RETURNING TO WORK AFTER 3 YEARS OF MATERNITY LEAVE?
I cannot imagine that anymore, says Anita Wagnerová, a knowledge manager.
In the morning, she drops off her son at the kindergarten before speeding from Liberec to Mladá Boleslav, where she meets with her team. On the following day, she is busy working from home. The remainder of the week is then dedicated to spending time with her son. This is the current weekly schedule of Anita Wagnerová, a knowledge manager. One day, while she was on maternity leave, she paid her colleagues a visit in the office. It was then that she realized she had missed her workplace and made the decision to return to the company. How does she achieve harmony between her parental duties and her job in the IT department of Škoda Auto?
It is not always the case for mothers to succeed in finding suitable part-time employment. Was this agreement difficult to negotiate for you?
On the contrary! My superior and I had actually discussed this option prior to my maternity leave. At first I thought I would want to stay at home with my child for three full years. However, after a few months on maternity leave, I paid a visit to my colleagues and I realized I had missed my workplace – both my team and the work itself.
So then you returned to your previous position…
Actually, I did not. Before my maternity leave, I was working as an operation integrator, which required me to be available at all times. Of course, this would simply not be possible when working part-time. You see, I was responsible for resolving incidents occurring within the Škoda Connect applications – for example service outages. So, my boss and I were brainstorming, trying to figure out which position within the same team would be suitable for me and we came up with knowledge management, which is doable part-time as well.
Knowledge management?
Basically, it revolves around the creation of a knowledge database as part of the Connected Car project, which deals with the mobile services of a vehicle. To give an example, when a customer's central locking system or the infotainment system is not working, they will call the customer service line. If they are unable to help them there, the problem gets reported to our IT analysts. They will then look into the knowledge database, where they will be able to find out whether anyone has dealt with a similar situation in the past, and if so, which steps they followed to resolve the issue. This allows us to resolve any issue much faster. I was tasked with designing this database, taking my colleagues' requirements into account. Of course, the database is still constantly being edited and updated with new information.
Knowledge Management. All knowledge in one place.
Knowledge management is the process of transferring information and knowledge between employees, and storing this knowledge for the future – for example through the usage of a specialized software. This allows companies to maintain their expertise even when undergoing personnel changes. Transferring and storing knowledge is a key part of development – not only for companies, but for society itself.
How long has the database been in operation?
Since May 2020, which is when I have returned from maternity leave. At that time, I would work for roughly five hours a week. In Autumn 2021, I began to work ten hours a week and currently I am working two days a week.
So you have a set time-frame in which you are available?
Exactly. If there is something which needs immediate attention, it is not a problem for someone to fill in for me. The people who work in my department are very flexible and try their best to accommodate my needs. This, in my opinion, is extremely important – choosing the people you work with carefully. I am very lucky to be working alongside an amazing team, with kind superiors.
What else, apart from your team, helps you to harmonize your work and personal life?
My family's support, definitely. My husband and I share all parenting duties equally. Unfortunately, we do not have any relatives living nearby, such as grandparents, who could look after our son, so he goes to the kindergarten two days a week. Luckily, he has been handling it really well. This allows me to drive from Liberec to Mladá Boleslav on one day, work from home on the other, and spend the rest of the week with our son.
Which benefits can employees enjoy during their maternity or paternity leave?
For example a nursery allowance or a childbirth bonus, among others. Read an article on how ŠKODA supports its employees in harmonizing their work and personal life.
Such a schedule and continuously going back and forth can also be mentally taxing. Do you ever find yourself giving in to stress?
The fact that I am able to work while on maternity leave is actually very beneficial to my mental state. The opportunity for self-realization boosts my confidence. I cannot imagine now only returning to work after three full years of maternity leave, as I had originally intended. These part-time contracts also benefit the company itself. When the employee maintains at least limited collaboration with their team, they do not lose their expertise completely. Their return to working full-time again is much smoother this way. I myself have witnessed how many things have changed around here in my absence of only a few months. The company also does not face the trouble of suddenly having to fill someone's position – this is already dealt with when the part-time contract discussion first occurs.
"Parents who work part-time or make use of jobsharing have room for both family care and self-realization. Of course, this is also reflected in their work attitude. People often wrongly assume that a part-time employee works less. On the contrary, they can be extremely efficient," says Natalia Hudecová, a diversity specialist at Škoda Auto.
Natália Hudecová
diversity specialist
Companies may worry at times that employees working part-time will not be as productive.
This is not necessarily true. When I am working on a certain task, I sometimes think about it even in my free time. My time off actually gives me the space to think things through, which then allows me to work much faster and with more efficiency during my working hours.
Do you have the capacity to think about your future plans?
Absolutely! For example, I recently switched teams within the IT department. Actually, I started do similar work, but focus on a different project. In my new position, I am handling analysing bill of materials (BOM) processes and participating in the development of the new MQB27 platform. I am very excited for this change! I did not leave because of my team, or because I did not enjoy my job – I just want to broaden my skills and learn something new. Škoda has given me this opportunity to grow and allowed me to rotate jobs even when working on a part-time contract.
ANITA WAGNEROVÁ
A knowledge manager
Anita began working at Škoda Auto as an external worker. At first, she worked in marketing, until the year 2017, when she joined the IT department. During her university years, she had no idea that she will once settle down working in the automotive industry.
"Originally, I studied English and History at the Faculty of Education. However, teaching did not fulfil me. When I am working on something, I need to see definite, tangible results. I tried to apply for a marketing position at Škoda and it worked out," she relates.
At first, she was working in launch management, which handled introducing new products into surrounding markets. "My team and I were responsible for the introduction of KODIAQ, for example. Subsequently, I joined the Car Configurator department."
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