Shapes enables you to support your employees during maternity leave by streamlining the process for both their departure and return. With features like custom fields, automated workflows, and insights filtering, you can ensure a smooth and well-documented transition.
1. Assign Maternity Leave Policy
To start, assign a maternity leave policy to the employee:
Go to the People Directory.
Select the employee.
Click Assign Policies and Time Away.
Choose the Reason: Maternity Leave.
Choose the Policy.
Click Save.
2. Employee Books Time Off
The employee can now book their leave:
Go to the Full Profile.
Navigate to Time Management.
Select Time Away.
Enter the Reason (Maternity Leave) and Dates.
Click Save.
The manager can then approve the request, and the calendar will reflect the maternity leave for organizational visibility.
3. Create Custom Fields for Maternity Leave
Capture important maternity-related information:
Go to Account Settings > Employee Fields > Personal.
Click Add Section > Fields and name the group (e.g., Maternity Leave).
Add fields such as:
Maternity Leave Start Date (Date field)
Maternity Leave End Date (Date field)
First Child's Name (Text field)
4. Set Up a Maternity Leave Workflow
Automate tasks associated with maternity leave:
Navigate to Workflows > Templates.
Select the Maternity Leave Start Date template (or create a new one).
Customize the workflow:
Rename the template.
Set the Anchor Date to Maternity Leave Start Date.
Adjust tasks:
Set due dates relative to the anchor date.
Add assignees responsible for completing the tasks.
Add custom messages or email templates with dynamic variables (e.g.,
{firstName}).
Optional: Add Forms using previously created custom fields.
Click Save when ready.
5. Run the Workflow
Run the maternity leave workflow for an employee:
Go to Activity > Run Workflow.
Choose the Employee.
Select the Workflow Type: Maternity Leave.
Choose the customized template.
Click Run.
Tasks assigned immediately will notify the respective assignees. Other tasks will be triggered based on the anchor date.
6. Monitor Insights During Maternity Leave
Ensure accurate reporting by filtering dashboards:
Create a New Dashboard (e.g., Headcount.)
Add a Widget > Select Headcount Insight.
Apply a filter:
Time Away Status is not Maternity Leave.
This ensures maternity leave data doesn’t skew active headcount metrics.
If you have any questions during your setup or maternity leave process, don’t hesitate to reach out to support@shapes.co - we're here to help!