Planning for maternity as a founder, and how your Virtual Assistant can help

Taking mat leave as a founder is very exciting and can be very overwhelming at the same time. It’s so important to take the time off that you want and need to care for yourself and you new addition, and it’s just as important to make sure your business continues to function smoothly in your absence. You want to be fully present with your family and not worrying, which is where your Upsource Virtual Assistant can help.

By incorporating VA support into your business planning for mat leave, you can confidently step away from your business without needing to sacrifice on growth.

Business planning for founder maternity leave

As a founder, your role is central to the success and growth of your business. When you’re preparing to take maternity leave, you want to create a comprehensive business plan, so your company and your team continue to thrive in your absence. Of course, you can’t plan for everything, but with a good plan in place you can keep your business momentum, minimise disruption, both to your business and to your maternity leave, and create as much peace of mind as possible for this wonderful time.

Mat leave can be a tricky transition for a founder, it can be hard to step away from the day to day running of your business, but by doing the prep work and sharing it with your team and VA, you will make for a smooth handoff of responsibilities and a seamless transition both into mat leave and back into your business. 

How your VA can support you during mat leave

If you’re already working with a virtual assistant, you’ll know how much of a game changer they can be for your business. If you’re not, the sooner you start working with the right VA for your needs, the stronger working relationship you can build before you go on mat leave. And the more you can delegate in the run up to make sure everything runs smoothly.

Continuity

VA support can help your business to maintain continuity. They will take over any tasks that you see fit, from traditional PA and admin support, to marketing, operations or customer service and make sure that your team, suppliers and clients have the support they need and you avoid disruption.

Proactive 

One thing we pride ourselves on at Upsource, is the proactive approach our VAs take. They are experts in their fields, working in all manner of SMEs with valuable experience in working with founders and teams. They can give you valuable insights and recommendations based on their experience and help you make informed decisions about how to structure your processes, communications etc while you’re away and make strategic adjustments you might need.

Adaptable

During mat leave, your business and team might experience fluctuations in workload or shifting priorities. Working with a VA and a VA agency means your business can adapt quickly to any changes, scaling up/down support as necessary. So your business remains agile and responsive to your market’s demands.

Flexibility and scalability

Depending on your specific needs and the size of your business, you might choose to work with a single VA, or an agency like Upsource that can provide a team of specialists, tailoring support to your unique needs. The level of customisation that working with an agency affords is so valuable for founders who want to support their team in the best way possible.

How prepare your business for maternity leave

Preparing your business for mat leave requires a lot of strategic planning! From financial personal and business planning to operations and day to day support. Here’s some suggestions for planning your VA into your mat leave.

1. Assess your business operations: Identify the critical tasks, processes, and responsibilities that are essential to day-to-day smooth running. This will help you see what areas need the most attention and support during your maternity leave
   
2. Create a detailed business continuity plan: Outline specific steps you and your team will take to make sure that your business continues to operate effectively in your absence. That might mean identifying key team members who can step in to manage critical functions, establishing comms protocols, and documenting important processes
   
3. Establish clear goals and metrics: Define the key performance indicators (KPIs) and any milestones you want your team to achieve during your maternity leave. This will help you and your VA stay aligned on the priorities
   
4. Identify and vet potential virtual assistant support: If you’re not already working with a VA, research and evaluate VA agencies who offer the skills and expertise you need to support your business. Think about factors like experience, communication style, and ability to integrate seamlessly with your existing team and workflows
   
5. Create a full training and onboarding plan: Start working with your VA as soon as you can and invest time in training them on your business operations, processes, and communication preferences. The more time you can invest, the better
   
6. Communicate openly with your team and stakeholders: Keep your team, clients, and partners informed about your maternity leave plans, the support structures you’ve put in place, and the expected timeline for your return to maintain trust and transparency

Working with a virtual assistant for maternity leave

Effective delegation is key for any founder, and this is especially true if you’re planning for mat leave! 

We’ve got a whole article for founders who want to delegate to a virtual assistant, you can read it here. Setting up effective channels of communication, and stating boundaries for contact while you’re off is also really important – our advice is to over communicate when in doubt, especially in the early days of working with a VA. 

We also recommend incorporating contingency plans into your business plan to address potential challenges or unexpected scenarios. That might mean strategies for dealing with client emergencies, managing employee turnover, or family factors that might arise. By anticipating and planning for these events, you can make sure that your business remains resilient during your maternity leave and you can take the time you and your family need with little disruption.

A timeline for your VA, team and clients is also important to plan for. You might need to review it, depending on your circumstances (you might find you want to return to work earlier than planned!) but you should be as clear as possible about your timeline for mat leave, its expected duration and the plan for your eventual return. This will help your VA and team manage expectations and plan accordingly.

Taking care of yourself and your business during maternity leave

As a founder, maternity leave can be both an exciting and daunting experience. It’s, of course, essential that you prioritise your personal well-being and the needs of your growing family, but it’s equally important to make sure that your business and customers continue to feel supported in your absence.

By incorporating virtual assistant support into your business planning, you can create a framework that allows you to step away from your responsibilities with confidence and peace of mind. 

If you’re planning to grow your family and would like some support through maternity leave and beyond, contact Caroline who can match your needs to your perfect VA(s).