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I'm Naomi, I qualified as a teacher during mat leave and now I'm a senior leader in the NHS
156 Plays4 months ago
This week on the Five Hour Club podcast, we’re joined by Naomi, a mum of two girls and Head of Resourcing and Information at Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust (KMPT).
Naomi opens up about her unique career journey, from working in recruitment to retraining as a primary school teacher during maternity leave, and finally returning full circle to take on a senior, fully flexible role in the NHS.
In this episode, Naomi shares:
- Why she pivoted careers to support her family
- How KMPT is leading the way in inclusive and flexible working
- What annualised hours actually look like in practice
- Why her team signed up to be pioneers in the Five Hour Workday Pilot
It’s a story of determination, trust, and building a career that works around life - not the other way around.
#FiveHourClub #Podcast #FlexibleWorking #ParentsBelong #NHS #WorkLifeBalance #CareerAfterKids
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Transcript
Introduction to the 5-Hour Club Podcast
00:00:09
Speaker
Hi, I'm Amy and I'm Emma and this is the 5-Hour Club Podcast where we navigate life between the school runs.
Naomi's Career Transition to Teaching
00:00:20
Speaker
This is the story of Naomi, mum of two girls who after a successful career in recruitment before children decided to retrain and qualify as a primary school teacher during her maternity leave in the hope of finding a role that supported her new family.
00:00:33
Speaker
However, after realising that teaching is not the most family-friendly career after all, went full circle and is now working as Head of Resourcing and Information at Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust.
00:00:46
Speaker
in which she now enjoys flexible working and benefits that really support her family life, such as analysed hours.
5-Hour Workday Pilot at KMPT
00:00:52
Speaker
She also tells us why KMPT became the first employer to pioneer our five-hour workday pilot, and we couldn't be happier to showcase the incredible ways they can support parents.
00:01:02
Speaker
It is the story of hard work, trust, and what a flexible senior career in the NHS can look like. We hope you enjoy the conversation as much as we did.
00:01:17
Speaker
Hello, hello. Hello.
Balancing Career and Family with Imogen's Needs
00:01:19
Speaker
Hi. Hi, so we are joined today by Naomi. Now, Naomi, you started your career recruitment and then on your first maternity leave with your daughter, you were trained to become a primary school teacher.
00:01:31
Speaker
Can you tell us what led you to that decision and what it was like changing your career whilst having young children? Yeah, absolutely. So, I worked in recruitment for a number of years and was heading up resourcing and inclusion for a construction company across the UK and Ireland before having my first daughter Imogen who's now seven and when i was pregnant with her i remember saying to my boss at the time that I'd be returning full-time after three months and that was my ambition I was really really career driven
00:02:03
Speaker
And then all of a sudden, ah had a baby and everything changed. And Imogen was born with a condition called microtia, which basically means that she's got a small right ear, and she's deaf on her right side.
00:02:17
Speaker
And that really knocked me for six, actually, ah purely because as a parent, you have so many anxieties anyway, when you have a newborn baby. But adding to that, the fact that I didn't know whether or not Imogen was going to develop as another child would develop.
00:02:34
Speaker
And I really wanted to be able to support her. So it threw a real curveball in for me. And actually towards the end of my mat leave, I decided I wanted to retrain so that I could support her and I could teach her to read and all of those things, but do it in a way that would be consistent with how teachers would help so that she had a head start at school.
00:02:54
Speaker
So ah went really well. And she was reading by the age of two. And it turns out that all of my concerns surrounding her development were completely unfounded. And she was doing amazingly well.
00:03:06
Speaker
um But obviously, there's always going to be that slight concern in my mind that there might be something which hinders her in life, which is why I made the decision to retrain.
Teaching Challenges and Career Reevaluation
00:03:18
Speaker
um so Yeah, complete change of career and went down to three days a week working as a teaching assistant while doing my degree and tried to manage that through being three days a week. So I went part time.
00:03:34
Speaker
And on top of that, I then had to do my uni work in the evenings. So I'd kind of put image into bed at seven and then I'd work every evening to get my degree done and worked really hard on my degree, managed to get a first in every module Um, but I think that probably says more about me as an individual and the fact that I try and do everything perfectly and didn't want to fail at that purely because I'd been a parent and there's so much pressure.
00:03:59
Speaker
Um, so managed to do it, but it became more complicated when I was pregnant with my second daughter. So at that point I was given the opportunity to take a year out. So I was going on mat leave anyway, and I actually decided that I was going to continue with my degree.
00:04:17
Speaker
And that was really tricky, having a newborn and a two year old my girls are only two years apart. um And then trying to keep going with my degree. And I remember people saying to me, oh, you're mat leave. You've got loads of time to be able to do your degree. And actually, the reality when you've got two small children is that there is no time, especially at the beginning when babies aren't sleeping, as you would necessarily hope.
00:04:41
Speaker
um So yeah, it was really, really tough. But I am very fortunate. My husband's super supportive. And we always shared the load in terms of of things like night feeds.
00:04:51
Speaker
And both of my girls, luckily, um from quite a young age, have been really good sleepers. So that did help. But yeah, it was definitely a challenge. But I was working for a school i absolutely loved, really, really enjoyed working there.
00:05:04
Speaker
But then when I finished my degree, i had to do a final year's placement, in a school for Schools Direct, which is basically the final year of qualification. um And then you get your qualified teacher status.
00:05:18
Speaker
So I had to leave that school because I needed a salaried placement and the school I was at didn't have the funding to be able to offer me that. And the closest school to me, which could offer me that, was 40 minutes from home.
00:05:29
Speaker
So that completely tipped everything upside down. I had to work full time. So full time and 40 minutes from home alongside a significant increase in workload in terms of all of the planning,
00:05:41
Speaker
um all of the preparation, marking, and I was given my own class as well. So I was effectively working as a class teacher. And I was out of the house from seven in the morning to, if I was lucky, just before seven at night, and my girls go to bed at seven. So I would see Imogen and Leah for 15 minutes a day if I was lucky.
00:06:01
Speaker
and then I'd work till midnight every night. I'd work at weekends. It was just really, really intense. So I got to the end of my final year of qualifying and I actually interviewed with the school I was previously at, which I'd
Return to Recruitment for Work-Life Balance
00:06:15
Speaker
loved.
00:06:15
Speaker
And I was really fortunate that they'd offered me a job as a class teacher. But I had a few doubts in my mind just because... the whole rationale for me going into teaching was to support my own children.
00:06:28
Speaker
And all of a sudden, I realised that all of my energy was going into supporting other children, which was lovely. And I really enjoyed my time in the classroom. But it meant that that was taking away from the time i could be a mum and support my own kids. so on my final day of qualifying, with a job offer accepted in a school, I actually interviewed with the NHS, um just to explore and see what post-COVID life would be like um in the workplace if I were to return to my previous career.
00:07:00
Speaker
And I was really fortunate to be offered the post. So um yeah, it was, I remember being exhausted because I'd been up ridiculous hours the night before trying to prep to qualify, had to pull in all of my portfolio and everything. And then at the end of the school day, I dashed to Dartford for this interview.
00:07:20
Speaker
And to be honest, I don't even remember the interview. I was that tired, but somehow I got through it and had really positive feedback, which was really lovely. And yeah, now I work for the NHS.
00:07:32
Speaker
I mean, gosh, Naomi, it sounds like you've pretty much come full circle having gone to recruitment and then teaching and then back to recruitment. And we'll go into that later. But for me, I can just know, having been, both of us being teachers before, we know what it is like to...
00:07:48
Speaker
you know, be a teacher. And actually, for me, I had already decided that I wasn't going to be a teacher after having children, I had my own children, because I realised actually, it wasn't a great fit for having a family, knowing that the amount of hours, the amount of work that you put into it and like you say, if you're a certain person that you know, as a perfectionist and wants to do a really good job for your class and for those children, then it must be, you know, really exhausting to then be able to come home and have enough energy all the time, all the patience for your own children. So I sort of had that realisation early on in my own teaching career to think, actually, this
Misconceptions of Teaching and Family Life
00:08:21
Speaker
isn't a job that I can do it.
00:08:23
Speaker
ah having family but i think there's that misconception isn't there that actually teaching is you know a really great fit for being a mother because you get the holidays and you get you know you work school hours and all of these things but actually that's not the case and it sounds like you realize that almost you know you'd gone through that training you got to that point and then you realize that what was it like for you at that point sort of realizing you'd you've gone through with that um career change to then think actually maybe this is not a good fit for me and my family I think my moment of reckoning was on my daughter's first sports day in reception. So that was during when I was teaching and i was told I couldn't go.
00:09:03
Speaker
And it broke my heart to not be there for that experience. And I totally resonate with everything that you've said. about schools not necessarily supporting parents and it not being a family f friendly career.
00:09:16
Speaker
And I think it it varies dependent on the school. Some are better than others, but especially the school I was working for. It was very much I remember having a conversation with the deputy head who was my mentor.
00:09:28
Speaker
And she said to me, well, it's part of the job and there's an expectation. So you need to be here until all the work is done and you need to put in all the hours in the evening, despite the fact that you're not actually paid for those hours.
00:09:40
Speaker
um I found it really disheartening. And actually, i'm part of a group on social media called Exit the Classroom and Thrive. which is for teachers who are trying to get out of teaching and into an alternative career. And there's so many talented people out there that are really struggling to access alternative opportunities because all they've ever done is teaching.
00:10:02
Speaker
And actually, they have so many transferable skills. And it is my ambition that we're able to do something in the NHS to support those individuals. And I appreciate, obviously, teaching. There is an issue in terms of not enough resource.
00:10:16
Speaker
And what we don't want to do as a government organisation is be unethically trying to poach teachers. But at the same point, if we've got people who are leaving anyway, and whose mental health is suffering as a result of the fact that they can't balance life and work, then for me, it's a no brainer that we should be trying to support those people.
00:10:35
Speaker
um but yeah, I think the whole sports day thing, and then just realising how much pressure I was putting on my husband. So my husband's in senior leadership of a railway company.
00:10:47
Speaker
And for him, he was trying to juggle doing school runs and grandparents and it just turned our lives upside down. But yeah, it was really difficult, I think, having made all of that effort and gone through everything. But you know what?
00:11:00
Speaker
I feel really fortunate in that I cut my losses and I quit while I was ahead because I think for some people, they go into teaching, they stay in it for an extended period and then they get
Flexible Roles and Work-Life Balance in the NHS
00:11:10
Speaker
stuck. And I suppose because I'd had a previous career, i was really lucky that I could transition quite smoothly back into my old career.
00:11:19
Speaker
Whereas for some people, that's not an option. And that's that's really sad when you consider the level of talent there is in education across the country. And for me, i think if there's one thing that government leaders could learn about the education system, it's that if we want to retain teachers and we want to support them, we have to support a work-life balance. And that's not just paying lip service to it.
00:11:41
Speaker
it has to be reality and teachers need to be properly compensated for the amount of hours that they do because people just don't realise, as you say, they think school holidays, you have to go into school on school holidays. There's always work to do And I think people just have this misconception that teaching is an easy life and works perfectly with families.
00:12:00
Speaker
And that's not the case. Oh my God, I can relate to every single thing that you were saying, Naomi. I know exactly the group that you're talking about. There's thousands of people in that group. And You know, when I became a mother, I decided to segue out of teaching just at a time where really those holidays would have been quite valuable.
00:12:20
Speaker
and And I think you're right. Like people don't understand for so many different schools. It's just not flexible. It just doesn't work. And I'm really glad that you said about the reality and especially as a relatively new teacher, you are going to be up until midnight, sometimes prepping and planning.
00:12:37
Speaker
potentially commuting like I don't think people realize how brutal it is and and like you said earlier when all of your energy is going to supporting their children you have no energy left because it's not just like a reg it's not a regular job it's a vocation and you are literally pumping all of your energy out into those children i'm and I'm sure that you already know this, but since 2017, the largest demographic and group of people to leave teaching are women in their 30s. And I don't think it's any coincidence, you know, what is happening at that time. And it's such a shame. And I completely agree that teachers don't realize how amazing they are.
00:13:15
Speaker
They really don't. and And when you're in in a classroom and you're doing so much juggling, you have so many transferable skills, but also like knowing the group that you're talking about, like so many people feel stuck and so many people, you know, you become a teacher and're like, well, this is all I can do.
00:13:31
Speaker
And I think, you know, having had the privilege myself also to be in a few different careers, I now really understand it actually We have so many incredible transferable skills and it is such a shame.
00:13:46
Speaker
and i and and and I totally agree that I feel torn in a way because I agree, I don't want to tear teachers away from teaching. We need teachers. But ultimately, the system is absolutely broken. And there was a culture of expectation that you just have to work above and beyond.
00:14:05
Speaker
Yeah, so I relate to every single thing that you said. And honestly, my mind is blown that you managed to do that whilst pregnant and a toddler. Because when I did my teaching, I've done a fair few degrees in my time and boot camps and the PGCE was by far the hardest. It was so challenging.
00:14:23
Speaker
And I was in my late twenty s So honestly, hats off. That was It's true. And actually, off the back of that note, made me think because I had this plan, so post-teaching, that I was going to then go and do my doctorate in educational psychology. That was my plan. But I'll do it whilst on maternity leave. And I got to that point and I was like, how the hell am I going to do that? Is that even possible?
00:14:43
Speaker
I mean, you proved that actually, you know, it is possible to do that. You managed to, you know, get through the whole thing and do it very, very well. and But I looked at that and thought, how could, you know, i I also thought, oh, yeah, I have loads of time on mat leave to...
00:14:56
Speaker
you know, do my own training and everything else in between, you know, that while they're napping. But the reality is actually you're very busy during mat leave. So very, yeah, hats off to you for that.
00:15:11
Speaker
so So now that you've come full circle and you now work as the Head of Resourcing and Information at Kenton Medway NHS midway nhsm Social Care Partnership Trust, KMPT for short, um can you tell us what it is like and what your role involves and how you manage your day-to-day life now that you've gone back to that career with your children?
00:15:29
Speaker
Absolutely. Yeah. so I was really, really concerned, actually, because the biggest piece for me was school holidays. So my mum was a teacher, which you might think sounds odd, given the fact that I'd seen the reality for myself as a child.
00:15:44
Speaker
But I think until you've actually lived it, you can't really comprehend what that looks like. um So school holidays were really important to me because I remember my mum being around in the school holidays and I wanted to do the same for my children.
00:15:56
Speaker
And I remember when I was offered the job with the NHS and I was so fortunate that my current line manager was so open minded and completely understood the necessity to balance life and work.
00:16:10
Speaker
So we agreed that I would have a full time contract um in line with our current hybrid working policy, which means that I work one day a week from an office and four from home.
00:16:22
Speaker
Although obviously, in terms of my role, it is a little bit more sporadic than that, because there are external meetings and things that I need to go to. But it really, really helps in terms of school run. So I can always take my girls to school in the morning.
00:16:34
Speaker
Generally in the evenings, they're either with grandparents or they go to after school club, which works quite well and they enjoy it And they've got various different activities that they do in the evening. So I'm confident that they're happy as well, which really helps with my peace of mind um and allows me to have a career and progress.
00:16:53
Speaker
um while still maintaining that work life balance. But on top of that, the other thing which I addressed with my current line manager when I was offered the post was how concerned I was surrounding school holidays.
00:17:05
Speaker
And she suggested that we look to annualised hours. So what that means is that every week, I effectively have a contract for 35 hours a week, but I actually work 37.5.
00:17:19
Speaker
So that means that every week I accrue an extra two and a half hours of holiday. And what that means is that my annual leave allowance every year is 10 and a half weeks, which is amazing when you consider that school holidays are 13 weeks.
00:17:35
Speaker
um And that will go up given length of service in the and NHS. So the longer I work in the NHS, the more annual leave that you get. And it was something I'd never considered. I never thought it was an option. So it was amazing to have this proposed to me And I remember I had another offer on the table at the time, but the fact that my current line manager was so open to it and came up with this suggestion just really opened my eyes and made me realise I was joining an employer who was wholly inclusive and wanted to support me, which is why I made the decision to accept the offer.
00:18:08
Speaker
And it's made such a difference to my life because although i don't have every school holiday off, what it means is i can take chunks of leave where I am off with my girls sort of full time.
00:18:19
Speaker
And then when I am in the office like over the summer, I'll go down to two or three days a week, which is far more manageable and means that the girls still get that input from me, but also do a few holiday clubs and spend time with family as well.
00:18:32
Speaker
So, yeah it works really, really well. I can't say to you that I never work in the evenings. My job is really demanding. So I head up recruitment, temporary staffing, workforce information,
00:18:45
Speaker
rostering and workforce planning. So i have a lot in my portfolio. And I'm really lucky to have an amazing team of direct reports. And also the teams that are within those areas are amazing. And they do such an incredible job.
00:19:01
Speaker
And we're all striving for that mission of achieving wonderful patient care. And I think sometimes people miss that when you're working in HR in the NHS. It's sometimes difficult to make the link around what you actually give and how you contribute.
00:19:16
Speaker
So i think the biggest thing for me is the having that opportunity to work around my kids and go down to part time hours in the holidays has really given me that flex.
00:19:29
Speaker
And actually, it also still enables business continuity. So because I'm not off for six weeks at a time, it means that I can still keep going with the projects and various elements of my work that need to be done on a regular basis.
00:19:42
Speaker
without impacting on my life. So um it does work really well. I can't deny that the workload is really high. And I know people have made comments like out of the frying pan into the fire, going to work for the NHS.
00:19:55
Speaker
But you know what, I think culturally, we are in such a different place in the sense that whilst things can be challenging, and whilst there might be extra hours that you could work, there is absolutely no expectation to do so.
00:20:10
Speaker
And that's the difference for me, because actually, if I choose to work over my hours, and obviously that comes a little bit with the role and being senior, and I i know that that's something which is part and parcel of my job, I don't feel the pressure as much, and therefore it's on my terms.
00:20:27
Speaker
And what was really lovely was about a year ago now, and I've been in the NHS for two and a half years now, my boss actually came to me and said, you're working so many extra hours that I don't expect you to work.
00:20:39
Speaker
and we're paying you to be part-time. So why don't we switch it up and change you from 35 hour a week contract, put you on a 37 and a half hour a week contract.
00:20:50
Speaker
And then those hours that you're choosing to work in the evening, we can use those hours as the annual leave that you accrue. So I now accrue two and a half hours annual leave a week, but that is from the extra hours I'm choosing to put in. And sometimes it's more, sometimes it's less, but what I love is I have the trust from my boss to be able to work flexibly.
00:21:09
Speaker
And it's a real eye opener for me because I didn't even know annualised hours really existed or were a thing. um And it's actually in our flexible working policy, but I'm not 100% people really understand what that actually means or could be in reality.
00:21:25
Speaker
um So in terms of being a flexible employer, the NHS has so many options. But I think the piece for me is that people don't necessarily know what to ask for. And obviously, i'm really lucky that I work in support services, because that means flexibility is easier to come by.
00:21:42
Speaker
it is more challenging in certain roles, especially roles that are patient facing. But that doesn't mean that flexibility isn't an option. And actually, that's something that we're working on at the moment, is how we can support our clinical colleagues with giving them as much flexibility as we can without impacting patient care.
00:22:00
Speaker
Yeah, I think for me, that annualised holiday that you're talking about is such an eye opener because the same for me, I didn't want to sacrifice my summers with my children. I think having been a teacher and having that sort of term time ingrained within me from whenever that.
00:22:16
Speaker
actually I didn't want to lose that and any other sort of role that I looked at meant that I had to work over the summer but knowing that these things exist and and in the NHS you can ask for it's within your policy is such an incredible thing because I think that will just give so many people parents carers whoever it is who need that sort of time and be able to work flexibly like that it gives them such a great option that other people in other companies don't necessarily get so it's really great to hear that and it's great that It came from your boss and the trust comes from your boss and and she recognizes that that is what you need. And actually you yourself, you put that forward as something that you needed as a requirement for choosing that as a ah job for you. So it's really...
00:22:59
Speaker
and exciting to hear that it is there and I think you're right I think it's important that we showcase that benefit within the NHS because like you say it's not necessarily always the career path that people would choose with family because they think you know the expectation is that you work a lot for not not very much but actually when those benefits are there it could be a really great place to work.
00:23:19
Speaker
And also, I think it really highlights that flexibility is very much a two-way street, you know, but obviously you're like your line manager from day one was incredibly supportive and that enabled you to progress and maintain your career. So that, you know, and you identified, right, I want to be there for the holidays. That, you know, that's my priority.
00:23:36
Speaker
And they were able to make that work in flex. But at the same time, like clearly, if if you are choosing to work over your hours and within, you know, your remit and your way, like you said earlier, ah and you're also able to use and choose those hours to maintain business continuity, right?
00:23:58
Speaker
Clearly, you're the right person for the job. The business or the and NHS or the organization, they're going to get an incredible ROIs from that. So it's two way street. You know, it it really is win win.
00:24:10
Speaker
And I but i I think you're exactly right as well. Sometimes we don't know what to ask for. I had not heard of annualized hours before. And right at the time. where I changed my career, my my oldest child was going to school. So I really could have done with those holidays as being a teacher. So, but I realized, you know, it wasn't the right fit for me. So it's really good to know also a practical solution that can help with us. But I think, you know, there are so many things going on here, but, you know, in giving you the trust to do your job in your way, you are going to give back, you know,
00:24:44
Speaker
not just like twofold, you know, there is going to be a huge or a way there. what What I really liked about what you said there too, was that your line manager recognized you were working more and above your part-time hours.
00:24:56
Speaker
And then she did something about it and she made sure that your salary matched the hours that you worked. And that's not something, I think that's something that people often and become afraid by part-time hours because they know actually, because of the type of person they are, they're going to be putting in those extra hours regardless and often you're not being paid for it.
00:25:13
Speaker
So I think it's really great to hear that she did recognise what you were doing, built that into your salary and now you're getting compensated for being such a hard worker. And I think the other piece is that it's such a great retention element because actually to find a job with the same level of flexibility is not easy.
00:25:33
Speaker
So for me, I'm in a position where actually my organisation knows that because they're looking after my wellbeing and my work life balance, I'm not going to be scouting for other jobs.
00:25:44
Speaker
um And that might be the case in other NHS trusts. And I'm not saying that we're unique in terms of our approach. But what I can say is I work for a really, really inclusive employer, which is wonderful. And I feel really thankful for that.
00:25:58
Speaker
And I'm not saying that we're there yet. I think we're a million miles away from where we could be. There's always room for improvement isn't there in terms of flexibility. And like I say, is not the same in every role.
00:26:09
Speaker
But the NHS is known for the flexibility they can offer. And we also do have contracts which are term time only. And I know one of our HR business partners work school hours,
00:26:21
Speaker
um And that supports her and she's able to achieve what she needs to achieve and still manage that work life balance. So there's so many options out there, which is just amazing.
Innovating with Flexible Workdays at KMPT
00:26:32
Speaker
But I think the other piece with my recruitment hat on is that so many parents have these incredible careers that they've had to give up on because they're a parent. And how wrong is that?
00:26:44
Speaker
And with my recruitment hat on, I really think like how much talent are we losing out on, especially in the NHS, where we really struggle to recruit some roles purely because we're always looking for the same hours.
00:26:56
Speaker
And actually for me, that's how I reached out to yourselves and wanted to initiate the five hour workday pilot, because not only have I been there and realized how challenging it can be to get back into work after having children and trying to still have a successful career.
00:27:13
Speaker
But as well as that, ah want to be in a position where we are leading that change and we are offering those opportunities and really reaping the rewards from it. Because actually, i can't even begin to imagine the amount of talented individuals that must be out there who cannot return to work because they can't fit it around childcare, which is just such a shame.
00:27:39
Speaker
we met you when you were interested in joining us for the five hour work day pilot with the KMPT and actually you have become the pioneers of the pilot. You are the first employer to create a five hour work day role and hire a new parent, not just one parent, but a couple of parents for your team. So can you tell us what and the experience has been like for you so far, because I know you're in the middle of hiring for this new role, but from what I can see, you've had some fantastic interests and applicants that have come through for that role. So tell us a little bit more about why you wanted to be and part of the pilot.
00:28:16
Speaker
Absolutely. So I was really, really excited when i found the five hour club on social media. And I kept for the last few months talking to my boss about it. And what can we do? And how can we make this work?
00:28:31
Speaker
And I remember broaching it with managers. And there was a lot of kind of reticence, I suppose, in terms of how we could do this, not that we didn't want to do it, but how could we make this work?
00:28:42
Speaker
And what happened was a colleague of mine currently runs the Working Parent Conversation Cafe and is really, really ambitious, really engaged and has a similar vision in terms of wanting to support parents to come into the workplace and how challenging that can be and has had her own experiences.
00:29:02
Speaker
which have really shaped her viewpoint as well. So i was invited along to the Working Parents Conversation Cafe. And we had a conversation not only surrounding the five hour club, but also what my current hours are and what opportunities there could be for parents currently within the organisation.
00:29:18
Speaker
So i then spoke to the individual who runs the group and she said that she was forming a new team. And that these roles are specifically for people with lived experience of utilising specialist mental health services.
00:29:33
Speaker
So I feel for me, these roles are actually really pivotal because we need people who understand what it's like to work with our services. So actually, not only are we looking for talent in terms of the fact that these individuals have to meet the requirements of the role, but also that they have that level of empathy.
00:29:52
Speaker
So for me, it's all the more important that we can show empathy back and that we can do that through supporting working parents. So I'm so excited. The quality of the applications has been absolutely amazing.
00:30:06
Speaker
And we are going through the process of shortlisting at the moment, which hopefully will be concluded soon. um But I'm really, really excited and looking forward to this being the first of many. I don't want this to be sort of a one trick pony. i want us to be those pioneers. And the first NHS trust working with yourselves is so incredible for me And hopefully what we'll see is the other NHS trust and other leaders across our organisation are going to see the success that we've had with this.
00:30:36
Speaker
And we can then branch out and look at alternative roles. And also you'll get engagement from other and NHS trusts. And we can really champion how great the NHS is to work for and what a flexible employer we are.
Reflecting on Career and Family Prioritization
00:30:49
Speaker
Absolutely. And I think just hearing how well they've supported you just highlights why it's so great that we are working with you because actually you really understand what parents need. You're already got lots of benefits that really support parents.
00:31:03
Speaker
So now to be able to create these roles you know specifically for parents in those five-hour workdays and then also be able to measure that impact to see the benefits not only for the parents but also for you as employers. Hopefully then we'll be able to showcase not only the incredible things that you're doing but actually all of the ways that you can also support parents in an an additional things that you're already doing. So thank you so much for joining us.
00:31:28
Speaker
We're really pleased that you are pioneers for this pilot.
00:31:37
Speaker
So before we leave you for your busy day, with everything that you know now in your career and after having children, is there anything that you would tell your younger self change and that you would make? you know what?
00:31:50
Speaker
For me, I would say no. And the reason I would say no, and this is very much the ethos by which I live my life, And I kind of think of it like the butterfly effect in the if I changed anything about my past or I hadn't had those challenges, I wouldn't be where I am today.
00:32:08
Speaker
and actually, i look at where I am today. i have a wonderful career. i have a really supportive employer. I've got two beautiful kids. I can go to every school play and i can be a mum. I have an amazing husband We've just been on holiday together and took that time together. And that's due to having that level of flexibility.
00:32:29
Speaker
And I'm just really grateful. And you know what, if anything had changed in my past, I might not be here. So yeah I think for me, it's not always been easy.
00:32:41
Speaker
And it became really challenging. But I'm so, so lucky to have such a supportive family but also and amazing employer now who really appreciates the value that I add. So now I wouldn't change anything.
00:32:57
Speaker
And I think you've got to be real with yourself. I know as an individual, i am really ambitious and I do want a career. And I don't feel that because I've had children, that should stand in my way.
00:33:10
Speaker
i want to be able to have both. And maybe that's greedy, But right now it's working for me and I plan on progressing in my career and I want to stay in the and NHS and really make a difference. But that's about ensuring that I can do that whilst also being a parent. So I'm happy and I can switch off and be mum, which isn't always easy. There's always going to be challenges in the day. There's always going to be things that are stressful.
00:33:35
Speaker
And I think especially when you're working for an organisation such as the NHS, like you're dealing with really, really important issues. So it's not something which I take like lightly and the level of responsibility I have, I take on my shoulders very seriously.
00:33:51
Speaker
But at the same point, I often remind myself that I could be a parent who is really struggling to make that juggle and actually I'm not. And my role here is to support other parents so that they can have similar experiences.
00:34:08
Speaker
That is really, mean, it's really beautiful way of saying it, but, and I think you're completely, it's not, you're not greedy at all. You are, like you say, just because you become a parent doesn't mean that your ambitions and the type of person you are disappear.
00:34:21
Speaker
You should be able to have both. And it's just the fact that our system is a little bit broken, meaning that we struggle to have both at the moment, but because of the way that you are and you've worked so hard that you've got yourself into such a strong position,
00:34:34
Speaker
And now it looks like you're really reaping the benefits and you should do because you've worked bloody hard. So really glad that you said that you wouldn't change anything because you deserve to be where you are now and enjoy your family too.
00:34:45
Speaker
Thank you. So the final question is if you could do or say one thing for yourself in the morning, what would it be? I think for me, one of the things that always stays in my head, and there are certain moments that stick with me throughout my career.
00:35:01
Speaker
And I remember being at a conference a number of years ago and someone flipped the whole work-life balance piece on its head and said, it's not about work-life balance.
00:35:12
Speaker
It's about life work balance and life comes first. So for me, reminding myself of that every day and why I do this job and what it's for and that I want to show my daughters how ambition and drive can really take you somewhere with your career and that you can have what you want if you work hard for it.
00:35:34
Speaker
I think just reminding myself that I'm doing it for those reasons, but actually life with my children and my husband and my step sons as well. So I've got two older step sons who absolutely adore my daughters. I'm so, so lucky that they're part of their lives and they want to be part of their lives.
00:35:52
Speaker
And i just have the most incredible family unit around me. And I just have to every day step back and think about that and remember that work is work and yes it's important but actually the most important thing and I really instill this in my teens is is your life and your life outside of work because that's why we go to work right we go to work to earn money so that we can live and enjoy ourselves and that's the reality time Yeah, the these answers are so incredible that I want to put them somewhere that we can press a button and we can just hear answers.
00:36:28
Speaker
Because you're right, like we do sometimes need to remind ourselves. I love that so much that it is ah life worth balance. And so, yeah, it's an incredible and beautiful answers. And I think we all need reminding of that, that we are not greedy and that it's a life worth balance.
00:36:46
Speaker
And I think, like you say, actually, we reminding ourselves what we're doing this for fuels that work. That's why we work so hard, isn't it? So that we can then spend that time with our families. And that is what is important because that energy we get from work and being ambitious and getting all those things from our careers, that helps us be better parents.
00:37:04
Speaker
So it's really great that you flip that on that head. And I think reframing that is a really great thing to do. So thank you. And thank you, Naomi, for sharing your story so beautifully. And it's really great to hear all of the fantastic things that you've done and you've created for yourself and your family and the work that you do in the and NHS is so important. So thank you.
00:37:24
Speaker
Thank you And just to say, what you guys have created, and the reason I wanted to be a part of this is because your ethos and what you stand for is so vital.
00:37:37
Speaker
And I really want people to listen. And the more I can help that and the more I can be a part of that journey, the better, because there are very few organisations, I think, that really get it. But actually, what's wonderful to see is how many employers are now coming forward, and they're starting to recognise what a difference they can make by being a part of this. And I feel really, really lucky that you guys are working with us. So thank you. No, thank you for you. We're very grateful for you.
00:38:08
Speaker
All right, my loves. let's leave it there and let you get back to your day. Thank you so much, Naomi. Thank you so much, Naomi. Bye. Bye.