MBN Blog

BossNData Episode 21: Family Planning or Career Planning?

Written by MBN Solutions | Aug 9, 2024 7:30:00 AM

Welcome to the MBN Solutions Boss ‘n’ Data podcast show

You can watch our podcast series below or listen here:

 

When the COVID pandemic hit society in 2020, one of the few positives that emerged from the world-wide chaos was the enforced change in working practices.

Huge numbers of previously office-based staff were easier able to balance work outputs with care commitments as commutes were negated and 9 to 5 working models evolved into more flexible “results-based” patterns.

As the needle moves back towards mandated returns to office-based control systems for many employees, what does this mean for the ability of certain sections of society to have equally valid professional and family lives?

Are female workers, especially those with care commitments, forever destined to have to choose “career progression or family” or is there a way to balance and achieve success in both areas of life?

Rob and Monique debate the challenges, biases and obstacles surrounding that care providers, especially women, face in trying to obtain the best of both worlds. They discuss:

  • Why it’s important for individuals and organisations to openly discuss both career and family plans as early in the dialogue as possible
  • The benefits of flexible models for attracting and retaining niche talent
  • Why care provision and societal expectations impact gender pay inequality

Guest Bio:

Monique Duarte is Chief Operating Officer and Co-founder of Melior AI, a legal AI startup and mother of 3. She has accrued 20 years’ experience in Technology & Data product development, team management and UX/UI. She currently combines running a team at 11 people at Melior AI with running a team of 6 at home. She has an Academic background in Journalism from her home country of in Brazil) and Law (from her time in the UK).

Are you a Data Leader with both expertise and passion in a particular area or theme? Do you want to share your knowledge with our community?

Complete this form if you are interested in being a guest on our Boss 'n' Data podcast.

 

Meet the Host:

Robin Huggins, Director of Client Services, MBN Solutions

Rob is Client Services Director at MBN Solutions. It’s been over 12 years and he’s still the smiling face that our clients know and love. Whether it’s ensuring excellence in our engagement model or presenting at one of our events, Rob is often the first MBN face that people see. He’s pretty good, too. So good that he’s been recognised as one of the hundred most influential people in the UK Data Industry...twice.