Emma Walsh Career After Kids Interview

Emma Walsh Career After Kids Interview

mums@work and Polaris Coaching continue their successful 'Career After Kids' Seminars in 2012 helping leaders in organisations understand the support required surrounding parental leave. By showing leaders the know-how to manage working mums and dads and helping them put in place support programs, they can retain employees long-term.

It is a great sign that many organisations are jumping on board to offer flexible working conditions and ties in with the Diversity Council Australia research, which reveals leading employers who provide flexible working and have good paid parental leave policies are getting returns on their investment. In a survey on paid parental leave and return to work provisions of DCA members, many of whom are Australia's business diversity leaders and biggest employers, DCA found 91% of organisations had a policy to provide paid parental leave and 96% offered part-time/reduced hours. The average return to work rate from parental leave was 89%.

Director of mums@work, Emma Walsh says that "organisations are increasingly recognising that paid parental leave alone isn't enough to make returning parents feel supported and equipped as they tackle the challenges of work and raising family. Rather it's the chance to connect with other working parents and having access to coaching, while on leave and once returned, to discuss ways to manage the work life juggle, that makes all the difference."

Career After Kids Seminar:
Career After Kids' is a 2.5hr seminar designed exclusively for mums and dads to:
Plan and prepare to re-enter the workplace
Review their career and explore flexible work options
Create work/life happiness and manage their career as a working parent

It is a wonderful beginning for working parents to start to realise their needs as working parents and begin to put together their individual plan of making career work with kids.

All the parents who attend CAK leave with a sense of empowerment, a return to work plan and ideas about how to achieve their successful return to work. The next 'Career After Kids' Seminar will be held on Tuesday 18th of September 2012 in Melbourne and we are delighted that The Westpac Group are our corporate sponsors again. The next Sydney Seminar will follow on 23rd October.
Enrolments can be made through the website: www.careerafterkids.com.au and until 10 August take advantage of our early bird special.

Interview with Emma Walsh

Question: What inspired you to begin the 'Career After Kids' seminars?

Emma Walsh: Jen and I met a few years ago and realised very quickly that we were soul sisters - we were both very passionate about supporting mums and dads to achieve that work life balance.

We realised that this support was near non-existent and we felt compelled to do something about that!We run 'Career After Kids' because we believe it is so important to help working parents be successful. In these times, life is so busy and there are so many activities that make up our work life and family life. It's becoming a more and more challenging role being a working parent, and we need to look after each other.


Question: What should attendees expect from the seminar?

Emma Walsh: Participants can expect a very intimate seminar where everyone is involved and gets to be part of the discussion. They will receive a Return to Work Workbook that they take home with them to further work through the arrangements that will suit them and their family. Not only will they receive practical tips and ideas about how to return to work, they will begin to realise their own dreams and actually start forming in their own minds, their own unique plan. It is an enlightening experience as sometimes overwhelmed parents realise they can do this! And they will have the support following the seminar from a qualified career coach to help them cement those thoughts and their individual plan.


Question: What are the main difficulties mums face when returning to the workplace? How can these difficulties be overcome?

Emma Walsh: One of the biggest mistakes mums often do is devalue themselves and their skills, especially if they've been out of the workforce for a long time. We teach mums to realise the skills they have that they can use to benefit any employer, such as: time management, prioritising and team leading, to name a few.

Some normal realities some mums face when they first return to work include:
The family routine can be out of sync while you settle back into work. Create a family weekly to-do list and schedule and do the same at work.
You may not be able to attend every meeting and work event, that's life. Get a colleague or your manager to bring you up to speed later or consider dialling in via telephone from home if appropriate.
You may miss appointments or not always be on time. Juggling kids drop off can be time consuming; don't beat yourself up if you arrive late on occasion.
Your child(ren) may be upset when you leave or return.
Your child(ren) will get sick sometimes and you will need to make alternative arrangements or take time off from work.
It's normal to feel 'stressed out' at times. You are only human. Treat yourself kindly those first few weeks


Question: Why do many parents find it difficult to return to the workplace, after having kids?

Emma Walsh: New parents soon realise the role of parenthood, whilst rewarding, is one the most toughest and challenging jobs they will ever undertake; and for many, the thought of trying to juggle work and parenthood is both terrifying and overwhelming. Secondly, some parents see parental leave as a way to escape a job or career they are no longer satisfied by and when it comes the time to think about returning to work, they need to rediscover what it is they want to do and reinvent themselves and that's not easy. Another common difficultly parents encounter is to find their workplace has undergone significant change during their absence and find themselves in a new team with a new manager or working with systems and processes they're unfamiliar with - its literally like starting a whole new job with a new employer!


Question: How can businesses support working parents?

Emma Walsh: Lots of ways - and many initiatives don't cost a thing. We've put together a top 20 list that organisations can do to make their workplace more 'working parent' friendly..... Some of the key things we suggest is
1) ensuring there is a process in place to help parents negotiate the pre, during and post parental leave experience - such as a Working Parents Toolkit. 2) We recommend putting in place tools to assist both managers and parents plan for a successful return to work such as planning realistic flexible work arrangements.
3) It's not just negotiating and planning the return that can be challenging for both the organisation and the parent, it's the first 12 months back that can be testing as the parent tries to manage their career as a working parent, adjust to the demands of work and home life as well as manage the expectations of themselves and others. We recommend coaching or working parents forums of similar is offered to parents to help them re-engage and quickly and smoothly as possible.


Question: What is the current policy surrounding paid parental leave?

Emma Walsh: The Federal Government has introduced 18 weeks paid parental leave for eligible parents from 1st January 2011. Many organisations also offer additional paid parental leave schemes which are available to both parents.


Question: How can parents explore their options when they're preparing to return to the workplace?

Emma Walsh: If possible, before going on leave, discuss your return to work intentions with your manager - check in on their expectations and compare these with your own.
Review your career plans and goals - is it time to move on and do something different or not?
What's going to be financially viable and what child care needs and options do you have available to you?
Speak to other parents in your network who have returned to work - draw tips and inspiration from them.
Speak to a careers advisor if you need some professional help to re-evaluate your career options.
Make a plan and try and re-orientate your way gradually so it's not a shock to the system for you or your family.


Question: What is the number one piece advice you'd give a working parent?

Emma Walsh: Find inspiration in your job/career otherwise returning to work can feel like a chore. It's hard to find the motivation to go to work every day leaving your kids in the care of someone else for a job you hate. If you're no longer inspired, maybe it's time to do a job/career audit and investigate your options.


Question: Do you suggest that parents re-educate themselves if they've had a long time away from the workplace?

Emma Walsh: Yes most definitely. Not only does it help you to reconnect with the working world again, it's a great way to build confidence!