Stories and expertise shared through interviews covering our core topics of families, wellbeing, careers, inclusion and workplace. WorkLife Central is a digital hub of expert-led content designed to support, inform and inspire professionals in their family life, work life and wellbeing. Delivered through Live Talks, instantly available On Demand Videos, and a Library of Articles and Podcasts, members of WorkLife Central have access to support, information and expertise provided by our hand-p ...
…
continue reading
Trigger warning for baby and pregnancy loss, miscarriage and still birth. Daria courageously and openly talks to us about the devastating experience of losing her baby girl at full term. She recounts how she slowly began to heal, grieve and move forward. She tells us about her 3 daughters and how she has built a community group at the Bank of Engla…
…
continue reading
We talk to Jenn Barnett and Jemima Ankuma from Grant Thornton’s Diversity and Inclusion team about all things social mobility. They explain how they ensure that people of lower socio-economic backgrounds can join, progress and thrive at the firm - and the profession more broadly - and why social mobility is also a very personal passion for each of …
…
continue reading
Laura Walker and Chloe Fletcher, who have shared senior finance roles at Asda, talk to Anna all about their experience of job sharing, the practical considerationsand the benefits to both companies and individuals. They explain how with their current venture, The Job Share Revolution, they support both businesses and individuals who want to explore…
…
continue reading
We talk to Stonewall Changemaker of the Year 2022 Kayus Fernander about his career at Citi; his journey from being a private, young, black, gay junior within the bank, through to being an open, confident and active participant in and advocate of inclusion groups, initiatives and discussions. He talks about diversity groups, company culture, interse…
…
continue reading
Psychologist and therapeutic coach Kyle Davies talks to us about his own experience of anxiety and depression as a young adult, the contributing factors and the natural tendency to mask and avoid situations which exacerbated it. He brings his professional expertise to the conversation, exploring his approach to therapeutic coaching, how we can buil…
…
continue reading
In this episode of WorkLife Stories, legal senior associate Rachel Dean tells us about her career so far, including how she started out and her move from private practice to an in-house role. She reveals the drivers for her decision to move, what she learnt from the experience and why she ultimately moved back to a law firm afterwards. She offers h…
…
continue reading
In this episode, we talk to Jayne Ruff about her book entitled: Imperfect Parenting – Honest Stories from Global Parents in which she pens a chapter on balancing careers and family life. She talks about her own experiences of maternity leave, going back to work and the importance of personal values, honest emotions and flexible boundaries in our se…
…
continue reading
In this episode of WorkLife Stories, we talk to George Bullock and Russell Cook from Macquarie, the Australian head quartered, global financial services group. George and Russell have both been participants in Macquarie’s Pride Employee Network Group’s Reverse Mentoring Scheme and are now members of the steering group that runs it. They talk about …
…
continue reading
Elaine Halligan, parenting coach at The Parent Practice and author of ‘My Child's Different’ tells us her story of a recent discovery that - like her son - she also has ADHD. She talks openly and inspiringly about her own traits, and how she uses them positively in her life and career. She offers her own advice and expertise for both adults and par…
…
continue reading
In this episode, we meet Felix Koch and Phil Burgess, the former co-heads of the London office of creative agency C Space. They talk about how they transformed an office with low morale and high attrition after a merger, to a thriving, inclusive, award-winning team. They discuss what worked and what didn't, how they set their shared goals and value…
…
continue reading
In this episode, psychologist Jessica Chivers talks to us about her son who has ASD and ADHD and her daughter who has suffered from an eating disorder. She discusses how she has helped them through difficult times of the past few years, navigating different care and educational settings to get them the support they needed. She explains how looking …
…
continue reading
In this episode, Max Siegel talks to us about his lived experience of being transgender. He talks about his upbringing, his family, his feelings about his body, his mental health and the emotional and physical changes he's experienced. He also offers his advice to parents of children who may be going through something similar - and to us all as fri…
…
continue reading
Dorett Jones and Pamela Jones, who are specialists in equity in the workplace and founders of the Genesis Consultancy, talk to us about how employers can create safe, healthy working cultures that help employees of any background, race, gender or sexuality to grow, develop and stay at organisations. They discuss an employee's typical journey from r…
…
continue reading
Laura Wheeler and Caroline Murphy chat to Anna Richards about their experience of moving out of London, from the practicalities and the stress along with the emotional adjustment needed, diversity and how our identities are linked to where we live.
…
continue reading
In this interview with one half of Two Dads UK, Michael Johnson-Ellis talks about how he and his husband Wes built their family through surrogacy and how this experience has led them to support LGBTQ+ couples wanting to become parents. Michael talks about how he hopes the law will change to recognise and support gay couples better and how he thinks…
…
continue reading
In the latest episode of our podcast 'WorkLife Stories', Anna Richards talks to Lorna Cook and Devila Vekria who are both members of our Support Group for Carers of Elderly Relatives. Lorna and Devila tells us about how they manage their caring responsibilities alongside their careers including the challenges, routines and positive advice they have…
…
continue reading
[Trigger warning]. In this episode, we hear from independent health visitor and birth trauma specialist Liz Poole about the different types of trauma people may experience around birth, how this trauma can manifest itself if the associated emotions are not fully processed and how colleagues and friends can support those we suspect might be sufferin…
…
continue reading
Cityparents’ Anna Richards talks to Joy Burnford, Founder of My Confidence Matters about progress in gender balance in the workplace, the main issues she sees for women at work today and how corporates and leaders can help to address them.
…
continue reading
In this episode which recognises International Day of Disabled Persons on December 3rd, we talk to Esi Hardy, the founder of Celebrating Disability. She talks to us about her own experience of disability in the workplace and about how employers and managers can help their disabled employees and colleagues to flourish, be happy and fulfil their pote…
…
continue reading
We talk to lawyer and father of two Robin Carvell-Spedding about flexible working for fathers and parental leave in the corporate world. A long-time advocate of flexibility and work life balance, Robin reflects on the impact of the pandemic on the role of fathers at home and at work and shares his views and experience of taking parental leave after…
…
continue reading
HR director Caroline Atkins reflects on her 30 year career of which 20 years has been as a working parent. She offers her advice and experience to other working parents and her views on remote, flexible and part time working that has helped her to get the most out of her career and family life.
…
continue reading
Journalist and author Melissa Hogenboom talks to Anna Richards about the shift in identity that takes places as women become mothers as she explores in her book, The Motherhood Complex. They discuss the division of domestic responsibilities and the 'mental load' in families with two professional parents and the impact of these inequalities on women…
…
continue reading
Simon Kettlewell has spent the last 20 years raising and caring for his 4 children. His latest novel 'Eternity Leave' draws on his experience of being the primary care-giver of his children while his partner pursued a senior level career in healthcare. In this episode, Simon talks to us about his book and the issues he has encountered around gender…
…
continue reading
In our latest interview, British Nigerian author Nels Abbey talks about his experience of racism in the financial world, explains how we can all be better colleagues to each other and offers his advice to black people wanting to succeed in the corporate world as delivered through his very funny and satirical book ‘Think Like A White Man’.…
…
continue reading
As many professionals return to some office-based working, Dr Jon Finn considers the habits – both positive and negative – that have been established during the pandemic and the practical, positive steps we can take to build a healthy and productive life in the future. In this interview we explore the impact of our increased reliance on technology …
…
continue reading
Laura Nakano and Abigail Hadley from Accenture talk to us about the transition to working parenthood. Abby shares her experience of taking parental leave, returning to work and the different working patterns she has experienced, and Laura talks about Accenture's Expectant Parents Network and how employers can support their working parent employees.…
…
continue reading
Productivity specialist and author Grace Marshall talks to us about her new book 'Struggle' and how we can find positives and opportunities in life's more difficult times. She talks about the importance of making mistakes, allowing time and curiosity to grow and learn from them and how we can counter our natural response of fight and fight and find…
…
continue reading
Helen Beedham talks to Pia Ellis and Mark McMahon, Co-Chairs of HSBC’s FLEX Network about their personal experiences of flexible working and how the FLEX Network is helping to broaden access to flexible working in their organisation. This podcast was originally recorded in Spring 2020 for Cityworks.
…
continue reading
Anna Richards is joined by Emily Acevedo, an HR Director based in the US and solo mother to Sebastian, who has Emanuel Syndrome. Emily talks to us about her life with him from the diagnosis, its impact on her life and career, day to day living and how she manages as a single parent.
…
continue reading
Anna Richards is joined by Natasha Kaye. Natasha is coming to the end of serving four years on the firm’s global Board of Directors, is the London Mental Health & Wellbeing partner lead and helps drive the firm’s diversity initiatives, including the Women’s Initiative. Natasha shares some of the turning points that have carved her career and is gen…
…
continue reading
As we start the new year under considerable stress imposed by Covid-19, Charlotte Worth an Executive Coach and Learning Facilitator explains how we can use the Positive Method to build self-confidence, re-energise, re-focus and contemplate the future.
…
continue reading
Rachel Addis from PWC talks about how she became mother to her two adopted children, including the process of being approved as adoptive parents, how she managed her adoption leave with her employer and how her flexible role helps her to balance her home and professional responsibilities.
…
continue reading
Cityparents' Anna Richards talks to Sandra Paul and Áine Kervick from Kingsley Napley LLP, who are lawyers specialising in youth crime and justice. They discuss the dangers that the online world poses for children, the trouble that can arise from sharing explicit content online and how parents can help their children to avoid the associated risks.…
…
continue reading
Dr Sarah Vohra, consultant psychiatrist and author of The Mind Medic explains some simple and practical ways to help us live a calmer, happier life. She talks about the strain that COVID19 has placed on our mental wellbeing and shares some of the positives that we can take away too.
…
continue reading
In the latest episode of Cityparents Talk, we talk to Mel Johnson from www.thestorkandI.com (Insta: @the_stork_and_i) about her decision to become a solo mother, the highs and lows of her journey to motherhood and how she balances solo parenting with her corporate career.
…
continue reading
Anna Richards talks to Paolo Gallo, the author, speaker, coach and former holder of senior HR positions at the World Economic Forum and World Bank, about successful careers, work / life balance and trust, motivation and tracking productivity within remote working teams.
…
continue reading
Geraldine Gallacher, the CEO of The Executive Coaching Consultancy talks to us about her #change4good campaign. The global pandemic of COVID-19 has forced a remote working experiment on the largest scale, and like us Geraldine hopes that a positive outcome of this terrible time might be a growth in acceptance of flexible working. Geraldine explores…
…
continue reading
Cityparents Director Helen Beedham talks to Uma Cresswell and Kirsty Wilkins who are current participants in Cityparents Mentoring Scheme. They discuss the drivers for taking part in the scheme, how the arrangement worked practically and advice that each shared for others considering joining this year's cohort.…
…
continue reading
…
continue reading
In the last edition of Cityparents Life, Anna Richards talks to Jonathan Bright, a Content Marketing Manager at finnCap whose baby daughter Isabella arrived 4 months prematurely in May this year. In the podcast, Jonathan explores the rollercoaster of hospitals, emotions and routines that he and his wife juggled over the following 5 months, and how …
…
continue reading
Cityparents' Director Helen Beedham talks to Christine Armstrong, the writer, speaker and business advisor, about being a working parent and her book ‘The mother of all jobs: how to have children and a career and stay sane (ish)'. In the podcast, Christine talks about her own experience of being a working parent with small children and the experien…
…
continue reading
Anna Richards talks to Dr Brad Reedy, the parenting expert, author and the Owner and Clinical Director of Evoke Therapy Programs, which offers treatment for mental health issues in children and young adults. Brad explores the importance of taking care of our own mental health in order to be a better support for our children as they learn to manage …
…
continue reading
Anna Richards from Cityparents talks to Meik Wiking, founder of the world's first Happiness Research Institute about happiness, memory making and how we can apply his findings to our own lives.
…
continue reading
Anna Richards talks to Pensions Partner, James Riley and Business Manager, Letty Gibbs about their experience of the firm's Black Heritage Mentoring Scheme, womens' networks and their perspectives on balancing careers with family life.
…
continue reading
Anna Richards talks to Philip Reed, a senior associate at Farrer & Co, about his experience of taking Shared Parental Leave and his advice to other families who may be considering taking it up.
…
continue reading
Helen Beedham interviews Baroness Shami Chakrabarti about how she has managed her career, being in the media spotlight and her views on creating a more gender-equal society.
…
continue reading
In this episode Helen Beedham of Cityparents chats to Sam Smith, CEO of FinnCap, about her career path and how she balances work and family life.
…
continue reading