How to Support Your Moms Returning From Leave in Sales

Returning from maternity leave is a uniquely challenging experience for women in sales. 

Unlike other roles, where a team or a contractor often supports employees in their absence, sales moms usually don’t have that. And, instead of returning to steady workloads, sales professionals frequently return to empty pipelines, full quotas, and a leaderboard where they’re starting from scratch. 

The pressure to immediately ramp up and hit revenue targets—while balancing new parenthood—can be overwhelming. 

A survey found that 71% of women in senior roles took less than six months of maternity leave to protect their positions, yet 57% left their organizations within two years, citing career progression and retention challenges.

Even more concerning, fewer than 20% of new mothers—and only 29% of first-time mothers—return to full-time work within three years of giving birth. This figure drops to just 15% after five years, with 17% of women leaving the workforce entirely, compared to just 4% of men.

And those numbers are across roles and industries. Imagine what it’s like in a performance-based role, such as sales.

Without structured return policies, ramping quotas, and clear pipeline-sharing strategies, companies risk losing top talent—not because these women cannot perform, but because the system isn’t designed to support them.

So, how can organizations stop forcing moms in sales to choose between their careers and their families? 

We don’t have all the answers below, but we do have some starting points. 

The Common Challenges Moms Face When Returning to Sales

The good news? Three of the biggest challenges women face at work when returning to their sales roles after having a child are all solvable problems.

Empty Pipelines & High Quotas

The first hurdle is the lack of a warm pipeline. Unlike other roles where work is redistributed during leave, sales reps often return to an empty pipeline but are expected to hit full quota immediately.

This means scrambling to build momentum while adjusting to a new life balance. 

Deals that would have been progressing if they had been working may have closed—or worse, fallen through—without clear ownership.

Olivia Millard, a SaaS sales leader, returned from leave to find that she had a full quota but little pipeline. “I felt like a failure starting from ground zero,” she shared. The experience pushed her company to reevaluate its policies and eventually adopt a pipeline-sharing model.

Lack of Flexibility & Support

Now, take that empty pipeline and imagine battling the pressure of starting from the bottom while balancing feeding schedules, doctor appointments, sleep deprivation, and daycare logistics. 

Yet, many women fear asking for accommodations like flexible hours or a gradual return, worried it will be seen as a lack of commitment.

Sales leader Rina Dhanota recommends having an open, structured transition conversation with managers before leave. “Set expectations, be upfront about your goals, and advocate for a schedule that works for both you and the business,” she said. 

Compensation Gaps & Financial Strain

Additionally, parental leave policies in sales often fail to account for commission-based earnings. 

Many companies only pay base salary during leave, which can be a drastic pay cut for reps who rely on commissions to make up the bulk of their earnings.

This disproportionately affects women, who are more likely to take extended leave than their male counterparts. In many cases, men in sales take shorter paternity leaves, maintain control of their pipeline, and return without losing commissions.

Jessi Johanson, VP of Sales at Tilt, for example, lost significant earnings when she had her first child. At her next company, she helped implement a system where reps on leave receive commission splits based on the deal stage at handoff.

Solutions: How Companies Can Set Up Returning Moms for Success

Enough about the challenges, though. 

You’re here for the solutions.

Below, check out a few ways you can better support moms returning from leave in sales roles. 

1. Implement a Structured Ramp Plan

• Offer a ramped quota for returning sales reps to ease them back into selling.
• Provide clear transition plans for deals that progressed or stalled while the rep was out.
• Set realistic activity goals (meetings booked, pipeline generated) instead of full quota attainment right away.

Example: At Gong, sales leaders implemented a three-month ramp post-leave, reducing quotas to 50% in Month 1, 75% in Month 2, and 100% in Month 3. This allowed reps to rebuild momentum without the pressure of immediately hitting full numbers.

2. Keep Pipelines Active & Distribute Deals Fairly

• Assign deals to peers while the rep is on leave but ensure a commission-sharing model based on deal stage.
• Allow the rep to reclaim ownership of pipeline accounts upon return, ensuring they don’t start from zero.
• Ensure equitable lead distribution by prioritizing the returning rep in inbound queues to compensate for missed pipeline generation.
• Track pipeline at a quarterly level to ensure they have the same opportunity to meet their targets as their peers.

Example: At Tilt, parental leave policies include commission splits based on the deal stage at handoff. For example, reps on leave get 100% commission for late-stage deals that close, while earlier-stage deals follow a 50/50 split between the covering rep and the rep on leave.

3. Provide Schedule Flexibility and Resources

• Offer a structured transition period, such as a 4-day workweek for the first three months, to ease the return without overwhelming pressure.
• Allow flexible scheduling with agreed-upon blocked times for childcare, pickups, pumping, and personal needs. Encourage calendar transparency to prevent scheduling conflicts.
• Provide designated spaces like a mothers’ room to accommodate nursing needs.

Example: Some progressive sales teams offer a gradual return model, where reps work 80% of the time at full pay for the first three months. 

4. Provide Fair Parental Leave Compensation

• Companies should offer OTE-based parental leave pay, not just base salary.
• Benchmark against industry leaders (Facebook, LinkedIn, Google) to set competitive leave policies.
• Consider draws or guaranteed commissions based on historical earnings.

Example: Some companies, pay 60-100% of OTE while a rep is on leave to ensure financial stability. Others calculate average commissions over the past four quarters and pay reps based on that amount.

5. Ensure Clear, Documented Policies

• Standardize return-to-work policies to remove ambiguity and ensure consistency.
• Communicate policies clearly to all reps before they go on leave, so expectations are set.
• Include clear deal handoff procedures, compensation guidelines, and quota ramping expectations.

Example: Companies codifying parental leave policies reduce misinterpretation, increase fairness, and build trust. Ensuring policies are documented and reviewed in manager training prevents case-by-case inconsistencies.

Next Steps for Sales Leaders & RevOps Teams

Supporting moms returning from maternity leave is the right thing to do — and a strategic investment in retaining top talent. 

Here’s how sales leaders and RevOps teams can take action:

• Start with Leadership Buy-In
  • Work with HR and leadership to establish a clear, standardized return-to-work policy that removes ambiguity.
  • Secure executive sponsorship to ensure policies are implemented consistently across the organization.
• Benchmark Best Practices
  • Research how industry leaders (e.g., HubSpot, LinkedIn, QuotaPath) handle sales parental leave.
  • Conduct internal listening sessions with sales parents to understand what’s missing in current policies.
  • Use data from industry reports to create a fair and competitive plan.
• Ensure Flexibility & Open Communication
  • Encourage proactive discussions between returning reps and managers to set expectations.
  • Allow for personalized transition plans, such as phased return schedules or flexible hours.
  • Normalize caregiver responsibilities by building them into company culture and leadership training.
• Design Adaptable Compensation Plans
  • Prorate quotas based on time away to ensure fair targets.
  • Implement commission splits for deals worked before leave.
  • Offer partial OTE coverage to prevent financial strain.
  • Maintain pipeline activity by prioritizing the returning rep in inbound lead distribution.
• Train Managers on Parental Leave Transitions
  • Ensure sales leaders understand how to support, onboard, and coach returning sales reps.
  • Provide guidelines on quota adjustments, deal handoffs, and ramp expectations.
  • Make parental leave training a core part of leadership development programs.

Final Thoughts 

The sales industry must evolve to better support working parents — especially mothers. 

When companies invest in structured, fair, and inclusive leave policies, they win in retention and performance.

Don’t make your sales reps choose between having a family and having a successful career. 

Need help structuring your comp plans for parental leave? Schedule a (no-strings-attached, free) comp plan strategy call with our leadership team.