Work, family, and motherhood: A look into the lives of working mother’s at Maersk

Being a mother can be an incredibly fulfilling experience, but it does not come without its own challenges, especially when returning to work and trying to balance work and home life.

We talk to three of our Maersk colleagues to learn about their experience of becoming working mothers, how it has impacted yet enriched their lives, and what support they receive from colleagues and Maersk.

What is the best thing about being a mother?

As a mother, I try to transfer my love for my family heritage to my children by recreating the experiences I had with my parents with my children.

How does it feel to be a working mum?

Being a mother is like being a creator of worlds and a working mum is like being a hero who is making the world a better place for our children, so as a mother, I want to live my life right.

What was your experience transitioning back to work after maternity leave?

I was able to spend an additional month with my baby as Maersk gave me 126 days of paid maternity leave which is above the 90 days mandated by the local labour laws in Korea.

When I returned to work, Maersk gave me the option to work from home, which meant my baby could sleep to the sound of my voice on calls, a comfort she had known since being in my womb sparing her the stress of adjusting to new surroundings. I am grateful that Maersk lets me work from home so that I can work and take care of my family at the same time.

How have you managed to maintain a healthy work-life balance since returning to work?

To be honest, when I first returned to work, I struggled to be a perfect mum and great employee at the same time. As my strength and time are both limited, I decided to focus only one thing at one time to prevent getting stressed. I try to fully concentrate on my work from 8am to 5pm then after I close my Maersk laptop, I focus solely on taking care of my babies.

What is the best thing about being a mother?

The pure, unbridled joy and innocence of my children are like soothing balms and can make any difficult day suddenly seem ok. They can be challenging sometimes, as all children can be, but they constantly make me want to be a better person for them.

How does it feel to be a working mum?

It can be difficult sometimes, knowing that I miss witnessing some of my boys’ first milestones but being at work also lets me retain my sense of self, and not lose my identity.

What was your experience transitioning back to work after maternity leave?

I’m appreciative of my manager and teammates who helped cover in my absence and caught me up to speed on my return. The additional two weeks of maternity leave I was given, which was beyond Singaporean local government standards, allowed me more rest and meant I could have everything in order before returning to work, making my return to work quite seamless. Although I didn’t utilise the Return-to-Work Program Maersk offers which provides the option for phased integration back into work, it was reassuring to know that this was available if I needed it.

In the office, having a well-equipped nursing room helped a lot as it gave me the privacy needed to express and store milk while still being able work in the office.

How have you managed to maintain a healthy work-life balance since returning to work?

During office hours, my focus is work and making sure I can deliver within business hours. Although I am not strict about working after office hours, I am clear that unless it is critical or urgent, my family is my priority. I am thankful that when I need to step away during office hours to care for my children, doctor visits or health checkups, I know I can trust and rely on my colleagues to support in my absence.

Additionally, I make sure to allocate some time to myself, whether it’s a quick gym session or just having some time to decompress, as I know I need it to be able to contribute better to my family and work.

What is the best thing about being a mother?

Before childbirth, I naturally assumed that I would be a good mother driven by maternal instincts. However, after giving birth, I realized that I needed to study and prepare especially being a first-time mum. The best thing about being a mother is growing as a person alongside my child.

How does it feel to be a working mum?

I extend my respect to all working mums in this world. I used to believe that anyone could handle being a working mum, I thought I could manage it myself, however, I couldn’t. There are more things to juggle, and sometimes, my physical stamina and passion fall short, leading to muments of self-doubt. Every day, I experience both the struggles of being a hardworking mum but also the little victories which boost my confidence.

What was your experience transitioning back to work after maternity leave?

After coming back from maternity leave, I transitioned to a new position where I often felt that my abilities fell short, however, my manager and colleagues provided the support and encouragement to boost my confidence and gave me the courage to not give up.

Balancing childcare responsibilities with work was a challenge, especially as my daughter frequently fell ill after I returned to work, fortunately, being able to work from home was a significant help in allowing me to manage both parenting and work.

How have you managed to maintain a healthy work-life balance since returning to work?

Before becoming a mother, I used to have control over my schedule and enjoy some flexibility, however, now, I have responsibilities and obligations that can sometimes be overwhelming. The biggest challenge was having to take leave on short notice due to my child’s health, but my team always provided support helping me avoid feeling guilty.

To balance this, I keep Sunday mornings for myself to relax at home, engage in self-improvement, try new things, and simply have moments for myself.