Creating a Parental Coverage Plan

Creating a parental coverage plan

Insight from Tamara Hinckley

With a newborn on the way (coming this month!), parental coverage plans are super interesting to me! Should I give myself parental leave from The Bottleneck??

Just kidding.

Anyways, Tamara built out a great template to ensure proper coverage while you are away. You should focus on your little one, not your team at work!

A solid coverage plan will help you:

1. Focus completely on your family without unexpected disturbances

2. Minimize business disruptions by maintaining continuity for your projects

3. Build and maintain relationship capital with your manager, peers, and the broader team

Here’s a step-by-step playbook for creating an exceptional coverage plan for your parental leave.

• Start early and socialize often: aim to finish the plan a month before your leave

• Determine your parental leave timeline: Optimize what is best for your family but try to work with HR

• Outline a coverage plan

The outline of the coverage plan is the most important piece here so listen up.

You have two routes here. You could choose a de facto proxy or create direct responsible individuals (DRIs).

If you choose a de facto proxy, choose a senior team member who has held a similar role in the past or is eager for a challenge.

If you go the DRI route, list major focus areas (3-5 maximum) and assign one DRI for each area. Please list meetings, specific projects, and other processes for the other person to know.

Finally, limit the number of people who have your contact information. Like I said earlier, this is a time to be with your child.

P.S. If you want this template, click here.