Pregnant Then Screwed, the Manchester-based pressure group that campaigns to end maternity discrimination, is to hold an employers event in Manchester on 5th December, in partnership with Gorvins solicitors. Known for its sell-out live events for working mothers, the group have recently launched a training division called Gendering Change, to support employers in retaining female talent.
Gendering Change was launched on the back of research carried out by Pregnant Then Screwed and HR Magazine into the treatment of pregnant and returning mums in the workplace – some 44% of HR Magazine’s readers admitted they’ve observed pregnant women and returning mums not being treated well.
Building on its years of frontline campaign work, Pregnant Then Screwed, have designed workshops that will help employers retain, enhance and support parents in the workplace. The first of these workshops will be held in Manchester on 5th December and is specially designed to support employers in knowing their legal obligations around returning parents.
All profit generated from the Gendering Change programme will help fund the range of Pregnant Then Screwed support services for women who experience discrimination alongside the group’s campaign work to create long-term systemic change.
Commenting on the launch, Joeli Brearley, founder of Pregnant Then Screwed, said: “We know that employers want to do more to support working parents. Gendering Change uses our specialist first-hand knowledge as a campaign group to support employers in achieving this. Not only will our workshops help to make a difference to the lives of their own employees, but because Gendering Change funds our support services, these companies are also helping to support other parents outside of their organisation.”
The full results from the research of some 169 of HR Magazine’s readers, who are CEO’s, directors, HR managers and executives, reveals:
- 44% admit they find flexibility requests challenging and struggle to meet them
- 29% admit they don’t know what the right conversations are to have with mums before and after maternity leave
- 18% admit they have seen mums pushed out of their jobs by management
- 1 in 10 know at least one returning mum who has signed an NDA following a pay-off to leave the company
Alison Hay, Delivery Manager at Gendering Change, said: “Gendering Change workshops and courses will help companies overcome implicit bias, support employers that want to implement or expand flexible working and job shares, and reinforce the business reasons for doing so. We will also help companies develop skills and practical tools to support parents returning to work after a period of leave, and ensure organisations understand their legal obligations towards pregnant women and parents. Our workshops are inspired by the knowledge we have gathered through our work with pregnant women, new mums and companies across the UK, and are delivered by experts in the field’
