show episodes
 
Big Careers Small Children helps ambitious parents progress careers they love whilst being present with their children. Through honest and informal conversation, senior leaders divulge what they have learnt on their own journey of combining big careers with young children to our host Verena Hefti MBE. Expect lots of aha moments, inspiration, fresh ideas, and practical support, so you can move forward in your career in a way that works for you and your family.This podcast is hosted by our soc ...
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Katie Breen interviews feminist activists, researchers, and advocates working to make "women's issues"...well, non-issues. Femtastic explores issues of reproductive rights and health, progressive politics, gender equality, sexual violence, LGBTQ+ perspectives, racism, social justice, and more - examining topics through the lens of intersectional feminism and reproductive justice. We also laugh.
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show series
 
Do you struggle to set boundaries around work? Have you ever wondered if you're a workaholic? Would you like to be more present when you're spending time with your children? Our guest today is Dr. Malissa Clark, Associate Professor of Industrial Organizational Psychology at the University of Georgia and author of the book "Never Not Working: Why th…
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Ahead of Father's Day in the UK, Verena chats to New York Times columnist and founder of The Company of Dads, Paul J. Sullivan. Through The Company of Dads online platform, Paul has created a thriving and inclusive community for 'lead dads' and is challenging traditional norms of what it means to be a father. Lead dads are fully engaged in raising …
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How can you navigate shift work as a parent? This week we welcome Emergency Medicine Doctor Sonia Damle to the podcast. Sonia shares her experience of shift work and how to make it work alongside bringing up children. Sonia has lots of practical advice for other shift workers, including: why knowing what you want is vital to make it work how utilis…
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Have you heard of workstyle? Today on the podcast we are delighted to welcome entrepreneurs and changemakers Lizzie Penny and Alex Hirst. Together they came up with the concept of workstyle in response to their negative experiences of the traditional '9-5' working week. Workstyle is a new word to describe the complete freedom to choose when and whe…
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We're delighted to welcome Denise Wilson OBE to the podcast. Denise is the former chief executive of the FTSE Women Leaders Review and has led the UK’s business task force to increase the number of women on boards and in leadership positions. She has made a significant contribution to gender equality in British business and is passionate about empo…
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Would you like to reduce the number of meetings in your workplace? Joining us this week is workplace culture enthusiast Bruce Daisley. A former EMEA Vice President of Twitter, Bruce is now a best-selling author and hosts the podcast 'Eat, Sleep, Work, Repeat', alongside helping organisations build energised and connected workplace cultures. In this…
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Has your employer recently called you back to the office? Our guest today is Rosie Hewat, Group Chief People Officer at fintech company Kuda. In 2024, many organisations have begun to pull their workers back to the office. As an experienced HR and people management professional and an advocate for flexible working, Rosie shares practical advice on …
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What do the people who get flexible working requests approved have in common? Today we welcome Elizabeth (Liz) Willetts, CEO and Founder of Investing in Women to the podcast to discuss her work advocating for the power of part-time and flexible working. Liz shares her top tips for getting your flexible working request approved, including when it is…
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In this episode of "Beyond the Pay Gap Figure," I explore the subject of addressing pay gaps internally i.e. without external consultancy or support. Contrary to expectations, I emphasise the viability and importance of organisations undertaking this task themselves. However, I do explain how to go about this important work competently. If you want…
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Do you ever feel under pressure to be the perfect parent? Verena Hefti MBE chats with Charlotte Boujassy, Director of Talent & Leadership Development Europe for a Japanese pharmaceutical company. They discuss why it's so important to talk loudly about working flexibly at a senior level, how to deal with the pressure of perfectionism when you're a w…
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In today’s episode we delve beyond the mere existence of a pay gap plan and explore how to maximise its effectiveness. There is a misconception that having a pay gaps plan is synonymous with progress, however, the real work lies in implementation and understanding what works and what doesn't. Or that running a training session for line managers or …
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Today we welcome to the podcast Thorey V. Proppe, the CEO and founder of Alda, an Icelandic tech company which developed DEI software for workplaces globally. Iceland consistently ranks among the highest countries in the world for gender equality. Thorey shares: What is working for gender equality right now in Iceland What we can learn from this su…
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Today we're joined by Brita Fernandez Schmidt, transformational coach and author of the brilliant book Fears to Fierce. Brita has spent 25 years championing women's rights across the world, and strongly believes that every woman has a fierce power to fulfill her own dreams. We discussed how we can learn to trust our own intuition, be intentional wi…
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This week we welcome Lea Henry, co-founder of the award-winning creative childcare agency CocoRio. Together with her business partner Corinna Bordoli, Lea co-founded CocoRio because she worried about the quality of childcare available. As she couldn’t keep her kids with her 24/7, she wanted to ensure their overall development and emotional well-bei…
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In today's episode, we're discussing the crucial questions you should ask when hiring a pay gaps consultancy. Many hesitate to seek expert help due to fear of the unknown and investment concerns. I wanted to help you tackle these issues and discuss them together here on the podcast. In this episode we’ll go through each of the 5 questions and how y…
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How can women thrive in a traditionally male-dominated work environment? Today we welcome to the podcast Polly Ogden Duffy, Managing Director at prime sales and lettings agency John D Wood & Co. London. Polly, who is married with two children, is passionate that women CAN have it all and shares why she believes being ambitious as a working mother i…
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In this episode, I delve into the top three stumbling blocks HR directors face when considering hiring a pay gaps consultancy. Episode highlights: Here is a sneak peak of each one of the obstacles: Obstacle number 1: apprehension about disruption and potential chaos during integration of pay gap initiatives, as well as reluctance to sharing data an…
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Today on the podcast, Verena Hefti MBE chats with Dr Ana Catalano Weeks, Senior Lecturer at the University of Bath Dr. Ana shares her experience of how mental load can be gendered and emphasises that creating awareness is a part of the solution. In this conversation, we delve into the dynamics of heterosexual couples and the evolving landscape of c…
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This week we're asking should you get your pay gap data verified? This episode covers: (03:34 - 05:12) Minimising Errors With Pay Gap Software (07:33 - 09:17) Benefits of Pay Gap Software Providers (14:10 - 14:53) Bonus tips for using pay gap software Episode Highlights: - Discover how verified data can minimise errors and adapt to organisational c…
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Today on the podcast, Verena Hefti MBE chats with Jane Green, Leaders Plus Mentor and Former EY Partner. Jane's approach to balancing work and parenthood in an era where flexible-working was rare, can well be considered as a reforming move in the UK workplace. From pioneering a flexible work model in the 1990s at EY to now mentoring on the Leaders …
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This week we're talking about the top 3 mistakes I see organisations making in their gender pay gap reports. This episode covers: (00:01) Issues in Gender Pay Gap Reporting (10:50) Improving Gender Pay Gap Reporting (12.21) Why your reports matter to women in and outside your organisation (15:36) Gender Pay Gap Insights Episode Highlights: - The im…
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Today on the podcast Verena Hefti MBE chats with Heather Taylor, Director of Finance and Resources for Trust for London and Trustee and Treasurer at charity Pregnant Then Screwed. Heather is an Alumni of the Leaders Plus Fellowship (having completed the very first cohort of the programme) and advocates for flexible and reduced working days to incre…
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Listen in as Michelle talks about the Gender Pay Gap Bot, how it works, and how to use it to showcase the important work you are doing in your organisation to close your pay gaps. ‌ When the Gender Pay Gap Bot first appeared on X (then known as Twitter) back in 2021, many organisations didn’t know how to handle being put on the spot. They found the…
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In this episode, Verena Hefti MBE chats with Sam Butters, Co-CEO of charity the Fair Education Alliance, a coalition of 250 organisations tackling educational inequality. Verena and Sam discuss the multiple benefits of having Co-CEO’s and why this isn’t necessarily the same as a traditional job share. Sam, who is a big advocate of work-life fluidit…
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You may be doing all the right things in your organisation when it comes to your pay gaps, but what do you do when it stagnates? Or even worse, widens? Listen in as Michelle gives you her 3 top tips if your pay gap is stagnating or getting worse. It’s easy to think that because you are reporting on your pay gap every year, and because you are takin…
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What is the secret to other people talking positively about you at work? Today on the podcast Verena Hefti MBE chats with Rachel Allison, founder of the PR agency Axe + Saw. Rachel is someone who regularly advocates for Diversity, Inclusion and Equity in her work and she is passionate about running a progressive, purpose-driven agency. As a mother …
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Listen in as Michelle unpacks the different ways of measuring success in the workplace, particularly when it comes to gender pay gaps. Moving beyond the often-singular focus on the gender pay gap, she explores a variety of indicators that signal progress within organisations, but often gets ignored by organisations. So much focus on addressing the …
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How can women unblock the obstacles in their path and open the door to opportunities to reach more senior leadership levels? Today on the podcast, Verena Hefti MBE chats with Ellen Taaffe, author of a thought-provoking new book entitled, 'The Mirrored Door: Break Through the Hidden Barrier That Locks Successful Women in Place'. For many women, at s…
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Listen in as Michelle tackles the complex issue of the gender pay gap and the seductive lure of quick fixes. HR directors and others often find themselves under pressure to demonstrate progress, often with little or no support. This in turn often leads them to try and find speedy solutions that are not necessarily the best solutions. Temporary solu…
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Our guest today is Daniel Astarita, Managing Director of Kesslers, London. Daniel is a proud IVF Dad and shares his experience of balancing a demanding career whilst going through IVF treatment. As a Managing Director, Daniel has practical advice on what he has learned from combining a leadership career with young children. Daniel is also passionat…
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Join us on this episode where we tackle the complex challenge of closing pay gaps. Listen in as Michelle, presents a fresh perspective, urging organisations to look beyond just the numbers. We share insights into the pitfalls of a singular focus on pay gap statistics, from creating false impressions of progress to inadvertently cultivating 'pay gap…
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As part of #MentoringMonth Verena Hefti MBE speaks to Leaders Plus Fellowship Mentor Sonia Sudhakar about improving confidence and resilience as a senior leader and how to get to a Director level role. Sonia is the MD of Marketing and Digital at The Royal Mail Group and lives in London with her partner and son. She shares the advice she gives to al…
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This week we're talking about being ‘cancelled’ due to your pay gap figure and how you can avoid this, even when your pay gap figures don’t look great'. This episode covers: (01:25 - 02:16) Understanding the media's portrayal of boycotts (04:57 - 05:27) Boycotting companies for misaligned values (09:03 - 10:28) Proving commitment to closing gender …
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This week Verena Hefti MBE is joined by Natasha Porter OBE, the CEO and Founder of the charity Unlocked Graduates, who recruit, train and challenge outstanding individuals to lead prisoner rehabilitation. Natasha has two young children and gave birth to her eldest child just as Unlocked Graduates launched. On the podcast, Natasha shares the reality…
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Big Careers Small Children helps ambitious parents progress careers they love whilst being present with their children. Through honest and informal conversation, senior leaders divulge what they have learnt on their own journey of combining big careers with young children to our host Verena Hefti MBE. Expect lots of aha moments, inspiration, fresh …
  continue reading
 
“Our organisations have mostly been built by men, for men, with men’s lifestyle patterns in mind.” Gender bias is a powerful force that holds women back in the workplace and prevents them from achieving their full potential. This week on the podcast Verena Hefti MBE chats to Dr. Amy Diehl and Dr. Leanne Dzubinski, authors of a revealing new book wh…
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This week Verena Hefti MBE chats with Jessica Calarco, a Sociologist and Associate Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, about women's role as a social safety net and what needs to change. Jessica is a leading expert on inequalities in family life and education and is the author of the forthcoming book Holding It Together - How Women Be…
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Our host Verena Hefti MBE is taking a short break from podcast recording this Christmas week. Instead, we revisit one of our most popular episodes featuring Dr Martha Deiros Collado, a clinical psychologist specialising in family therapy and host of the brilliant podcast Talking Sense with Dr Martha. Leaders Plus Fellows tell us time and time again…
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This week Verena Hefti MBE chats with Brian Ballantyne, author of the book "Confessions of a Working Father" and co-founder of Men for Inclusion. They discuss the challenges Brian has faced as a working father in a senior role, expectations of masculinity and whether training can really help change behaviour. Plus Brian shares three practical ways …
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Today Verena Hefti MBE is joined by Charlotte Hill OBE, the CEO of The Felix Project, a London charity fighting hunger and food waste. Charlotte is a mother to two young children and is passionate that it's absolutely possible to work in a senior position and raise children. On the podcast, she shares why it's incredibly worth it and how she practi…
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What's holding parents' career progression back and how can employers retain and support them? In summer 2023, the Big Parent Career Choices Survey was completed by nearly 900 working parents. It found that 86% of parents want to progress their careers in the next five years, with 51% wanting to progress in the next two years. It also found what is…
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This week Janet Daby MP (Member of Parliament for Lewisham East) joins Verena Hefti MBE to discuss how she combines a big career with young children. Janet, who is a mother of 2, shares how she balances frequent evening commitments as an MP with being a present parent and what she has learned about dealing with feelings of guilt. There are lots of …
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What is the root cause of the gender pay gap? What can we do as both individuals and employers to help close it? Following Equal Pay Day 2023 (the day in the year when - based on the gender pay gap - women overall in the UK stop being paid compared to men), Verena Hefti MBE is joined by financial wellbeing and pay gap analytics expert Melissa Bliss…
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“If we’re going to talk a good game about equality at work that also means men taking on childcare responsibilities.” Ahead of International Men's Day (19/11) Paul Morgan-Bentley, Head of Investigations at The Times and author of the brilliant book The Equal Parent joins Verena Hefti MBE. Paul is an advocate for men properly sharing responsibility …
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Our host Verena Hefti MBE is taking a short break from podcast recording this week. Instead, we revisit one of our most popular episodes featuring former The Times Senior Editor Mary Ann Sieghart. Mary Ann is the author of a really intriguing book, The Authority Gap, which analyses why women are taken less seriously than men and what we can do abou…
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Can you work in the top positions and still be there for school pick up? Today Verena Hefti MBE is joined by Matthew Hayes, the Vice President & Managing Director of Technology From Sage. Matthew is a father to two young daughters and is combining a big career with raising small children. In the episode, he shares how he balances life in a very sen…
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Applications to the Leaders Plus Fellowship close on 29 October. Download Application Pack. How do you know when you're ready to become a CEO? In this episode we are joined by Laura Citron, CEO of London & Partners, London's business growth and destination agency. Laura was appointed Chief Executive Officer whilst pregnant and shares why the CEO ro…
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Applications to the Leaders Plus Fellowship close on 29 October 2023. Download Application Pack. Does Society Think That Men and Women are Equally Suitable to Lead? Today we are joined by Michelle Harrison, Global CEO of Kantar Public. Launched in 2018, The Reykjavik Index for Leadership measures and tracks progress in society’s perceptions of wome…
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Applications to the Leaders Plus Fellowship close on 29 October 2023. Download Application Pack. “Give yourself the permission to be brave” Today we welcome Consultant Dr Jasmin Islam to the podcast. Jasmin balances two big roles alongside raising small children and splits her working hours between Kings College Hospital NHS & Clinical Public Healt…
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Applications to the Leaders Plus Fellowship close on 29 October. Download Application Pack. “Have kind conversations with yourself - we are often our own harshest critics when we should be our own best supporter.” We interview the brilliant Kate Smith (Executive Director, Consulting - CBRE UK) about what she has learned from dealing with her own as…
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