Celebrating International Women’s Day 2023
This is probably the wrong thing to say on International Women’s’ Day, but I never set out to build a woman-led organisation. I guess growing up in the ’60s in a single-parent family, with Mum working full time, it just never occurred to me that women, and particularly working mums, were in any way less capable than men.
Turning the clock forward to 2012, I was in a full-time role when an old friend offered me the chance for some freelance work. He had what I thought was a stand-alone telemarketing project targeting customers in the UK and USA. There was too much work for me to do alone, so I enlisted the help of a girl I worked with and, between us, we completed the project and it was a roaring success.
This led to another, larger ‘stand-alone’ project, but this time the calls were to customers in the UK, Germany and France. I had exhausted all my annual leave on the first project and, although my French was passable, my German was really weak, so I had to recruit and train a team. I found a wonderful French-Canadian girl who was between jobs, a friend of a friend had a German au pair looking for extra work and, by some stroke of luck, two amazing women who had worked in recruitment advertising sales were available. And so, my first team was in place. And everyone worked from home. And everyone worked around their other commitments. What mattered was that they got the job done and got great results.
When I was offered a substantial retainer and asked to take on a third project, making calls in English, French, German, Chinese and Japanese, I realised that this was no longer ad hoc work! I quit my day job and, with the help of some amazingly supportive colleagues and friends, I grew the team and started to build a global, cloud-based infrastructure.
Building an empowered team
And so, long before the pandemic's impact on our perception of work, and before The Call Business was even called ‘The Call Business’, we implemented flexible work arrangements.
So, quite by accident, I created a company culture that empowers women to thrive and reach their full potential, including, for instance, those with disabilities, those with school-aged children and single mothers. Our predominantly female management team is a testament to this commitment.
Nine years ago, I advertised for a part-time PA and got an application from an impressive candidate who had just finished her second maternity leave. She was from a legal background, working as an HR Manager and Executive Assistant in a top London law firm. I couldn’t believe I had found a candidate of that calibre and I was certain she would add huge value to the business. I was right. She now has a full-time role as our Operations Director, with flexible hours that enable her to work with the business needs but maintain her work-life balance.
Shortly after, a former colleague with an impressive track record as a client service manager completed 9 months’ maternity leave and was informed that her only option was to return to her job five full days a week. This didn't suit her new family situation, so I offered her a position on my team working flexible hours, 3 days a week. She still works flexible hours and she still works from home, but now her role is full-time as our Client Service Director.
Just for the record, we have two incredible male Heads of Department who both work flexible hours and they both really value this way of working.
Learnings along the way
Today we celebrate IWD, and if I look back at my experience managing TCB over the past 11 years, I believe that our flexible work model has really helped unlock the immense potential of the women I've had the privilege to work with.
Here are some things I’ve learned. I hope they’re useful to you, too.
1. Emphasis on Results: companies that offer flexible work arrangements tend to focus on results rather than on the number of hours employees work or where they work. This means that employees are judged on the quality and quantity of their work rather than on their physical presence in the office.
2. Trust and Autonomy: flexible work arrangements require a high degree of trust and autonomy. Companies that offer these arrangements tend to trust their employees to work independently and manage their own schedules. This trust and autonomy can foster a sense of ownership and accountability among employees.
3. Communication and Collaboration: flexible work arrangements can sometimes make communication and collaboration more challenging, so companies that offer these arrangements tend to place a high value on effective communication and collaboration. They may invest in technology tools or processes to facilitate communication and collaboration among remote or flexible workers.
4. Work-Life Balance: companies that offer flexible work arrangements tend to value work-life balance and recognise that employees have personal lives outside of work. They may offer additional flexibility to support work-life balance.
5. Focus on Employee Well-being: companies that offer flexible work arrangements tend to prioritise employee well-being. They may offer wellness programs, mental health resources, or other initiatives to support the health and well-being of their employees. This focus on employee well-being can lead to a more engaged and productive workforce.
6. Inclusivity: companies that offer flexible work arrangements often have a culture that values diversity and inclusivity. They recognise that not all employees have the same needs or preferences when it comes to work arrangements, and they strive to create an environment where everyone feels welcome and supported.
7. Continuous Learning: companies that offer flexible work arrangements tend to value continuous learning and development. They may offer training programs or professional development opportunities to help employees build new skills and stay up-to-date in their field, regardless of their work schedule or location.
8. Empathy and Flexibility: companies that offer flexible work arrangements often prioritise empathy and flexibility in their interactions with employees. They recognise that employees may have different needs or challenges at different times, and they work to accommodate those needs as much as possible.
9. Transparency: finally, companies that offer flexible work arrangements tend to be transparent in their communication and decision-making processes. They may share information about company policies or decisions openly with employees, and they may solicit feedback from employees regularly to ensure that their needs are being met. This transparency can help build trust and a sense of community among employees.