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Femke shares her experience returning to work, exploring team dynamics, personal impacts, surprises, challenges, and positive aspects of re-entering the workplace after maternity leave.

Timestamps:

Did it feel like you were joining the same company, or was it a different experience? How did it feel to meet your new team?

Your team previously had a manager. How do they feel about you joining the team? Were there any steps you took to establish a positive relationship from the start?

Can you tell me more about what your team does?

How would you describe your current responsibilities? How do they compare to your responsibilities before your maternity leave?

When you first joined Gusto as a manager, was your role a backfilled position, or was it a new managerial role?

What has been the personal impact of returning to work? How was your first week back as a working mom?

One of the biggest surprises upon your return has been the influence of AI. How has this impacted your work or perspective?

What has been the most surprising aspect of coming back to work?

What has been the most challenging part of returning?

And finally, what has been the most rewarding or positive aspect of going back to work?

Links:

A huge shoutout to our sponsor for this episode, Mobbin! Make sure to check them out

Femke's new community

Femke’s course “Product strategy for designers”

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310: Going back to work after an extended break

Design Life