Mums in Tech ft. Rachel McConnell
As part of our ‘Mums in Tech’ series, we caught up with Design Leader and Author Rachel McConnell.
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?
After spending the last decade leading teams in tech, I was most recently a senior design manager at OVO. Before that, I led the design team at Flo, a women’s health app. I’ve also spent time in design ops, building and leading content design teams, as consulting as a content strategist. My most recent role came to an end in June, so since then I’ve been seeking a new one. The market is pretty tough right now!
How do you find a balance between your career and motherhood?
My kids are a little older these days (15 and 17) so they’ve become a bit more independent, but I still have to drop them to school or pick them up most days. In the early days balancing childcare, school hours, and breakfast clubs and commutes was not fun. If one thing went wrong, it all came crashing down. At least now they can hang out with friends or go to the gym when I’m running late. As a single parent who has my kids in the week, I’m often responsible for the school open evenings, doctors appointments, school shows and sports days etc. Luckily I’ve had quite flexible employers and have been able to mostly juggle things.
What has been your greatest challenge as a working mother in tech?
In the earlier days, not many of my colleagues had kids, and therefore when I left work at 5 on the dot, it was often tough for people to realise I wasn’t just sloping off early. I’ve also often worked evenings, once the kids are in bed, to make up time. In one role I worked a 4-day week, which inevitably turned into five days’ work crammed into four, but with 20% less pay, so in my next role I asked for condensed hours instead.
What skills have you developed as a mother that have helped your work life?
Multitasking, but also resilience and a sense of perspective. In many ways, managing a team is like parenting too, you want to be there to help people do their best work, but need to find the balance between supporting them and letting them find their own way.
“In many ways, managing a team is like parenting too, you want to be there to help people do their best work, but need to find the balance between supporting them and letting them find their own way.”
When you were returning to work, what one thing helped you / would have helped you the most?
When I went back to work after mat leave, my company realised it had mistakenly paid me full maternity pay. It spent the next year deducting what they’d paid me in error from my salary. On top of childcare costs I was left with nothing. I only persevered because I didn’t want my career to suffer even further. It would have helped me hugely if that hadn’t happened! There’s also never enough annual leave to cover school holidays. They present a whole world of pain, especially when you can’t afford extra childcare.
What do you feel should be the top priority for employers who want to support working mothers better?
It’s clear that women’s careers do suffer when they take time out – I feel years behind my male peers even now, and I don’t know what can be done about that, but perhaps some programmes that can accelerate women who’ve been out for a year would be really helpful.
“Keep at it, it does get easier as your kids get older! And don’t be afraid to ask for condensed hours instead of part-time…”
Any final words of advice for other mothers in the Tech Industry?
Keep at it, it does get easier as your kids get older! And don’t be afraid to ask for condensed hours instead of part-time…as you’ll mostly end up working more hours than you get paid for anyway.
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