When Half Your Team Goes on Leave: A Manager’s Guide to Getting It Right

How do you manage maternity leave when half your team is stepping away - and performance still needs to hold?In this episode of the Kundra Podcast, Theresa sits down with Valentine, Product Marketing leader and therapist, who shares a rare perspective: how to design high-performing parental leave as a manager who hasn’t experienced it herself.After witnessing firsthand how poorly managed maternity leave can derail careers and cost companies top talent, Valentine took a radically different approach — turning a high-risk situation into a win for the team, the business, and the individuals involved.When two of her four team members went on maternity leave simultaneously, she had to make fast, high-stakes decisions: how to structure coverage, justify budget, protect partnerships, and ensure a seamless return.Inside this conversation, you’ll discover:From Failure to Framework: What goes wrong when maternity leave is poorly handled - and how to avoid itContinuity Under Pressure: How to design coverage when capacity drops by 50%Smart Trade-offs: How to decide between freelancers, hiring, and internal redistributionBusiness Case First: How to secure budget by linking leave coverage to revenue and partnershipsReboarding That Works: Why the first weeks back matter more than the handoverThe Human Layer: How a therapist mindset - listening, empathy, and “persona thinking” - transforms outcomesWhether you’re a manager, HR leader, or future parent, this episode offers a practical and deeply human playbook for turning maternity leave into a moment of growth - not disruption.In this episode we cover:00:00 Introduction to Valentine02:53 Why This Topic Matters: Even If You’re Not a Parent04:45 The Worst-Case Scenario: When Maternity Leave Goes Wrong08:36 Managing Two Leaves in a Four-Person Team09:06 Coverage Decisions: Freelance, Hire, or Redistribute?15:27 Making the Business Case: Budget, Partners & Performance21:12 Reboarding Done Right: Energy, Identity & Motivation25:56 The Manager Playbook: Listening, Personas & Long-Term ImpactAbout KundraKundra is building the future of parental leave.We believe ambition and parenthood can thrive together - and companies that embed equity into their foundations today will lead tomorrow.This podcast is part of our journey: speaking with working parents, business leaders, and HR innovators to surface the truths of career and parenting and the tools that make it work.We’re now opening up pilot programs for companies ready to rethink parental leave. If you’d like to see how Kundra can support your teams, email [email protected] for a demo.Want more from each episode?Subscribe to Kundra Notes for insights, recaps, and HR toolkitsFollow Kundra on LinkedIn for product updates and thought leadershipFollow Kundra on Instagram for stories, quotes, and behind-the-scenes