Congratulations! You’ve just discovered that you’re pregnant and you couldn’t be happier because this is a huge step forward in your life.
As you gear up for the journey forward – eagerly awaiting the arrival of your little one – it’s important to take some time to think about how you’re going to announce the news at work. Here are some tips that might give you some direction on how to move forward:
Sooner could be better
Women usually prefer to wait until their second trimester to announce their pregnancy at work. But if you’re too delighted to hide it any longer, there’s nothing that says you shouldn’t break the news earlier.
A couple of months into your pregnancy, your body will start changing and you will likely experience discomfort on a daily basis. Having compassionate colleagues who know about your little secret will definitely be a welcome support through the morning sickness and mood swings.
Tell your boss first
Before you tell your team, you need to break the news to your boss. You might think it’s okay to tell just the colleague who sits next to you or the one you lunch with, but you really should tell her manager first.
While your day-to-day office routine might not change much, being pregnant will likely affect some other aspects of your job – there could be a big project close to your due date or travel arrangement may need to be made for a conference or other work trip – and you need to bring your boss on the same page so that you can plan next steps.
Plan, plan, plan
You might be busy planning big stuff on the personal front as you prepare for the arrival of your little one, but there’s yet another kind of planning to add onto your list – team planning!
Once you’ve told your boss the good news, have a sit down with your immediate coworkers and communicate clearly with them in order to plan things well. Share preliminary thoughts on when you want to start and end your maternity leave, discuss how your team should manage the workload while you’re away, and schedule handover meetings with your teammates.
Break the news to everyone
Once you’ve got all the details ironed out with your boss, it’s time to break the happy news to your office at large. Pick your moment – perhaps in your weekly catch ups or the next team meeting!
