Punjab National Bank (PNB) has launched a new initiative called PNB Udbhav to support and warmly welcome women employees returning to work after maternity leave. PNB said that returning to work after maternity is often challenging for women due to emotional stress, childcare responsibilities, financial pressure, and the need to catch up professionally. To help women employees return with confidence, the bank has introduced this employee-friendly program under its Gender Diversity at Workplace Policy.
Returning to work after childbirth is not easy for any woman. A mother does not only heal physically after delivery, she also goes through deep emotional changes. She feels pain, weakness, fear, and sometimes sadness. At the same time, she has to leave her newborn child at home and step back into office life. This separation itself causes guilt, anxiety, and emotional stress.
Many women feel torn between their career and motherhood. While sitting in the office, their heart often stays with their baby. Lack of sleep, constant worry about the child, and pressure to perform at work make this phase mentally exhausting. Some mothers feel they are no longer the same person. This emotional struggle is real and very common.
A warm welcome at the workplace makes a big psychological difference. When a woman is treated with kindness, respect, and understanding, she feels safe, valued, and confident again. A small gesture like kind words or a welcome token can heal emotional pain and reduce fear.
Under the PNB Udbhav scheme, a Nodal Officer or ERG (Employee Resource Group) member will contact the returning mother one month before she joins duty. She will also be guided about PNB SPARSH, which is the bank’s teleconsulting facility for women employees after maternity leave. This service is meant to reduce fear, stress, and anxiety and help in a smooth transition back to work.
On the day of rejoining, the employee will be warmly welcomed at the office, preferably with a planter and encouraging words. The ERG Head, ERG Member, or Nodal Officer will be present during this welcome. PNB said that this step is meant to make women employees feel valued and supported as they balance work and family life. All ERG heads, field offices, and head office divisions have been directed to implement this scheme in true spirit.
This initiative will not just help women return to work — it will help them return with dignity, confidence, and emotional strength.
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