Its been for a year that I am working as a marketing coordinator with my current company and my salary has been increased just recently to match it to the standard rate in the industry. I am totally comfortable with my job and employer since I like the work that I do and the company is located near by to my home. My manager recently updated me about upcoming changes where the company is looking to expand its operations and he is expecting more from me in terms of traveling to different locations, meeting and building client relationships etc.

At the same time my husband and I, we have been married for 3 years, are planning for baby this year. I doubt if I will be able to keep up with my manager’s expectations and may not be able to say yes to all the business travels once I become pregnant. Now that we are planning and but not yet pregnant do I need to inform my manager? I think informing him of our family plans in advance might make him think that he cannot rely on me in near future. What do you suggest I do? Inform him now or wait till I became pregnant?

This is totally depends up on your relationship with your manager and how open is a manager with their team in sharing personal stories.

I was lucky enough to have worked with good managers in the early stages of my career. There were moments in my personal life when I was on an emotional roller coaster and that led to indecision. But my manager and I were so friendly and open that often would ask me about my family and how are they doing. He even takes his entire team to his home occasionally for dinner and to introduce us to his personal life. Those lunch meetings that we had,including our families, helped us to bond with him and helped us put our full selves at work without be worried about anything outside of our work.

In that regard I totally leave it up to you and after judging your relationship with your manager, you can make a call on whether to share your future personal plans. It appears that you have fully decided to go ahead with plans for a baby and since there are critical changes at work and your contribution is important to the success of your team I think its better to give him a heads up. Have a private chat when you feel the time is right for you or may be you can give him a friendly hint that you are trying to take the next step in your life. This will help your manger to understand about your priorities and prepare to have a backup person when the time comes for the traveling assignment. That way work will not be put at risk. Also remember a company cannot discriminate against you for planning or being pregnant.

I know this seems to be totally personal. Sometimes people like to share things only once its fully confirmed. I know my close friends even shared their pregnancy with me only at their third month. Hmmm. I get it.

But it is very clear that if you become pregnant you may not be able to keep up to your travel responsibilities and thats one of your key responsibilities as a Marketing co-ordinator. I can also understand that you might hesitate telling him since you just recently got a salary hike and you don’t want him to lose confidence in you. But letting your manager know will help him to proactively figure out how the the work get done when you can’t travel. He will get time to train someone and plan for a smooth transition too. Take a decision that will help you and your manager work things out without affecting your life and work.