Expert help for women seeking to make changes to their working life

Media Release: Sept 2015

As the chaos of the school holidays becomes a distant memory and the ‘normality’ of school runs, after school clubs and day to day work and activity returns, this is an ideal time to reflect on what you really want from your life.

Knowing first hand and from friends and associates the barriers women face on a daily basis as they are pulled from one place to another either in work or at home, founders of Sheffield based Women to Work, Jenny Pollock and Emma Shute felt strongly that they had the capabilities and knowledge to provide a service which would meet the needs of individual women wanting to make a change to their working lives. Whether thinking about returning to work, already in work and considering their options or planning to start or grow their own business, Women to Work’s aim is for women to be fully engaged, motivated and fulfilled in their working life either independently or within an organisation.

Now in its 2nd year and going from strength to strength, female entrepreneurs Jenny and Emma are delighted with the impact their Work Life Discovery coaching workshops and one to one coaching sessions have brought to women across the region. The inspiring sessions involve practical step-by-step activities to help each woman improve their confidence and self-belief, work towards their ideal work/life balance and begin an action plan to make it happen. Packed with knowledge and learning, the workshops enable women to share, learn and inspire each other, whilst the one to one sessions give women the space and time to define and create a fulfilling and successful work life that’s right for them.

Claire from Sheffield attended a Work Life Discovery workshop and commented: “This is probably the most useful workshop I’ve been on. Really useful exercises, a way forward and the opportunity to talk with other women in the same situation. Found it really inspiring.”

Only two years ago a study analysed by the House of Commons found that “14 per cent of the 340,000 women who take maternity leave each year find their jobs under threat when they try to return, with some told that they cannot continue in their role part-time. Some women are forced into positions with less responsibility and find it harder to get a promotion, while others are effectively constructively dismissed.” (Ref:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/10267223/Up-to-50000-women-a-year-cant-return-to-jobs-after-maternity-leave-study-finds.html ). So it is vital that women feel enabled and confident to control their own future and ensure their life is as fulfilled as it can be.

Co-Founder Jenny comments, “We are passionate about supporting women, to help them find a work life balance that allows them to be not only be great mums but also to be fulfilled happy women who are achieving their potential and feel empowered, positive and happy with their lives. Alongside our coaching workshops, we’ve had some really positive feedback from our one to one and buddy coaching sessions where we work closely with the women to support them to see their dreams become a reality. A recent client captured the essence of the support we offer in her feedback to us. “I’ve got a zillion ideas zooming round my head for my business but struggling to keep all the plates spinning and crystalise my ideas, and even after my first one-hour session with Jenny I had a light-bulb moment. Jenny funnelled my barrage of information, let me draw my own conclusions and sparked ideas. Couldn’t recommend her highly enough.” Jo, Sheffield.” It’s when you get feedback like that that all the hard work we put into making our business work feels so worthwhile”

Co-Fonder Emma adds: “We’ve started advertising jobs on our website and writing and sharing useful articles, blogs and stories to inspire and provide support to the many women who are looking to improve their work lives. Next we plan to launch coaching programmes online including the opportunity for women who are interested in being coaches themselves to take an ILM Coaching & Mentoring qualification with Women to Work.”

Whilst studying the MSc in Organisation Change and Consultancy – Coaching and Mentoring at Sheffield Hallam University a few years ago, the two founders were quick to form a friendship which would be long lasting and the foundation of their growing business. Based at the Workstation in Sheffield, Women to Work is leading the way in effective change management for women in and out of the workplace. Women to Work also offers organisational programmes such as the recent women’s development programme for South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue, a highly successful programme, designed to meet the individual needs of the company and their female workforce. To find out more about these and the next Work Life Discovery Workshops on 7th October, and 12th November contact Women to Work via info@womentowork.co.uk

Editors Notes

Women to Work: Background                                        

Women to Work focuses on women’s development, both ‘into’ the workplace and ‘within’ the workplace.

Supporting individual women with children to define and create a fulfilling work life and organisations to create sustainable engagement of their female workforce.

A with profits social enterprise, Women to Work believes in the commercial and social imperatives for individual women, organisations and society as a whole behind improving gender balance and enabling women to be fully engaged, motivated and fulfilled in their working life either independently or within an organisation.

Women to Work’s aim is to offer help to working mums through our coaching workshops, one to one coaching sessions, online programmes and resources, whether thinking about returning to work, already in work and considering their options or planning to start or grow their own business.

Jenny Pollock – Profile

Jenny is the co-founder of Women to Work, a company specialising in women’s development with a focus on coaching and mentoring based in Sheffield South Yorkshire which she runs with business partner Emma Shute.

Jenny’s focus and passion is to support women to find a work life balance that allows them to be not only be great mums but also to be fulfilled happy women who are achieving their potential and feel empowered, positive and happy with their lives.

Her personal feeling of fulfilment comes when coaching women who are shaping their future work life, who are taking positive control of their own work life balance and when designing and delivering group coaching workshops that support women’s development.

Jenny is highly motivated with a positive work ethic. With 10 years corporate commercial experience and a 10 year history in self-employment Jenny brings an inspiring and creative approach to her coaching and mentoring and her excellent people skills, enable her to be supportive, whilst also being direct and honest. Jenny is currently completing her dissertation, the final study piece of the MSc in Organisation Change and Consultancy – Coaching and Mentoring at Sheffield Hallam University.

Emma Shute – Profile

Emma is the co-founder of Women to Work, a coaching and mentoring company based in Sheffield South Yorkshire which she runs with business partner Jenny Pollock.

After fulfilling key marketing and communication roles with large firms including bmi (British Midland) and Dewent Living, over a 12 year career, Emma then pursued her passion and interest in coaching and completed a certificate in Life Coaching in 2009 and a PG Diploma in Coaching and Mentoring at Sheffield Hallam University in 2014.

Emma believes in the power of coaching and the impact it can have. Helping women to define what matters to them, how they would like their work lives to look and supporting them to make positive changes is what inspires her.

Emma understands the challenges women feel juggling a career and a family. Alongside the stories she hears from friends, and clients about how they find it difficult too, this drives her on and fuels her desire to make a difference.

Work Life Discovery Workshops

The next Work Life Discovery workshop is on Wednesday 7th October 2015 and the next one is Thursday 12th November 2015 in Sheffield. Bookings made via Emma and Jenny on info@womentowork.co.uk

Delegates will receive the following benefits from attending:-

  • Your values and purpose – an understanding of what you value most and what motivates you in work and life
  • Your personal strengths profile – a summary of your key strengths and areas for development
  • Your definition of a realistic work life balance that suits your lifestyle needs
  • A vision of your future ideal work / life
  • The start of an action plan to achieve this vision

For further information:

Contact:

Lucinda White, Pure Awards Creative 07900 571189 / info@pureawardscreative.com

Emma Shute, Women to Work, 07881 645738, emma@womentowork.co.uk

Jenny Pollock, Women to Work, 07739 096963, jenny@womentowork.co.uk

Website:               www.womentowork.co.uk

Twitter:                  @womentowork