Insights into the life of a working woman – and mother of two. By Amy (Head of Events)
It’s almost International Women’s Day, I’m here, bleary-eyed blog writing thinking about putting my coffee in the microwave for the 3rd time. My 4 year old is home ‘sick’ from nursery but his energy levels seem to be returning to normal while my inbox is filling up, it’s shaping up to be a mega juggle day. Welcome to #mumlife.
Did you know that in the UK, 73% of mothers with children under 14 are now in work, the highest level in the past 20 years? That’s fantastic news, but it also means so many mums, like me and so many of my friends and colleagues, are expertly juggling the demands of work and family, and also like me, apologising for it every step of the way…
Here is where we need to work on saying ‘sorry, not sorry’. Because being a working professional, and mother, is a constant toss up between guilt and gratitude. I feel guilty for leaving my kids at nursery, then guilty for being stressed at work, then guilty for not giving my all or being completely present for sometimes either. It’s a vicious cycle, and one that doesn’t blend easily with demanding jobs. I can’t claim the Events Industry is stressful in the way a heart surgeon might relate to, but the nature of the Events Industry, with its last minute deadlines, detailed driven strategies, mega organisational requirements, evolving creativity and long hours does make for stressful times – it’s never steady, it’s always peaks and troughs (much the same as being a parent).
The flip side is, I love what I do, and why I do this job. The incredible satisfaction of conceptually creating an experience with the team, and seeing an event come together, the teamwork and camaraderie with colleagues who understand the unique challenges of bringing together months and months of detailed work in one day / evening / week / month – it is quite simply an incredible experience, a real privilege. Delivering on creative ideas is phenomenally rewarding, and for me it feels even more of an achievement now that I have kids AND work. If both are doing OK at any one time I feel like I’m winning – I know I am winning.
At YOURGB we have some pretty incredible women who work with us who know a thing or two about balancing their professional and family lives, so here is their advice to YOU dear reader.
Motherhood is different for everyone but something we can all agree upon is that we are all BUSY juggling life. And that’s where companies like YOURGB come in. I count myself incredibly lucky to have found and been welcomed into the YOURGB family just over a year ago. Meeting our CEO Gilly for the first time with huge bags under my eyes and nearly crying when she asked me simply ‘how are you?’ (with a 9 month old, a 2 year old and mid house move) her reaction and her genuine concern made me realise – she gets it. YOURGB get it. We understand the struggles of working mums, and actively work to create a supportive and flexible environment where mums can thrive.
“If I didn’t work for YOURGB, I honestly don’t think I would be working at all, which is sad and unviable financially! Trust from employers is so key; and that trust is what drives me to do the best I can for the team. Many employers talk the talk but when you actually dig into it, the flexibility isn’t sufficient - YOURGB certainly talk the talk and walk the walk - I couldn’t feel more supported in being a valued member of the team AND a mother.”
“School hours don’t relate to “normal” working hours in this country and childcare is expensive, especially when I would rather be doing it. A workplace understanding that to do good work and meet targets can also be done outside the normal working hours, has brought me life. A work / life balance is achievable here.”
“YOURGB creates a more inclusive environment where working parents (regardless of their gender) can thrive. This commitment not only empowers employees to achieve a healthy work-life balance but also fosters a positive and supportive company culture that values the individual needs and contributions of the team.”
“Tracking age, career progression, and the time in which most people have children - it tends to clash and marry up with the very point where professional experience is paying off and career opportunities could open up for women. I’m desperate for a time where being a ‘working parent’ feels the same - non gender specific - releasing the brand of the ‘working dads’! But it’s not the case right now. So, I’ve been inspired to speak out, I’ve written blogs, I’ve quoted statistics, I’ve explained my understanding of the gender gap, and I’ve told the stories of the many mums I’ve seen fall straight through it. Let’s celebrate these superhumans, let’s accommodate and flex for them whilst we wait for society to wake up and level the playing field. Let’s encourage companies to increase the parental leave given to dads - let’s share the load, create more equality, and narrow that blasted gap before our wee girls grow up and have to watch out for it too.”
So… why this blog? Because we need to start channelling ‘sorry, not sorry’ – because we shouldn’t have to keep saying sorry. Sorry for being a mum. Sorry for being at work, sorry for having a cry in the kitchen… sorry for basically existing! We should be celebrated for our strength, our resilience, and our ability to juggle like absolute pros.
So, this International Women’s Day, I’m raising my (still cold) mug to all the working mums out there. We are the masterminds of multi-tasking, the queens of empowerment, excellent role models, and the heroes who somehow manage to keep it all together. And to companies like YOURGB, who are making the journey a little bit easier, thank you. Now, I’m off to begin the juggle for today – and I’m happy to do it with a bunch of brilliant, like-minded women by my side. And that is pretty cool.
