“We have the opportunity to help a company shape its policies and culture”

Returning to the industry as a parent was a bit of an eye-opener. The quick stop at the local after a long day, was swiftly replaced by a race to the train to be on time for pick up. A late-starting meeting went from being a niggle to a diary nightmare. And many more small but key shifts, that I know many working parents can relate to, suddenly popped up. 

And these shifts, juggles, and yes, sometimes frustrations, are all too often silently absorbed and experienced by our industry’s working parents. 

So, it was both a pleasure and a relief to walk into a room earlier this month and be surrounded by working parents in our industry, all there to support one another, share experiences and ask ourselves: What do we need as working parents today? How do we get it? Why is it important? 

Bloom UK’s first event focused on being a working parent today was hosted at Anomaly and included Bloom’s Booth of Truth for attendees, plus a panel line up of Karina Wilsher, Partner and Global CEO of Anomaly, Stuart Smith, Partner and Chief Strategy Officer at Anomaly London and Oli Richards, Chief Marketing Officer at the Beyond Collective with Bloom’s own Sarah Walsh, Group Commercial Director at Coffee and TV as Chair. 

If you couldn’t make it, here are some key take outs from the session that stuck with me as those to remember - the nuggets that when paired with a strong coffee, could help power a parent through.

1.“Project forwards and enjoy the mess of it” - Karina Wilsher

Personally, I found real reassurance in hearing someone senior acknowledge the messiness of the situation. Much as we may crave structure and neatness, the reality is when a child is sick and needs an unexpected pick-up, a new plan will need to be made in the moment. It can be messy, but that doesn’t make it unprofessional or unsustainable. Just different. And why not lean into that, rather than fight it? We may even showcase a different skill, as adaptability comes to the forefront. Equally, the reminder to look ahead was gratefully received. Those sleep-raiding toddlers will become sleep-loving teenagers one day - the challenges will evolve and to Karina’s point, there is much to be enjoyed there alone. 

2. “There can be advantages in creating your own form of routine” - Stuart Smith

Far from suggesting a daily plan involving whiteboards and alarms, Stuart offered some small but practical suggestions that ultimately gain parents headspace - even if it’s a quick burst. Running to work to maintain that fresh air and endorphin hit, cranking up the podcast on the commute so it becomes a period of mental transition between home and work time…The example will vary per person but a small moment can ultimately become a sanity saviour. 

3. “We have to demand flexibility if we want it.” - Oli Richards

Flexibility, in its widest sense, emerged as a key theme. A working parent’s need for it vs. an employer’s openness to it. How we would like to obtain it vs. how it is currently obtained. It’s clear the industry has a way to go in ensuring fair compensation for part-time work, planning workloads accordingly and ultimately, understanding the value of flexibility. But equally, I left the event clear that we do have a role as working parents to express what we need and why. And to understand our own value. Oli summarised it well with the above - we need to be proactive here. 

4. “A sacrifice could actually be a substitute.”- Stuart Smith

Turns out, we all miss a good post-work get together. Socialising has always been a big part of our industry. It’s fun and it’s often how we all get to build our own relationships. This was a great example then of an activity that it becomes harder to partake in, and yet, neither the desire to have fun nor the desire to build strong internal relationships leave us. Stuart’s suggestion was that these things can still happen, the working parent can just find a different way to do it. Perhaps it’s making a conscious effort to mix up the work social calendar a bit more - agency brunch anyone? Or taking the time when in the office to chat to someone in the kitchen as you make your morning cuppa. We’re a smart bunch, we can pivot. 

5. “We have the opportunity to help a company shape its policies and culture” - All

A point the panel unanimously agreed on; as working parents we hold real power in how we go forwards in today’s industry and help form it for ourselves, plus those coming up behind us. As Karina said “change comes from people, not policies” so using our voices to shape a workplace that supports and embraces working parents will always be key. From suggesting corporate events suitable for families to normalising a part-time request (and its effective management), from suggesting updated parental leave policies to visibly supporting take up of leave benefits, there is a lot we can do as a cohort currently in the workforce and across different levels to challenge, reform, improve. 

Voice of Zara Gregory, Bloom Member since 2020