Comments on: Keeping mum http://questprblog.com/205/keeping-mum/ Fri, 10 Sep 2010 02:31:20 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Sue Roberts http://questprblog.com/205/keeping-mum/comment-page-1/#comment-5279 Sue Roberts Fri, 10 Jul 2009 13:01:00 +0000 http://questprblog.com/205/keeping-mum/#comment-5279 When my boys were born 13 and 11 years ago I was in the fortunate position that I could work part-time (3 days a week) because my husband could afford to supplement our income and as a new mum I wanted to stay at home as much as possible. Now as a single mum times have changed and I need to work full-time to maintain my lifestyle - and pay the bills! Luckily when my child minder informed me that she was no longer providing her services I panicked and had to ask my employer for flexible working hours to fit around school. At Quest PR this wasn't a problem however some might not have been so understanding. I also know a single dad who spends half his time in the office and half working from home to look after his kids. I don't think it will be long before we see a full swing in the balance. When my boys were born 13 and 11 years ago I was in the fortunate position that I could work part-time (3 days a week) because my husband could afford to supplement our income and as a new mum I wanted to stay at home as much as possible. Now as a single mum times have changed and I need to work full-time to maintain my lifestyle – and pay the bills! Luckily when my child minder informed me that she was no longer providing her services I panicked and had to ask my employer for flexible working hours to fit around school. At Quest PR this wasn’t a problem however some might not have been so understanding. I also know a single dad who spends half his time in the office and half working from home to look after his kids. I don’t think it will be long before we see a full swing in the balance.

]]> By: Emma http://questprblog.com/205/keeping-mum/comment-page-1/#comment-5276 Emma Fri, 10 Jul 2009 11:42:22 +0000 http://questprblog.com/205/keeping-mum/#comment-5276 I am returning to work in just one week, after 9 wonderful months with my baby girl (sob!). I requested a 3 day week but was immediately refused and told that they wouldn't consider less than 4 days. I suspect no matter how hard I pushed (and I did try to a certain extent) that position would not have changed. I understand that it is difficult for employers to accomodate part time staff sometimes, but I would be returning to work feeling much more positive and dedicated if my employer could have at least shown some understanding, or attempted to find a workable solution. As it is I am going back feeling a teensy bit resentful and with half an eye on the job ads. One positive thing is that my husband recently started a new job and from the off his employer stressed that they would be flexible with his hours as needed, so that he could do any picking up and dropping off at the nursery as needed. Without this I would have had to look for a new job as I have a major commute and wouldn't be able to both drop off and pick up our baby girl from nursery. One thing my husband and I have talked about is in the future both doing 4 day weeks, so I suppose it isn't just working mums who need employers who can be a bit more flexible. I am returning to work in just one week, after 9 wonderful months with my baby girl (sob!). I requested a 3 day week but was immediately refused and told that they wouldn’t consider less than 4 days. I suspect no matter how hard I pushed (and I did try to a certain extent) that position would not have changed. I understand that it is difficult for employers to accomodate part time staff sometimes, but I would be returning to work feeling much more positive and dedicated if my employer could have at least shown some understanding, or attempted to find a workable solution. As it is I am going back feeling a teensy bit resentful and with half an eye on the job ads.

One positive thing is that my husband recently started a new job and from the off his employer stressed that they would be flexible with his hours as needed, so that he could do any picking up and dropping off at the nursery as needed. Without this I would have had to look for a new job as I have a major commute and wouldn’t be able to both drop off and pick up our baby girl from nursery.

One thing my husband and I have talked about is in the future both doing 4 day weeks, so I suppose it isn’t just working mums who need employers who can be a bit more flexible.

]]> By: Todd http://questprblog.com/205/keeping-mum/comment-page-1/#comment-5149 Todd Mon, 29 Jun 2009 23:01:36 +0000 http://questprblog.com/205/keeping-mum/#comment-5149 Nice job Quest. We have *several* folks going on maternity leave this year and we are a small company undergoing fast growth. It's a real blow to the business; but the right thing to do is to support families and the team members that were good enough to get into the biz in the first place!---otherwise all companies will be run by white males.... and we know where that gets us (banking crisis, Enron, automakers, American politics pre Obama, etc.). We are in in the process of looking at making our maternity leave more robust. Any ideas would be be appreciated. But, in the meantime, we are working with our expectant mums to sort the gap and provide flexibility on the return to suit the new lifestyle. Some business is not set up for this, but most could find real value if they tried. Nice job Quest. We have *several* folks going on maternity leave this year and we are a small company undergoing fast growth. It’s a real blow to the business; but the right thing to do is to support families and the team members that were good enough to get into the biz in the first place!—otherwise all companies will be run by white males…. and we know where that gets us (banking crisis, Enron, automakers, American politics pre Obama, etc.).

We are in in the process of looking at making our maternity leave more robust. Any ideas would be be appreciated. But, in the meantime, we are working with our expectant mums to sort the gap and provide flexibility on the return to suit the new lifestyle. Some business is not set up for this, but most could find real value if they tried.

]]> By: Katie Herridge http://questprblog.com/205/keeping-mum/comment-page-1/#comment-4974 Katie Herridge Wed, 24 Jun 2009 10:59:57 +0000 http://questprblog.com/205/keeping-mum/#comment-4974 I've been with my now husband for 11 years and left the PR industry 5 years ago with the intention of starting a family after we got married (2 years ago). I realised that it was so hard to work unpredictable hours and start a family so I decided to work for myself. Whilst this is also really hard, it is much more flexible in terms of working hours and as I work in retail I have predictable hours so I don't need to worry about a meeting over running or a press release that needs finishing for a deadline. I am now almost 22 weeks pregnant and can't wait for my first baby to arrive later this year. If PR employers were more flexible in terms of working hours when I worked in PR, I probably wouldn't have been so keen to move away from the industry. I praise those companies who support flexible and part time working for Mums. I’ve been with my now husband for 11 years and left the PR industry 5 years ago with the intention of starting a family after we got married (2 years ago). I realised that it was so hard to work unpredictable hours and start a family so I decided to work for myself. Whilst this is also really hard, it is much more flexible in terms of working hours and as I work in retail I have predictable hours so I don’t need to worry about a meeting over running or a press release that needs finishing for a deadline. I am now almost 22 weeks pregnant and can’t wait for my first baby to arrive later this year. If PR employers were more flexible in terms of working hours when I worked in PR, I probably wouldn’t have been so keen to move away from the industry. I praise those companies who support flexible and part time working for Mums.

]]> By: Charlotte Burton http://questprblog.com/205/keeping-mum/comment-page-1/#comment-4948 Charlotte Burton Tue, 23 Jun 2009 16:16:18 +0000 http://questprblog.com/205/keeping-mum/#comment-4948 I was lucky enough to find an employer who was happy for me to work three days a week. I now work for a great PR agency in Sheffield and enjoy my job, which allows me to combine motherhood with a career. My employer gets a happy professional who is focused and driven (with seven years experience)and I get to use my brain for things other than going to Tumbletots and chasing a one year old around the house! (which i love!) You're right, we need more employers like these. I was lucky enough to find an employer who was happy for me to work three days a week. I now work for a great PR agency in Sheffield and enjoy my job, which allows me to combine motherhood with a career. My employer gets a happy professional who is focused and driven (with seven years experience)and I get to use my brain for things other than going to Tumbletots and chasing a one year old around the house! (which i love!) You’re right, we need more employers like these.

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