HeyFlow

My first time at the House of Commons yesterday, and what an event to be part of! Great to see parliamentarians, policymakers, and organisations come together to discuss the critical need to prioritise women's reproductive health in the workplace. One key takeaway for me: If we’re serious about closing gender gaps in the workplace, we must consider the whole female reproductive lifecycle, not just the current 'trending topics'. So how do we get there? The CIPD and Society of Occupational Medicine are calling on the government to: 🩸 Launch a review of women’s & reproductive health in the workplace 💥 Develop a high profile campaign to motivate and give confidence to employers to improve practices 🤍 Widen access to occupational health services for those in & out of work This isn't a 'women's problem'. It is a BUSINESS problem and it's an ECOMONIC problem. Unemployment due to menopause symptoms alone results in a £1.5 billion annual loss, with around 60,000 women affected. Fascinating to hear from the speakers: Carolyn Harris, Sarah Owen MP, Mims Davies MP for East Grinstead, Uckfield and villages Rick Lee, Nick Pahl Rachel Suff. Great to see familiar faces Kate Thompson and Lee Chambers. And to connect with new people Elizabeth Bachrad, Amy McKeown, Clio Dawkins. #HelpWomenThrive

Calling all Bristol/ South West based early-stage female founders! Next week MotherBoard | Charter, Events & Community will be hosting an in-person event in partnership with Burges Salmon LLP. This is a great opportunity to network, but also to hear from legal experts on the stuff we all need to know. ✅ Employment & Incentives – Building the right team and structuring incentives for success. ✅ IP & Brand – Protecting your ideas and strengthening your brand. ✅ Fundraising – What you need to know for raising investment. ✅ Culture & Growth – Scaling your business while building an authentic culture. ✅ Tech & Data – building your tech stack, contracting with software providers and navigating the data protection legislation. You might only be at ideation stage, or a little further on, we would love to have you! _________________________________________________________________________________ Please share, like, comment, tag people you think might want to attend. https://lnkd.in/eR9H4c6V

Policies aren’t just a tick-box exercise—or an opportunity to score kudos on LinkedIn. 💡 What truly matters is how people feel when they need support. A well-worded policy on paper means nothing if the culture around it doesn’t match. Here’s the reality: 💬 A period policy that says “work from home if you need” doesn’t help if you’re still expected in the office on a core day. Because pain doesn’t check the schedule. 💼 A fertility policy isn’t truly supportive if using it comes with the fear of being overlooked for that promotion. 🤰 A parental leave policy might sound amazing, but what good is it if you can’t even see the details without an awkward conversation with HR? Policies are promises. But culture is where those promises are kept—or broken. 🌟 Flexibility isn’t just an option—it’s about trust. 🌟 Support isn’t just a buzzword—it’s creating a space where people feel safe to ask for what they need without judgment or consequence. 🌟 Transparency isn’t just a policy document - it’s access, clarity, and open dialogue. So, ask yourself: does your workplace culture live up to the words on the page? Because people will always remember how they felt more than what they read. 🛠 Let’s build cultures that don’t just rely on policies - but truly support people. HeyFlow Policy Guides: https://lnkd.in/g5iJa5yV

Statutory maternity pay in the UK: £184.03 a week for just 26 weeks. Let that sink in. Maternity leave isn’t just a legal requirement—it’s a lifeline for working families, a test of business values, and a reality check for what support looks like in today’s workplace. 💡 This is why forward-thinking employers must do better: 🌟 Offer meaningful maternity pay beyond the bare minimum   🤰 Provide holistic support for pregnancy-related health and wellbeing   💼 Enable flexible, family-friendly working arrangements 💡 Understand the real-world cost of undervaluing parental leave Investing in a robust maternity policy doesn’t just support your team—it drives: 📈 Improved retention and loyalty from your top talent   💬 A culture that champions equity and inclusion   🌍 Progress in closing the gender pay gap 💔 Because £184.03 isn’t enough to live on—and employees shouldn’t have to choose between starting a family and keeping the lights on. 📖 Want to raise the bar? Build policies that look after your employees when they need it the most. HeyFlow’s Maternity Leave Policy Guide: https://lnkd.in/daZNd623 

Menopause affects over half of the workforce at some point in their careers—but too many workplaces still ignore it. It’s not just a personal issue; it’s a workplace one. HeyFlow’s Menopause Policy Guide is here to help: ✅ Understand how menopause impacts work and well-being  💡 Ensure managers understand how to support someone going through the menopause   🌟 Offer support through flexible work arrangements and practical adjustments  🤝 Build a workplace culture that respects all life stages 💡 The results? 💼 Better retention of experienced talent  💬 A more inclusive and supportive workplace culture  🌍 Real progress in breaking down workplace stigma 📖 Ready to make menopause a part of the conversation? Read the full guide here: https://lnkd.in/e2phSSKQ 

Did you know? 58% of women say period health impacts their ability to work—but only a fraction of workplaces address it. 🩸 (HeyFlow data) Our Period Policy Guide is a game-changer. ✅ Break down taboos with an open and supportive approach  🌟 Explore practical options like flexible work and period leave policies  🤝 Show your commitment to real employee well-being 💡 Businesses with strong period policies see real benefits:  💼 Higher retention rates among women  💬 Improved workplace satisfaction and engagement  🌍 A step closer to true equality in the workplace 📖 Ready to make a difference? Discover how in the full guide:   https://lnkd.in/eJrxBbVq 

Maternity leave isn’t just a compliance box to tick—it’s a make-or-break factor in attracting, retaining, and supporting your top female talent. 💡 HeyFlow’s Maternity Leave Policy Guide is here to help your business do better:  🌟 Set the bar with the best maternity pay the business can afford  🤰 Tailor support for pregnancy-related health needs  💼 Embrace flexible options that fit modern families 💡 Forward-thinking companies know the ROI of a great maternity leave policy: 📈 Boosted employee satisfaction and loyalty  💬 A workplace culture that values people first  🌍 Real impact on closing the gender pay gap 📖 Ready to set the standard? Dive into the full guide: https://lnkd.in/daZNd623 

👶 It’s 2025, and yet, so many workplaces are still lagging behind in offering truly supportive paternity leave policies. It’s not just about ticking a box—it’s about creating a culture that champions equality, retention, and work-life balance. HeyFlow's Paternity Leave Policy Guide breaks it all down: ✅ Beyond the basics: Support that exceeds statutory minimums  ✅ Flexible leave structures for modern families  ✅ Miscarriage support: addressing the topics too often overlooked 💡 Companies that invest in better paternity leave policies see a real impact: 📈 Higher employee retention 🌟 Improved engagement  💬 And a workplace culture people want to brag about 📖 Ready to see how it’s done? Read the full guide here: https://lnkd.in/dcsPmhGT 

Even in the most forward-thinking companies with progressive policies, there can often be a gap between policy and employees’ day-to-day experiences. When policies aren’t embedded in the company culture, and managers aren’t equipped to implement them effectively, progressive policies can sometimes cause more frustration than benefit. It’s like seeing what’s possible but feeling it’s just out of reach—and that can be discouraging. HeyFlow and MotherBoard | Charter, Events & Community joined forces to launch the "The Reality of Mums in Tech": a state-of-the-nation research project.  Full results:  https://lnkd.in/dHfZsFQR    The ‘Realities of Mums in Tech’ is an open and ongoing project and if you would like to contribute your story, you can today: https://lnkd.in/djEfJmDB   

In January 2024, HeyFlow and MotherBoard | Charter, Events & Community joined forces to launch the "The Reality of Mums in Tech": a state-of-the-nation research project.  Though some of the findings could seem like a bleak picture, there is plenty that can be done to create change: 💥 Run management training in succession planning, communication on leave and effective return to work.  💥 Create formal re-training plans for returners in all roles and on all seniority levels   💥 Rethinking roles into being more adaptable for part-time and job share options  💥 Encourage Mums in Tech to connect with others as part of the MotherBoard Community  💥 Adding your perspective to the study so that we can build a growing robust set of data to bring to the government. Share your story here: https://lnkd.in/djEfJmDB  💥 Join the MotherBoard Charter and pledge your commitment while gaining access to exclusive training and guides to help you become a more inclusive employer for mothers and parents.  💥 Consider the wider impact of reproductive health and run a HeyFlow employee insight project within your organisation to understand your workforce better.      Full results:  https://lnkd.in/dHfZsFQR