Astrid is happy to be back at work just three months after giving birth to her firstborn son
Astrid Friborg Molbech returned to work after just taking three months maternity leave with her newborn son. This solution is possible due to a flexible workspace where the employee’s own initiatives are welcomed and where the work-life-balance is on the agenda.
The conversation with Astrid is on TEAMS, because today she works from home. Such online meetings has become a permanent solution in her work life at NIRAS’ department for water supply since she became a mother just three months ago.
“I’ve always been met by the approach that we would find a solution,” Astrid tells and smiles on the screen. She explains how her supervisor has been both helpful and supporting towards finding the best solution after her short maternity leave.
Flexibility is the key
According to Astrid, the answer to a successful way back to work with a newborn son at home, is undoubtedly a high level of flexibility:
“I have great flexibility in my work life, which means that I can work when it suits me and my family life the best”
Astrid Friborg Molbech
“I have great flexibility in my work life, which means that I can work when it suits me and my family life the best,” she explains.
Concretely this means that Astrid works from home approximately three days a week and from the NIRAS-office the remaining two workdays. Also there is always the possibility that she works off hours and plans her work outside the usual worktime between 8am - 4 pm.
“Of course I have to participate in any important meeting, but that is not an issue to me at all,” Astrid underlines.
The most important reason why Astrid has decided to return to work after just three months maternity leave is according to herself due to a great joy in her work:
“I really find my job interesting and meaningful – and with this flexible circumstances I can unite my work and family life perfectly,” she tells.
Family life and work
Another important reason why Astrid can return to work this early after birth, is that her husband wishes to take great part in the maternity leave. Therefore there are also some boring practicalities behind the decision, that had to be meaningful for the family both economically and practically:
“I actually hope that my story can help to nuance people’s understanding on how to work and be a mother at the same time”
Astrid Friborg Molbech
“After my short maternity leave, my husband took over and now has six months at home. So that is of course also an important reason to why this is at all possible,” she explains with a smile.
In the background her newborn son complains himself shortly. But it doesn’t seem to bother Astrid. She obviously feels completely safe that her husband behind the closed door will take good care of their crying son.
In the department for water supply in NIRAS, Astrid works with construction projects and the daily tasks are widely differentiated:
“I have made everything from wiring networks to optimizing rainwater examinations,” she explains. But the tasks also offers things like coding, draining, coordination and much more.
The new everyday life
“The maternity leave is such a cozy time and I feel like I can still be a part of it, when working so much from home,” Astrid tells and continues:
“I actually hope that my story can help to nuance people’s understanding on how to work and be a mother at the same time.”
A lot of Astrid’s friends have come to her with admiration and longing eyes towards her flexible solution, that balances work and family life in a new way.
“I am such a big part of forming my work life myself that my family’s everyday life is just running smooth even though I work fulltime with a baby at home – unfortunately this is not a possibility for everyone yet,” Astrid says.
Balance
It is obvious that balance is another key to Astrid’s successful work life. And it is not only about the balance between her family and her career, but also about balancing the character of her work:
“The best thing about my work in itself is that there are balance in my work tasks. I work with very challenging things and stuff that are completely safe and familiar to me,” Astrid explains an continues by saying:
“I want to learn something new and keep developing, but it is just as important to me that I get to do the things I know that I master. This balance creates an important dynamic in my work life and I am just so thankful that it is so.”
Returning from maternity leave, Astrid now works with some familiar tasks and are currently on projects that she knows very well. This gives her a great feeling of safety and comfort in her daily life – even though the projects are prominent and for important costumers in NIRAS.
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