Mums in Tech ft. Katie Williams
As part of our ‘Mums in Tech’ series, we caught up with Katie Williams, Client Partner at Zoonou, one of the UK’s leading software testing companies.
The purpose of our 'MotherBoard’ content series is to highlight incredible working mums within tech & data, as well as individuals and businesses that are supportive and progressive within their approach to creating more inclusive tech & data teams for women.
Firstly, can you please introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your current role?
My name is Katie and I am a Client Partner at Zoonou. My role is to manage relationships with new and existing clients and understand their company’s goals and software testing roadmap. This includes meeting with stakeholders to discuss their requirements and working with technical teams to provide tailored testing solutions for software, whether that be for long term or adhoc functional and QA support, automation, accessibility testing, performance and load testing or penetration and security testing..
If you could sum up what it’s like being a working mum in tech in one sentence, what would it be?
Change is the only constant and being a part of that change is exciting and incredibly rewarding, but it does come with its challenges.
In the tech industry the world is always evolving - new and exciting technologies or ways of working emerge all the time, guidelines and regulations evolve and requirements change off the back of those, and it’s about keeping up with that change. This is the same as being a mum, just when you think you are settled into one routine, something shifts that means you need to adapt, problem solve and change with it. It can feel overwhelming at times, but for the most part each change is a step forwards and it’s amazing to be a part of.
“It can be challenging to make sure you don’t burn yourself out by trying to fit too much in or feel you need to be doing as much as those working full time to pull your weight as part of the team.”
How do you find the balance between your career and motherhood?
Some weeks I feel like superwoman and that I am invincible – everything goes smoothly, and I feel like I’m on top of everything. Other weeks, I feel I have so much I am trying to remember and keep on top of that my brain feels like I can’t keep up and I have a fear that I am going to forget something important, either at home or at work. For me, the way I balance this as best I can, is to be as organised as possible. At work this includes: a to-do list that I can check off with everything and anything that needs to be done, using spreadsheets to keep track of work and putting absolutely everything in my calendar so I know that I will get a reminder and don’t need to remember to do it (such as scheduling times to prepare a proposal).
At home, it’s about: meal planning, batch cooking, having a bag of essentials in the car to minimise what I need to take with me/remember for childcare, having a family calendar of who is going to be where and when and setting boundaries for myself and my daughter. I find that if I can minimise the things I need to ‘remember’ I feel calmer and have the mental capacity to better manage the day to day.
I also have Friday’s off work with my daughter and I love this time with her. I feel it is so important to give her my time and enjoy making those memories with her and having that day a week that is just for us, means that I feel less guilty about being away from her and working while feeling I’m not missing out on her toddlerhood. Having set childcare throughout the week means that I can be present when at work and allows me to switch off at the end of the working day and be present as a mum in the evenings and on my days off with her.
What has been your greatest challenge as a working mother in tech?
On the whole, in the world of tech, everything is so fast paced and certainly in my role, it can feel like you need to go 100 mph just to keep up. This fast pace is brilliant as it means the industry is energetic, dynamic and exciting, but at times it can feel relentless and that is hard generally, but harder when you are sleep deprived. It can be challenging to make sure you don’t burn yourself out by trying to fit too much in or feel you need to be doing as much as those working full time to pull your weight as part of the team.
“I am so much more confident in drawing lines and setting boundaries for myself and being an advocate for myself and others.”
What skills have you developed as a mother that have helped your work life?
I feel there are so many skills that I’ve developed or refined being a mother that I have brought into my working life:
Setting boundaries – I am so much more confident in drawing lines and setting boundaries for myself and being an advocate for myself and others. This has been really impactful on my mental wellbeing and though it can be hard at times, the result is always that I feel more comfortable, empowered and able to control the chaos. We can’t ‘do it all’ and recognising that, and setting boundaries is so important for my mental health and I feel allows me to be a better mum.
Organisation – as I’ve said above, this is key for me! I feel I have become a wizard at organising myself to ensure that I keep on top of everything both at home and at work.
Flexibility – being able to adapt to the changing landscape and be more accepting of that has allowed me to be more open and adventurous both at home and at work.
Problem solving – every day as mums we solve problems and come up with solutions, and for me this is integral to my role in supporting clients. I feel I have a stronger ability to find a resolution, and have more empathy with my clients needs.
Negotiation – whether working with clients or telling my toddler that it’s time to get dressed or put her shoes on - negotiation is part of the everyday. Having a toddler who continuously says no or tries to negotiate another episode of Bluey or another snack, I have learnt to pick my battles and focus on what is important to the bigger picture. I ask myself – what is the impact of saying no vs saying yes? How will my reaction in this situation lead to a positive outcome for all involved?
When you were returning to work, what one thing helped you / would have helped you the most?
The people I had around me, both at work and at home. Having a solid support network makes such a difference. Knowing that my daughter was well looked after and having the support from my colleagues to transition back to work made the whole process so much easier. I came back to a team who support each other and was introduced to a new company initiative, being led by other working parents, where we have parent buddies within the company. Having someone you can talk to who understands what being a parent is like, has probably been up since 3am with you or has been through it before and can provide reassurances, is invaluable.
“I think it is key for working mums to feel that their choice to become a mum does not come at a sacrifice to their career or progression”
What do you feel should be the top priority for employers who want to support working mothers better?
I feel very fortunate that my company are really supportive and have been of my motherhood journey right from the start. I had two losses before being blessed with my daughter, having to have surgery as management for both, and my pregnancy with my daughter was riddled with anxiety as a result. My company were amazing at supporting me through this whole journey, from giving me the time and space I needed to recover and process the losses, to creating a safe space to be able to talk about my pregnancies, emotions and anxieties, and working with me to ensure I had a smooth and successful return to work following my maternity leave. For many, motherhood starts way before we actually have our children and we should feel that we can have an open conversation with our employers about this, without feeling it will negatively impact our career, progression opportunities or how we are ‘viewed’ in the workspace. I am fortunate to have had that support and I think this is something that employers should view as a top priority – creating a safe space for women and mothers both pre and post having a baby.
Flexibility is also key – having the ability to work four days and have an allowance of time for childcare needs, means that I can balance being a working mum and a present parent. I feel this has changed in recent years. My mum was a working mum in tech and due to work commitments she was unable to work part time and was always travelling, so was out early and back late and it was simply not possible for her, at that time, to have that flexibility. I feel there has been a really positive change in this in recent times, and one that should continue to be a top priority for employers.
Finally, career progression plans for working mums. Personally, I want to show my daughter that you can have a successful career and be a present, engaged mum who is there for all the important milestones and more. I think it is key for working mums to feel that their choice to become a mum does not come at a sacrifice to their career or progression and I think this is another key factor that employers should make a priority for mums – supported, achievable and ambitious opportunities to be successful, with clear progression plans that work in line with their role as a working mum.
Any final words of advice for other mothers in the Tech Industry?
Celebrating the small wins is so important. We can often get so caught up in the end product/milestones, both as mums or at work, and it is so important to remember that every step is so important and to celebrate it. We put some much of ourselves into our everyday, both as mums and employees and its important to recognise the successes of each day and focus on what we have achieved, not beat ourselves up about what we feel we could have done better. By turning up, giving our best (whatever our best is for that day) and feeling proud of how we are managing the balance between work and motherhood, we are winning!
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