Mums in Tech ft. Polly Waines
As part of our ‘Mums in Tech’ series, we caught up with Polly Waines, Marketing Strategist, Senior Manager at PwC.
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?
Hi, I’m Polly. I live in Bristol with my husband and our (almost) 3-year-old son, Freddie. We’ve worked hard on making a (pretty much derelict) house a home over the last 5 years, alongside getting to know the community where we live and enjoying Bristol’s restaurants, neighbourhoods, and surrounding countryside.
A little under 18 months ago I hung up my hat as Head of Strategy at a local CRM agency and moved to a consulting role at a “Big 4” professional services firm. My team – Customer Led Transformation – supports clients in their ambitions to deliver best-in class experiences across sales, service and marketing.
I can safely say that no two weeks are the same. Consultancy requires you to work across a number of functions: business development, project management, account management, thought leadership and commercials etc. This means that, depending on how a project I am working on is maturing, I often span a number of “roles” to deliver outcomes for our clients. I work with a large network of inspiring people and have the chance to lean into a variety of problem statements, sectors and industries.
If you could sum up what it’s like being a working mum in tech in one sentence, what would it be?
Living inside - and actively experiencing - two parts of a dichotomy, on a daily basis!
“The tension is ever-present and ‘the juggle is real’. So, mums have to get to a place where to two can co-exist, and the pushes and pulls don’t feel extreme. ”
How do you find the balance between your career and motherhood?
Before I became a parent, I was warned that the guilt would be constant and that I’d either be feeling guilt that I wasn’t giving my child enough attention, or guilt that my work was encroaching on family life. It’s true, the tension is ever-present and “the juggle is real”. So, mums have to get to a place where to two can co-exist, and the pushes and pulls don’t feel extreme.
When work is taking centre stage a little more than planned, I remind myself that my career is building a better life for my son and feel some pride in that. And when it’s family time, we properly “switch off” and enjoy new experiences all together (nothing says #balance more than a day out at a miniature railway after a busy week on a RfP!).
What has been your greatest challenge as a working mother in tech?
Possibly, its knowing when to stop. I have a “hard” deadline everyday when my son comes home from nursery and the bath and bed routine takes hold. This means that the old days of staying late in the office to get everything done is a distant memory and I instead find myself back at the laptop much later at night than I was previously used to. This can feel quite productive, as the instant messages die down and it’s a quiet time to be working, but working additional hours into the night is not sustainable on a daily basis.
There are also days that are difficult logistically. Every parent out there will know the feeling of having to navigate the demands of work with a sick child at home. It’s a badge of honour we all earn.
“ My son has given me a new perspective and I think it’s helped me be more direct and solution-focused at work. I watch his micro-developmental changes happen and see how he’s using new words to construct sentences and I think, if he can do that in a week, what can I achieve? ”
What skills have you developed as a mother that have helped your work life?
Conflict resolution! Haha, no, in all honestly, I truly feel pretty empowered by how motherhood has impacted my work. My son has given me a new perspective and I think it’s helped me be more direct and solution-focused at work. I watch his micro-developmental changes happen and see how he’s using new words to construct sentences and I think, if he can do that in a week, what can I achieve?
When you were returning to work, what one thing helped you / would have helped you the most?
I think every returning parent dreams of a soft landing. While it’s quite invigorating to remember your “other job” and get stuck in after parental leave, it’s also quite overwhelming to learn how much has changed during your time away (particularly in tech!) and to navigate a new world that was once familiar, especially when a good night’s sleep is no longer a guarantee. So yes, some sort of formalised “welcome back” period, including pre-scheduled meetings with key colleagues to update you on changes and developments before the hard launch into project work would go a long way for a lot of returning parents, I think.
“Everyone has their own ways and I think because of this, 99% of parenting advice is unsolicited. I would, however, say to the mums of tomorrow that a career in tech is absolutely something that can be done, happily, alongside raising a family. I’m proud to be part of a growing and visible community. ”
What do you feel should be the top priority for employers who want to support working mothers better?
For me, its all about empowerment and flexibility. Give working mums the licence to make decisions concerning time allocation and working location(s) that are the best fit for their workload and their family life.
I’m also going to fly the flag for paternity leave. I think one way to really support working mums is to treat both parents equally as soon as a child is welcomed into a family. Shared Parental Leave is a great initiative but it does not cover you financially, leaving many families unable to take advantage of it. It’s a surprise to me how much maternity and paternity policies can still differ in 2024.
Any final words of advice for other mothers in the Tech Industry?
This is a hard one to answer as everyone has their own ways and I think because of this, 99% of parenting advice is unsolicited. I would, however, say to the mums of tomorrow that a career in tech is absolutely something that can be done, happily, alongside raising a family. I’m proud to be part of a growing and visible community.
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