“IN AGENCY LIFE YOU BECOME EXPERT AT SPINNING PLATES BUT AS A NEW PARENT I NOW OFTEN DO THIS WHILE ALSO HOLDING A TODDLER!” – THE POWER OF PARENTS AT SPLENDID
Being a parent is one of the toughest gigs around: long hours, minimal training, lack of competitive pay and sometimes temperamental clients. However, despite this, it can also be one of the most rewarding jobs. Historically, it has been challenging for parents and caregivers to navigate and balance a life in which they work and raise children. Some employers carry misconceptions about the commitment of those juggling childcare duties, which can also discourage parents at work.
There are many parents at Splendid, which we love. We know that experience as a parent or caregiver is a great attribute in any team, so we are keen to support them however we can, whether through flexible working, competitive maternity, or paternity schemes, or leave while trying to adopt or go through surrogacy. We want our staff to live their lives to the full, and if they choose to become parents, then we wholeheartedly support them, not least to access the abundance of skills they pick up in their parenting pursuits.
In celebration of Global Day of Parents today (1st June 2022), we spoke to some of the parents at Splendid, asking them to share the skills learned through childcare that have benefitted work roles, and below are some examples.
Damon, Splendid CFO: “Main skills are patience, nurturing, and guidance. As a parent my role is to develop my children, put them on the right path, always be here for them, offer advice, and understand they will make mistakes and pick them up when they fall.
“These skills translate to my role at Splendid as I have individuals who rely on me to mentor them through their careers. Just because I am proficient in a task and think a certain way, does not mean others are wired the same. A bit of patience and guidance early on (and a “door is always open” policy), makes staff eager to learn and advance in their careers. This means I can relax in the knowledge that the team have everything under control but equally know they can come to me with questions.”
Cally, Associate Director: “Becoming a parent was one of the best things to happen in my life. It has also tested my stamina and patience, which in turn influenced my working style. I am much more grounded, calm, and methodical than before, which helps with leading a team and problem solving. In agency life you become a pro at spinning plates but, as a new parent, I now often do this whilst holding my toddler, which takes my multitasking skills to the next level!
“Early starts are no problem for me anymore, as my day usually starts around 5:30am, so I’m always ready and focused to start the day and take on the next challenge.”
Chrissy, Associate Director: “Being a parent is one of those jobs you can never really prepare for. Just when you think you have nailed it, the next phase kicks in and you are back to square one, wondering what on earth you are supposed to be doing! It helped me realise that you cannot control everything, and this taught me to adapt quickly to constantly changing plans and situations. I’m more decisive and solutions-focused now, both in and out of work, as I have learnt to overcome so many unforeseen challenges as a new mum.
“It has also helped me hone my management style, taking the time to learn how different people respond best. Just as they say, ‘what works for one baby doesn’t always work for another’ the same can be said for all of us as people. There is no ‘one size fits all’ approach to management and you must be patient, listen and adapt to get the best out of people.”
Emma, HR Manager: “After the initial shock of realising I had another human who relied on me 100% that’s when multi-tasking and problem-solving skills became an everyday reality along with the ability to embrace change, with plans going out of the window when they were poorly or had tantrums for example. I had to learn quickly to remain calm and not have a kneejerk reaction every single time, even though I often did and still do. At work, things change daily, and new tasks or problems must be tackled, regardless of what I had planned. That is exactly what parenting looks like and learning to accept and keep calm about it really does help.
“Compromising and working together is another skill. Although I would like my kids to follow my instructions, most of the time I have learned to listen to what they have to say and work with them to find a solution, so everyone in the family is happy with the plan or at least knows why we made certain decisions. This is also relevant at work when dealing with staff. Most but not all decisions are liked, so we must ensure things are always explained and communicated well, to balance the perspectives and needs of many people, personal situations, opinions, values and so on.
“Lastly, I have to say that listening properly is an overlooked skill. My kids come home every day with positive and negative news from their day at school. At first, I was jumping in and offering solutions before they had finished their sentence. I could not work out why they got so upset by this. It turns out that they just wanted to me listen to them, not judge, and often not try to fix everything. In HR it is vital to offer someone to talk to, whether it is to vent or whether we need to ask open ended questions for the person to come to their own conclusions.”
Jane, Head of Wellbeing: “When I started at Splendid my daughter was in her early teens, which gave me a lot of opportunity to develop my listening skills! I learned the importance of giving my full attention, so that I was able to read between the lines, and pick up what was being conveyed non-verbally, through body language or facial expression. This of course required a calm mind, and the time and space for sharing. It is so easy on a busy day to only give half our attention, while some of our mind wanders off to composing emails, our priorities for the day and so on, but the reality is that our mind can only do one thing well at a time. Working in a communications agency means it is vital that we really understand the needs of our colleagues and clients, and so good listening skills are a great resource.”
Alec, CEO: “Parenting is the biggest life learning curve I have experienced, and it’s given me loads of transferrable skills and knowledge. I am much better at napping since I became a dad (parents need to grab shuteye whenever they can). I have learned never to do that Saturday Night fever dance in public, and I also know that the words ‘swag’ and ‘drippy’ mean the same thing now, and both are quite cool.
“Most importantly, being a parent really showed me that when a kid (or anyone) is acting up, it is usually not them being ‘bad’ – there is often a need behind it. I am reminded to be patient, to step back and wonder ‘what is really going on here?’ Does this person need a snack? Or will a hug help?”