Supporting Working Mums: Our Commitment through the MotherBoard Charter Pledge

The balancing act of parenting whilst having a career

I know I’m not alone in feeling this and I think this is particularly felt by mums. The tension between my natural instincts to be with my child vs what we value as a society (careers and success) is tough to negotiate. I constantly find myself trying to find the right balance between parenting and raising a family, and my personal career.

Torchbox has been tremendously supportive, helping me to find the right balance, which allows me to sustain my senior role in a way that works for my personal life too.

But is this the same for everyone? The stats say no.

The Careers After Babies report shows that despite 98% of mothers wanting to work, 11% leave the workforce entirely. On top of that there is a 32% drop off rate of women in managerial roles after having children. The challenge is that our working world isn't built to sustain long-term careers for mothers. This exacerbates known issues such as the gender pay gap and the lack of women in leadership positions.

Taking steps for change with the MotherBoard Charter

I’m happy to say that Torchbox has identified these issues as a priority and that we have joined the MotherBoard Charter, which aims to support working mothers in tech and work towards a more gender-balanced industry. The Charter’s objectives are to:

• “Champion part-time and flexible working across all levels of seniority, enabling the advancement of women’s careers in technology and data-led roles.
• Increase the percentage of mothers & women holding leadership or board level positions.
• Close the gender pay gap.
• Educate organisations on how they can support mothers throughout their careers.
• Improve maternity, paternity and return to work policies.”

This is a true reflection of our recently redefined vision which includes putting our people first and doing better business.

Over the past couple of years, we've already made some positive changes. Our maternity policy has improved, and we now have more women in senior positions. However, there’s always room for growth.

I am aware that I am in a privileged position. I have been at Torchbox a long time and am in a senior position which gives me the confidence to ask for support. But what about newer team members or those who might not feel confident enough to ask for support? I'd like to see the dynamic shift from individuals having to find the courage to ask, to a culture where various options are offered as a given.

And sometimes I wonder if the support can vary depending on who you speak to or who your manager is. Does it vary depending on whether they themselves are a parent and better understand the challenges? I'd like to see education for line managers on the challenges of working parents and clear guidance on how to negotiate someone’s return to work and subsequent career progression.

I’m excited to see what changes we can make to better support our working mums. Our first priority is focused on the return to work process following maternity leave and our working group is armed with actions to progress this over the coming months. I will be following this closely for my own interest but also in my capacity as a Trustee Director to ensure we are working for the benefit of my co-owners.