A pregnant perspective : exploring the experience of first-time pregnant employees in the workforce in Aotearoa New Zealand : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Business Studies in Human Resource Management at Massey University, New Zealand
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2023
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Massey University
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This research explores the experiences of women who were pregnant while in the workforce for the first time. The study was designed within an interpretivist epistemology and data was gathered using semi-structured face-to-face interviews with 12 women who had been pregnant at work. There were three influential factors which shaped participants’ experiences. Firstly, the relationships and interactions that they have with other parties in the workplace, including managers, co-workers as well as customers and clients, and most importantly the relationship between perceived levels of support in the workplace and a positive pregnancy experience. Particularly important is accommodating the physical challenges and limitations of pregnancy in a way that prioritises the wellbeing of pregnant employees and their unborn babies. Secondly, the findings highlight the internalised, often invisible, challenges which pregnant employees face. Finally, the organisational culture and the impact of COVID-19 also had a notable impact on the experiences. In light of these findings, the study provides a framework for understanding, and improving, a pregnant employee’s experience, as well as highlighting a potential link between the workplace pregnancy experience and the likelihood of the pregnant employee returning to their role after their parental leave. Recommendations are also made, including that organisations proactively engage with pregnant employees to understand their perspectives and challenges, in order to best support them as they navigate the uncharted territory of balancing their pregnancy and wellbeing alongside maintaining their professional identity and credibility. Additionally, recommendations are given for organisations to have appropriate policies and procedures in place to empower pregnant women, and to set clear expectations relating to the conduct of other parties in the workplace. Further research could explore the potential links between the type of experience a pregnant employee has and the likelihood of them returning to work. Other research areas include potential differences between first and subsequent pregnancies for individual women, as well as expanding the selection criteria to include a more varied pool of participants and perspectives.