Karren Brady’s career advice on dealing with your boss as a working mother
APPRENTICE star and West Ham United vice-chair Karren Brady answers your careers questions and meets an inspirational CEO.
Here she gives a reader advice on how a working mother can deal with a boss who isn't understanding about taking time off due to illness.
Q: I’m a single mum to two primary-school-age kids and work in retail. Recently, I’ve had to take time off when the children, and then I, got Covid.
During the three weeks I wasn’t able to work, I received two calls from my manager putting huge pressure on me to come back the following day, even though
I had to look after my children and was still testing positive myself, so I refused. Ever since, my manager has made my life difficult, giving me shifts he knows I can’t do because of childcare, and making comments about people slacking and using Covid as an excuse – though never directly accusing me. It’s making me so miserable.
Laura, via email
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A) “Working mother” is a title to be proud of, but it certainly isn’t an easy one. Juggling home responsibilities with changing shift patterns must make things even more difficult.
If your manager is still giving you a hard time for having to take time off due to Covid then you need to have a polite, but firm, private conversation.
Tell him you’re pleased to be back at work. Remind him of your (hopefully) excellent attendance record before Covid hit your family, and that you apologise for the inconvenience it caused him.
Say that the shifts you used to be on were much more suitable than the ones he’s offering you now and ask if they can be reinstated.
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Remind him that on the old shift pattern you were very reliable and hard-working, so you will both benefit from this.
Making sly comments about someone is cowardly, so hopefully, if you deal with it in an upfront and professional manner, your boss will realise he needs to do the same.
- Got a careers question for Karren? Email [email protected].
A day in the life of...
Tash Grossman, 25, is the CEO and founder of mobile app Slip, a digital receipt and data solution software business. She lives in north London with her boyfriend Alex, 29, an enterprise software executive.
I wake up at… 7am. Most mornings I do a half-hour workout at a gym that’s two minutes away from my Baker Street office, which puts me in a great mental state for the day.
After a quick shower, I am at my desk for around 8am.
A normal day involves… Clearing my inbox, then having a team huddle. Our app goes live this summer, so we’re currently very goal-focused and, rather than reeling off each other’s to-do lists, we ask ourselves: “How will I move the business forward this week?”
I encourage a speaking-up culture. As an early-stage start-up, no idea is a stupid one and we’re very collaborative, working side by side.
My primary responsibility is sales and commercial partnerships, which includes pitching for business, chatting with new retail clients and creating our market strategy.
If I’m not having a sandwich with my team, I have lunch with clients and investors. I’m enjoying the return of face-to-face meetings – you get real value from reading body language.
I use social media for my personal branding, often posting industry opinions on LinkedIn. As a female founder in tech, it feels good to inspire others.
I was initially insecure about my age – I worried people would assume I was too young to start a company – but my confidence has grown since hearing positive feedback. Now I own my age.
The best part of my job is… Feeling like I’m doing what I was put into the world to do – start my own business.
It began from a light-bulb moment when I was returning a pair of faulty trousers in 2020.
I’d lost my receipt and was told I couldn’t have a refund. In our digital era, I couldn’t believe that we still rely on paper receipts.
And the worst… I’m not a very chilled person and I struggle to switch off.
I wind down by… Trying not to look at my laptop after 7pm.
If I’m not at a networking event or client dinner, I make a healthy meal and I’m in bed by 10pm.
I’m so unproductive if I’m tired!
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Be a boss
Bossing It is Fabulous’ series about ordinary women who have launched incredible businesses.
It aims to inspire other women and show that if these ladies can do it, so can you!
Read more at mcb777.site/topic/bossing-it.
Compiled by: Claire Frost & Gemma Calvert
Karren cannot answer emails personally. Content is intended as general guidance only and does not constitute legal advice.