still referring to them today. Why? Because, as a species, the psychology behind our drivers hasn’t evolved all that much. It’s like stress. We still go into fight or flight mode, and this goes back to our most basic survival instincts from a time when we may have been eaten by dinosaurs.
Motivation theories, like those by Maslow, Pink and Herzberg, help us understand what humans need and what drives them to take a desired action.
Why Are Motivation Theories Important?
85% of women leave full-time work within 3 years of having children (Careers After Children).
Work-life balance and wellbeing are essential, but the bottom line is that you need your employees to show up, to be productive, give their best and help your business grow. Clocking in and out isn’t enough, and we discuss the issues that disengaged employees bring in our blog, ‘Re-Engaging the Disengaged Employee’.
Motivation theories help you create a highly engaged workforce, which boosts productivity and success. Any strategy you implement that doesn’t form a basis in human psychology and theory will have limited success.
We want talented women back in the workforce after they become mothers. External factors may hinder this, such as childcare expenses, but an engagement strategy with motivation theories at the core will strengthen your chances of succeeding.
Exploring Maslow’s hygiene factors will help you understand why.
Maslow’s Hygiene Factors
Maslow presents a motivational pyramid, and you can see this and a more detailed explanation in our blog, ‘Harness the Power of Motivation with Maslow, Herzberg, and Pink’.
At the base of the pyramid are the hygiene or maintenance factors. The thing about the pyramid and the motivators is that it's ineffective without the hygiene factors first being satisfied.
Maslow’s Hygiene Factors: Status, security, relationship with subordinates, personal life, relationship with peers, salary, work conditions, relationship with supervisor, company policy and administration, supervision.
We’re discussing motivating employees who have returned to work after parental leave, and we must appreciate that the health of the hygiene factors before going on parental leave will be different when they return, especially after a year off work.
- Security: We see stats about working mums being less likely to receive promotions and feeling that their value has declined. This perception - or reality in some cases - will make them feel less secure in their role.
- Personal life: Something new parents tend to give up - even if only for a short time - the personal lives of working parents are very different to those who remain child-free, leading to exhaustion, loss of sense of self, and the need for a bit of a break in general.
- Work conditions: A broad topic, but conditions that were acceptable before an employee went on parental leave may no longer be tolerated once they return. Work conditions cover anything from offering flexibility to providing a breastfeeding mother with the space needed to express.
- Relationship with supervisor: A supervisor may be consistent, but an employee returning from parental leave has undergone a significant life change, which could alter their perspective. They may be less happy about behaviours they ignored before. Or the supervisor may not be as understanding as they need to be of the returning employee’s needs.
These four examples cement the importance of motivation theories when engaging with employees returning to work after parental leave. You can’t expect them to be exactly the same as before they left. Their outlook and needs have changed, and if you want to retain them, you must ensure their most basic hygiene factors are in good shape before embarking on any further plans.
Here's how:
- Ensure they know their worth: 66% of employees say they would quit if they felt unappreciated. Invest in your employees from day one of their return. Provide them with learning opportunities they may have missed, ask them if there’s anything they wish to have a refresher on, and absolutely champion them for promotion and progression should an opportunity arise.
- Prioritise work-life balance: Balance is vital between work and life, not just juggling parenting with work, but also getting that time to relax. Our guide to creating Families that Thrive explores all the ways you can do this, from supporting financial wellbeing to providing flexible working, gym discounts, and creating a peer-to-peer support network. You could also do simpler things, like encouraging employees to participate in lunchtime walks, meditation or yoga sessions - moments of connection that aren’t about work or looking after someone else.
- Create a culture of support: Employers have legal obligations to fulfil when it comes to providing facilities for those who need them, but to make a real difference, you need to embed inclusivity and wellbeing into the heart of all you do. Consider whether it’s the norm, almost expected, that people will stay late or work through their lunch if they’re busy. It’s not healthy, and it will need to change.
- Train empathetic managers: One of the most cited reasons an employee leaves a job is poor managers making the workplace toxic and unbearable. It’s true of all employees, not just working parents. Train managers to be aware, empathetic, and understanding to nurture relationships and build a positive employee experience.
Once you’ve satisfied the maintenance factors, you can move on to the motivational pyramid to get the best out of your people and thrive.
Motivation Theories: Building a Culture of Recognition with Pluxee UK
79% of employees said they worked harder when recognised, and 78% were more productive.
Recognition is at the very top of Maslow’s Motivational Pyramid. Once you’ve ensured that you’ve met the hygiene factors of employees returning after parental leave, enhance those feelings of value and belonging with a robust recognition strategy.
A few weeks ago, we launched a brand-new recognition tool internally, the Pluxee App, and we’re thrilled with the results.
After two weeks:
- 89% of our colleagues registered.
- 58% actively use the app to recognise their colleagues regularly.
- Over 700 appreciation e-cards sent celebrating everyday wins and big moments alike!
- 40% of employees have already redeemed their rewards, turning recognition into real value.
Watch this space because this exciting product is coming soon!
Take recognition to the next level with rewards your employees will actually want!
- eVouchers: Your employees can redeem their eVouchers with over 150 retailers, so they’ll always find something to spend them on to boost their wellbeing.
- Pluxee Card: Our cashback-earning prepaid card for employees is a reward and a benefit. The Pluxee Card allows employees to earn up to 25% cashback with over 80 retailers, offering employers a streamlined and consistent way to distribute reward funds.
Workplace motivation theories put you in the mindset of your employees, helping you meet their needs so that they can surpass your expectations. Motivation is more than dangling a carrot. True motivation comes when employees feel secure, like they belong with your business and have your support.
There’s a recipe for making work a place to belong - a few core ingredients we’ve picked up over the last four decades, and we’re more than happy to share them with you.
Sources: Careers After Babies
