According to the Modern Families Index 2024, this year saw an unexpected drop in the number of working parents who felt their employer is supportive of family, with only 72% feeling confident that their employer will take account of family responsibilities and treat them fairly.
Even less than this - just 65% - reported feeling their organisation cares about their work and home balance, and it’s clear that the unrealistic expectation to effortlessly juggle is still prevalent in today’s society.
All too often, working parents, and working mothers in particular, feel the need to say ‘yes’ to everything, in order to demonstrate their proficiency and prove their worth in the workplace, but this is a sure-fire path to self-destruction. And with over a quarter of the UK workforce concerned about burnout, we believe that more employers need to start leading with empathy and fostering an environment where working parents can feel safe to say no. But for many, knowing where to start can be daunting.
Fliss believes that defining - and maintaining - clear boundaries at work (and home) is crucial in avoiding burnout. And that the key to doing so lies in managing expectations through clear, confident, and compelling communications:
“I’m on a mission to shift the narrative,” she explained. “Saying ‘no’ absolutely and completely is a full sentence – and it should not be a word forbidden from our vocabulary. Standing in your power and exerting your boundaries allows you to advocate for what you need in order to be successful, productive, and efficient.
“And don’t forget that feeling empowered to say no can enable you to say yes to another request, or give your all to other existing projects or priorities. Or, quite simply, it can allow you to refuse something that doesn’t deserve your time and attention, or that isn’t aligned with your focus or values right now.
“But remember, the way that you frame it is important. Because if you say ‘no’ and then provide justification, this tells the other party that there’s an obstacle standing in your way, and they will try and ‘help’ you remove that. Instead, calmly and politely (but unequivocally) decline.
“If you’d like more insights to deliver your own ‘no’ effectively, our blog:
The Need to Say No offers valuable insights on the type of language to use for optimum impact.
“For me, recognising the need to define clear boundaries was one of my biggest breakthrough moments as a working mum. As somebody who runs two thriving businesses and is an associate of another, stands as a school Governor and a NED on two other Boards, and is a fully-involved mum of two young children with an exciting family life, I’m certainly busy in every sense of the word. But I’m also a firm believer that women should feel empowered to be able to excel in their careers and be fully present when spending time with their families.”
Passionate about sharing these communication insights more widely, Fliss was delighted to be invited by Nicky Lowe, Leadership and Executive Coach and Founder of
Wisdom for Working Mums, to contribute to her dedicated
Biggest Working Mother Breakthrough Guide.
In it, Fliss shares how she created a clear and structured framework for success, which allows her to filter all decision-making, maintain balance in all aspects of her life, and allow her to be really present in every role she possesses. You can download the Guide, packed with behind-the-scenes insights from Fliss and other personally-selected successful professional women,
here.
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