How I Find Success in My Role as a New Working Mother

I began working for Trane Technologies in January of 2015 as the Social Recruiting Program Lead. I’m the face behind all of the social posts you read, but I’m also a new mom. In August of 2018, my husband, Trey, and I welcomed our first son, George. As a first-time mom, I didn’t know what to expect about maternity leave or what the transition back to work would look like. Luckily, Trane Technologies made the transition easy.

As I entered my maternity leave, I felt completely supported. I was able to take leave, focus on myself and my new family and rest knowing my job was being taken care of by my team. However, as my return-to-work date approached, I was feeling the mom guilt kick in. Finding the right childcare for my son was proving to be harder than I thought it would be, and I was feeling unsure of what the balance between work and being a mom would look like. But my manager was dedicated to making my transition back to work seamless. She suggested a phased return-to-work plan where I would work part-time for a month, then return full-time. 

This was a tremendous help. It enabled me to slowly ease back into my role and learn how to balance being a mom and an employee without feeling like I was failing at both. In addition to a phased return, I was also able to keep a flexible work schedule where I can work from home a few days a week. This has been a saving grace for me and my family and has provided continued work-life balance. I am grateful to work for a company that supports me as an employee and in my career growth, but also in my journey as a mom.

Recently, I spoke to Fairygodboss about my experience as a working mom, my advice for new mothers who are navigating work and motherhood, and how Trane Technologies has supported me throughout this transition. Check out my responses below.

Trane Technologies offers paid parental leave for four weeks, in addition to paid leave of absence. While there’s not a policy in place, my company does let us phase our return to work, by allowing us to work part-time for a set period of time then return full-time after parental leave. They also offer maternity coaching and various return-to-work programs, etc.

Trane Technologies' office is about an hour from my house, so since having my son, I work from home more often. This helps my husband and I balance morning drop off at daycare. He and I are also both early risers and typically start working between 7 and 7:30 a.m., so I wake up a little bit earlier now to get my son and me ready for the day. 

I would say it’s a combination of our parental leave, phased return-to-work and flexible/remote work options that makes working here so great! Like most infants in daycare, my son gets sick often, and my flexible work and supportive coworkers make it easy for me to meet his needs. Trane Technologies also offers great health benefits as well as back-up childcare, should I need it!

How has your role as a new mom made you a better employee? 

I think being a mom has made me better at time management. Now that I’m a mom and I try to compartmentalize family time and work time, I need to make the most of every minute.

Cooking! I have always loved to cook. It reminds me of helping my mom make dinner when I was a child. My mom worked and she would have a homemade meal on the table every night. I don’t know how she did it, but there is something rewarding about my family coming together to enjoy a meal and talk about our day.

From 5:30-7:30 p.m., I am in complete mom-mode. I keep my computer away from me and try to stay away from any devices so I can spend time with my son.

What’s your #1 tip for new moms who are navigating the delicate balance of working and mothering? 

Try not to be hard on yourself as you adjust to working motherhood. It’s hard and it takes time to find a routine that works for your family, so take the time you need. 

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