How to Smash the Motherhood Penalty

Ep 5: Books and Podcasts That Emma Recommends | It’s Good to Talk Summer Edition

Tue, 27 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +1300

Happy Holidays and welcome to my Limited Edition Summer Series! This summer, I’m bringing you this limited-edition mini-series designed to help you reconnect with you. These episodes are all about reflection, self-leadership and setting yourself up for a year that feels intentional, not accidental.

In the final episode of the Summer Series, I close the series with a personal book roundup, sharing six books that deeply influenced my thinking, mindset, and growth in 2025.

Rather than a traditional book review, this episode is a reflective conversation about permission: permission to want more, to seek pleasure, to change, to let go, to lighten up, and to live a life that feels aligned.

I explain why each book resonated with me, how it connects to themes explored throughout the Summer Series, and what each one offers for anyone navigating change, leadership, parenting, identity, or self-belief.

From big thinkers like Glennon Doyle, Mel Robbins and Jacinda Ardern, to lighter reads that bring humour and perspective, this episode is an invitation to be intentional about what you consume. Because what you let in shapes how you think.

It’s a thoughtful, generous closing episode that reminds us: you are allowed to put yourself at the centre of your universe and you don’t have to do it alone.

Join the waitlist for Switch Up 2026!

Email me at emma@worksforeveryone.co.nz with the subject line “Switch Up 2026!” to join the waitlist. Can’t wait to see you there!

Resources:

· "Untamed" by Glennon Doyle

· "We Can Do Hard Things" book by Glennon Doyle, Abby Wambach and Amanda Doyle.

· "The Let Them Theory" by Mel Robbins

· "Femonomics. What data tells us about women's lives and how to get the most out of yours" by Corinne Low

· "Disappointing Affirmations" by Dave Tarnowski

· "The Next Day - Transitions, Change and Moving Forward" by Melinda French Gates

· "A Different Kind of Power" by Jacinda Ardern

· The Mel Robbins Podcast - The "Let Them" Theory Episode: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6Z2wR3WNIHlhJDELXNYcTi?si=1gFVS8GEQD2lFSsMHGluMw

· We Can Do Hard Things Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/0eFL5HJejQHZrdgAFdPnOm?si=36c8676145ca4868

Connect with Emma

This podcast was funded and created by Emma Mclean, the founder of Works for Everyone.

Emma Mclean is a mum of three and founder of Works for Everyone, a professional development business that partners with NZ's leading corporates to help them retain and grow their working parent talent. She does this through innovative leadership programmes, executive coaching and keynote speaking. She founded her business in 2019 following a 20-year career in corporate strategy where she experienced first-hand how hard it was to have a career and a family.

As an impatient optimist when it comes to system change, she launched her successful podcast “How to Smash the Motherhood Penalty” in 2023 where she talks to humans who are actively working to change the system that creates financial penalties that only mothers pay. And in 2024 she launched the first NZ Part Time Power List – to shine a light on those senior roles in NZ that are career building, not side stepping." To work with Emma or enquire about speaking – emma@worksforeveryone.co.nz www.worksforeveryone.co.nz https://www.instagram.com/worksforeveryone/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-mclean-9176217

Ep 4: Cultivating a mindset that supports you | It’s Good to Talk Summer Edition

Tue, 20 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +1300

In this episode, I dive into mindset. Why it matters, how it shapes our behaviour, and how we can take back control of the thoughts that quietly run the show.

Through personal stories from my corporate career and coaching practice, I illustrate how two people can experience the same situation in completely different ways, simply because of mindset. From assuming you’re about to be fired to believing you’re about to be promoted, I show how our internal narratives affect our confidence, energy, and outcomes.

This episode is especially for anyone stuck in the guilt loop: feeling bad for being at work when you “should” be home, or feeling bad for being home when you “should” be at work. I offer three practical, doable mindset tools you can start using immediately. No vision boards or toxic positivity required.

If you want to feel calmer, clearer, and more confident in how you show up at work and at home in 2026, this episode is for you.

Join the waitlist for Switch Up 2026!

Email me at emma@worksforeveryone.co.nz with the subject line “Switch Up 2026!” to join the waitlist. Can’t wait to see you there!

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

· Why mindset is a critical capability for modern working parents

· How your internal narrative shapes your confidence and behaviour

· A powerful story about fear, imposter syndrome, and reframing

· The invisible weight of guilt many parents carry at work

· Why we attach our self-worth to things we cannot control

· Three practical ways to cultivate a healthier, more intentional mindset

The 3 Mindset Tools I Share:

1. Swap “Sorry” for “Thank You” How changing your language can instantly shift guilt, energy, and confidence.

2. Use Full Stop Silence Why over-explaining undermines your needs and how saying less makes you stronger.

3. Believe the Good Stuff How to listen for positive feedback, use a brag book, and consciously surround yourself with people and content that lift you up.

Connect with Emma

This podcast was funded and created by Emma Mclean, the founder of Works for Everyone.

Ep 3: Lessons from starting your own business | It’s Good to Talk Summer Edition

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +1300

The third episode of the Summer Series brings together the themes of the series with a practical, honest conversation about starting something of your own. Particularly a business, side hustle, or new direction that’s been quietly sitting with you for a while.

I share my own journey from a successful corporate marketing career to entrepreneurship, coaching and speaking and what I’ve learned over the past six to seven years about building a sustainable business, without the hype, hustle culture, or “overnight success” myths.

This episode explores how to listen to your inner voice (your “whispers”), why jealousy can be a powerful clue to what you actually want, and the critical importance of solving problems that people are genuinely willing to pay for.

I talk about why getting messy in the problem matters more than rushing to a solution, how to articulate your idea clearly, and why you don’t need a website, business cards or perfection to begin, you just need to start.

It’s grounded, encouraging and full of lived experience, practical advice, and reassurance for anyone considering a new path in 2026.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

· Why your inner voice already knows what you want. You just need to hear it

· How jealousy can be a message from your future self

· The difference between a nice idea and a problem worth paying to solve

· Why clarity matters more than complexity when explaining your business

· The value of getting “messy” in the problem before locking in a solution

· What I learned by niching into working parents and corporate clients

· Why you don’t need a website, branding or business cards to begin

· How telling a clear personal story helps people understand your value

· Why consistency beats visibility and why social media likes don’t equal success

· The importance of accountability, community, and not doing it alone

Connect with Emma

This podcast was funded and created by Emma Mclean, the founder of Works for Everyone.

Emma Mclean is a mum of three and founder of Works for Everyone, a professional development business that partners with NZ's leading corporates to help them retain and

grow their working parent talent. She does this through innovative leadership programmes, executive coaching and keynote speaking. She founded her business in 2019 following a 20-year career in corporate strategy where she experienced first-hand how hard it was to have a career and a family.

Ep 2: How to change your life | It’s Good to Talk Summer Edition

Tue, 06 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +1300

In this episode, I explore change. Why we crave it, why we resist it, and how meaningful change actually happens.

Drawing on my own life transformation over the past five years, I share the pivotal moments that helped me radically reshape my career, health, relationships, and sense of self.

From writing my own obituary (yes, really), to confronting the question “What do you want?”, to learning how to hear my inner voice again after years of putting everyone else first, this episode is a compassionate guide for anyone who knows something needs to shift but doesn’t yet know what or how.

Rather than offering quick fixes or prescriptive answers, I invite you to slow down, remove distractions, try new things, and surround yourself with people who truly believe in you.

It’s an episode about trusting yourself, getting curious, and remembering that real change comes from listening inward, not outsourcing your life decisions to someone else.

If you’re standing at the edge of change, this conversation will meet you there.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

· Why change feels hard even when we know we need it

· My personal story of intentional life change over five years

· The powerful exercise of writing your own obituary (and why it works)

· What your 95-year-old self can teach you about what matters now

· The deceptively simple but life-changing question: “What do you want?”

· How I realised I’d lost touch with my own inner voice

· Why removing distractions is essential for clarity

· How doing different things creates different thoughts

· Why you can’t think your way into change. You have to act

· The role of coaching, therapy, and support during major life transitions

· Why believing people who believe in you can change everything

Connect with Emma

This podcast was funded and created by Emma Mclean, the founder of Works for Everyone.

EP 1: What Are You Proud Of? | It’s Good to Talk Summer Edition

Tue, 30 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +1300

Happy Holidays and welcome to my Limited Edition Summer Series! Over the next five weeks, I’ll be bringing you this limited-edition mini-series designed to help you reconnect with you. These episodes are all about reflection, self-leadership and setting yourself up for a year that feels intentional, not accidental.

Across the series, I’ll share tools I’ve used for years as an executive coach and working parent, along with some of my own personal stories and lessons. Think of it as your summer reset: gentle, grounding, spacious, and totally centred around what you want from 2026.

In this first episode of the Summer Series, I introduce you to The Gloria’s: a simple, energising, macro-level planning ritual I’ve used for the past five years to close out the old year and get intentional about the new one.

Part reflection exercise, part dance party, part coaching session, The Gloria’s is all about stepping back from the day-to-day noise and asking yourself the big questions:

· What am I proud of from this year?

· What did I learn about myself?

· What do I want to be proud of next year?

· And what’s my Word of the Year to guide me?

I walk you through the process step by step, sharing how I use music, movement, post-it notes, colour, and conversation to help this yearly ritual come alive and why doing it with a partner or friend can make it even more powerful.

You’ll finish this episode feeling clearer, lighter, and ready to create a one-page plan for 2026 that keeps you grounded and focused on what truly matters.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

What “The Gloria’s” is and how it became my annual reset ritual
Why reflecting on pride, lessons and intentions matters
How to create your own one-page plan for 2026
The power of movement and music in sparking clearer thinking
Why your “Word of the Year” works as an anchor for decision-making
How to turn insights into systems… not just goals
Why doing this exercise with a partner deepens clarity and accountability

Listen to Gloria by Laura Branigan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNEb2k_EmMg

Connect with Emma

This podcast was funded and created by Emma Mclean, the founder of Works for Everyone.

To work with Emma or enquire about speaking – emma@worksforeveryone.co.nz

www.worksforeveryone.co.nz

https://www.instagram.com/worksforeveryone/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-mclean-9176217/

It’s Good to Talk: Redefining Fatherhood and Success with Art Green

Thu, 04 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +1300

In this episode of It’s Good To Talk, I chat with Art Green, dad of three, entrepreneur, and one of New Zealand’s most recognisable modern fathers.

Art shares his journey from rural small-town kid to The Bachelor NZ, to building businesses, becoming a husband, and now raising three young children with his wife, Matilda.

But what makes this chat so powerful is Art’s vulnerability and intention as a parent. He speaks candidly about identity shifts, redefining success, the pressure men feel to earn, the struggle to let go of career expectations, and the mindset work required to be a truly present dad.

We dig into the realities of parenting in 2025, from mental load and gender roles, to finding time for yourself, decision fatigue, exercise as therapy, and the simple truth that everything is a phase.

This episode is validating, thoughtful, funny, and deeply human. A must-listen for any parent (mum or dad) trying to find their footing in the chaos of early family life.

We speak about:

· Art’s honest journey into fatherhood and why he’s redefining what success looks like

· How exercise, community and presence help him stay mentally healthy

· Why dads need space, support and permission to be active caregivers

· The ongoing challenge of balancing work, identity and family

· How shifting from “earning” to “parenting” changed Art’s mindset

· Gender roles: what’s changing, what isn’t, and why it still matters

· The realities of decision fatigue, sleep deprivation and the seasons of parenting

· Why grandparents, community and shared caregiving make all the difference

· The advice Art would give to the version of himself before kids (“Everything is a phase”)

Connect with Emma

This podcast was funded and created by Emma Mclean, the founder of Works for Everyone.

Georgie Dent: What Happens When We Support Parents Properly?

Fri, 28 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +1300

In this episode, I chat with Georgie Dent, one of Australia’s leading voices on gender equality, parental support, early childhood education, and the motherhood penalty. As CEO of The Parenthood, Georgie has spent years campaigning for a system that recognises, values, and properly supports the work of caregiving.

Georgie shares her own lived experience, from her early career as a lawyer and journalist, to navigating severe burnout, to becoming a fierce advocate for parents and families across Australia.

We unpack the structural drivers of the motherhood penalty, the economic impact of underfunded childcare systems, the cultural narratives that hold women back, and the practical policy changes that could transform families’ lives across Australasia.

If you care about gender equity, the future of work, or raising children in a society that genuinely supports families, this conversation is essential listening.

We speak about:

· Georgie’s journey from lawyer to journalist to national advocate

· The reality of burnout and why workplaces still misunderstand it

· How The Parenthood is driving major policy reform across Australia

· Why early childhood education should be treated as essential infrastructure

· How the motherhood penalty affects families economically, emotionally and generationally

· What governments must fix, and what businesses can do right now

· Why fathers and partners are a crucial part of the solution

· The cultural narratives that shame mothers (and how to rewrite them)

· Practical change parents can push for in their own workplaces and communities

Connect with Georgie

The Parenthood: https://www.theparenthood.org.au/

Connect with Emma

This podcast was funded and created by Emma Mclean, the founder of Works for Everyone.

It’s Good to Talk: Part-Time Leadership, Parenting and Policy, Inside the ANZ Whānau Network with Danielle Chew

Thu, 20 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +1300

In this episode of It’s Good To Talk, I chat to Danielle Chew, a senior leader at ANZ and co-chair of the ANZ Whānau Network, an employee-led group transforming the experience of working parents inside one of Aotearoa’s biggest organisations.

Danielle shares her personal story of navigating motherhood, senior leadership, part-time work, caring responsibilities, and the very real juggle so many parents face. She opens up about raising two young daughters, becoming a primary carer for her grandmother, and the moment she realised workplaces must change if parents are going to thrive.

Together, we unpack the realities of flexible work, parental leave, the “line manager lottery,” why dads need to be part of the conversation, and the huge role organisational culture plays in either empowering or burning out working parents.

It’s an honest, practical and uplifting episode for any parent trying to make work and life fit together and for any leader committed to doing better.

We speak about:

· How Danielle built a senior career at ANZ while working part-time

· The family and cultural experiences that fuelled her passion for supporting working parents

· Why she founded the ANZ Whānau Network and how it’s driving strategic change

· The barriers parents face inside large organisations and how to shift them

· The “line manager lottery” and why leadership capability matters more than policy

· Why parental leave for dads and secondary carers is essential for equity

· How flexible work, part-time roles and good job design keep women in the workforce

· Why most people are caregivers and why caregiving is not a niche issue

· The conversations every working parent needs to have with their partner, leader and themselves

Connect with Emma

This podcast was funded and created by Emma Mclean, the founder of Works for Everyone.

Michelle Allbon and Julia Bower: How Fractional Leadership Is Changing the Game

Thu, 13 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +1300

In this episode, I chat with Michelle Allbon and Julia Bower, the powerhouse duo behind The Fractional Directory, a progressive platform redefining what leadership and productivity look like in today’s world of work.

Michelle and Julia share the story of how they met as new mums in an antenatal class and went on to build a global business helping leaders and companies embrace fractional work, a model that challenges the outdated 40-hour work week and creates new opportunities for parents, women, and top-tier talent to work differently.

Together, they unpack the cultural and structural barriers holding companies back from embracing flexible leadership, how the Fractional Directory is driving change across New Zealand, Singapore and Australia, and why “part-time” should no longer mean “less than.”

This conversation is packed with insights on career reinvention, female leadership, systems change, and motherhood without compromise. It’s honest, smart, and deeply inspiring.

We speak about:

· How Michelle and Julia turned their shared frustration into a global startup

· What “fractional work” really means, and how it differs from part-time or consulting

· Why flexible leadership models are key to smashing the motherhood penalty

· The cultural and policy barriers stopping companies from adopting new ways of working

· How Singapore’s government is leading the charge with a national fractional hiring pilot

· Why “hours ≠ value”, and why we need to measure productivity by outcomes, not time

· How mothers can reclaim ambition, identity and financial power through new work models

Connect with Michelle and Julia Fractional directory: https://www.fractional.directory/ Follow Michelle on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelleallbon/ Follow Julia on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julialbower/

Connect with Emma

This podcast was funded and created by Emma Mclean, the founder of Works for Everyone.

year career in corporate strategy where she experienced first-hand how hard it was to have a career and a family.

It’s Good to Talk: Raising Kids and Running a Startup, The Truth About Balance with Renata Wiles

Thu, 06 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +1300

In this episode of It’s Good To Talk, I chat with Roam With Kids founder Renata Wiles to talk about the invisible work of parenting, financial fairness, and the conversations every couple needs to have before, during, and after becoming parents.

Renata shares how a lockdown pregnancy, one income, and the realities of raising two young kids inspired her to build Roam With Kids, an app helping parents find child-friendly cafés, playgrounds, walks and events across Aotearoa. But this episode goes much deeper than business.

We unpack everything from KiwiSaver gaps and shared finances to equitable partnerships, parenting mental load, and why every household needs a “coffee budget” for sanity and self-care. It’s an empowering, down-to-earth conversation that will leave parents feeling seen, validated, and ready to make small but mighty changes at home.

We speak about:

· How Renata turned her parenting experience into a thriving startup, Roam With Kids

· The KiwiSaver gap: why women fall behind financially during caregiving years, and how to fix it

· What an equal partnership really looks like at home

· How to talk about money, roles, and responsibilities with your partner

· The truth about starting your own business as a parent

· Why “the coffee budget” is essential for mental health

· How to raise kids who see equality modelled at home

Resources Discussed

Follow or connect with Sophie:

· Instagram: @roamwithkids, @renataroaming

· Website: https://roamwithkids.app/

Connect with Emma

This podcast was funded and created by Emma Mclean, the founder of Works for Everyone.

Nicola Raynes-Pene: How to Lead on Four Days a Week

Thu, 30 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +1300

In this episode, I chat with Nicola Raynes-Pene, Partner at KPMG, mother of three, and 2024 Part-Time Power Lister, about what it really takes to build a thriving senior-level career while working four days a week.

Nicola shares her story of burning out during the GFC, returning to Aotearoa, and reshaping her life and work rhythm to protect her health and her family. She opens up about how boundaries, allyship, and honesty with colleagues and clients have helped her succeed without sacrificing well-being.

We explore the deeper systems that fuel the motherhood penalty, from outdated attitudes to the language we use around “part-time” work, and what leaders, partners, and businesses can do to create a fairer, more inclusive workplace for all parents.

If you’ve ever wondered how to combine ambition and balance, this episode is proof that you can lead on your own terms and still be present for the people you love.

We speak about:

· How Nicola built a senior career on a four-day week without losing momentum

· The realities of burnout and why she re-engineered her career around health and family

· The importance of boundaries and clear communication with clients and teams

· Why authentic male allyship is key to smashing the motherhood penalty

· How KPMG’s paid parental-leave policy is driving real change for both parents

· Why we need to redefine “part-time” and design roles for all genders

Connect with Emma

This podcast was funded and created by Emma Mclean, the founder of Works for Everyone.

To work with Emma or enquire about speaking – emma@worksforeveryone.co.nz

www.worksforeveryone.co.nz

https://www.instagram.com/worksforeveryone/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-mclean-9176217/

It’s Good to Talk: Sharing the load with Josie from Play Based Pēpi

Thu, 23 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +1300

In this episode of It’s Good To Talk, I chat with Josie from Play Based Pēpi to talk about the very real journey of parenting, relationships, and rediscovering who you are after kids.

Josie unpacks conversations she and her husband have had around parenting their three children and the work that goes on inside and outside of the home.

She shares the challenges, the laughter, the love, and the growth that comes from being a team.

We explore the mental load, the invisible work that often goes unseen, and the importance of showing up for each other, even when life feels messy and chaotic.

This episode is a candid look behind the curtain of modern family life, where no one has it all figured out, but everyone’s trying their best.

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, underappreciated, or just needed reassurance that you’re not alone in this parenting gig, this one’s for you.

We speak about:

· How parenting can shift your sense of self and identity

· The emotional labour and invisible work behind family life

· What it really means to “share the load”

· Why communication and empathy matter more than ever

· How small moments of connection can rebuild a relationship

Resources Discussed

Follow or connect with Sophie:

· Instagram: @playbasedpepi

· Website: playbasedpepi.myshopify.com/

Connect with Emma

This podcast was funded and created by Emma Mclean, the founder of Works for Everyone.

As an impatient optimist when it comes to system change, she launched her successful podcast “How to Smash the Motherhood Penalty” in 2023 where she talks to humans who

are actively working to change the system that creates financial penalties that only mothers pay. And in 2024 she launched the first NZ Part Time Power List – to shine a light on those senior roles in NZ that are career building, not side stepping." To work with Emma or enquire about speaking – emma@worksforeveryone.co.nz www.worksforeveryone.co.nz https://www.instagram.com/worksforeveryone/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-mclean-9176217/

Jane Sweeney and Carolyn Kerr: How Anthem Built a People-First Agency

Thu, 16 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +1300

In this episode, I chat with Jane Sweeney and Carolyn Kerr, co-founders of Anthem, one of New Zealand’s leading communications and marketing agencies.

Together, they unpack how they’ve built a purpose-led, family-first workplace that challenges industry norms and how flexible, trust-based leadership can help smash the motherhood penalty for good.

Jane and Carolyn share candid stories from their own careers, from being leading women in PR to raising families while leading major campaigns, and reveal how Anthem became a model for modern, human-centred business.

They talk openly about flexibility that works for everyone (not just mothers), the part-time penalty, normalising men as caregivers, and why empathy and equity are key to building truly inclusive workplaces.

If you’re a business leader, parent, or advocate for workplace equality, this episode will inspire you to rethink how work can work for all.

We speak about:

· The founding story of Anthem and how Jane and Carolyn built a “no sweatshop” culture

· Why flexibility must go beyond gender and job titles

· How trust, transparency, and human connection drive performance and retention

· The unseen “part-time penalty” and how to challenge it

· Real-life examples of progressive policies, from phased returns and job shares to paw-ternity leave

· Practical advice for employers to support working parents (and all caregivers)

· The cultural shift needed to normalise men working part-time

· Why equitable pay, flexible roles, and open conversations matter more than ever

Connect with Emma

This podcast was funded and created by Emma Mclean, the founder of Works for Everyone.

To work with Emma or enquire about speaking – emma@worksforeveryone.co.nz

www.worksforeveryone.co.nz

https://www.instagram.com/worksforeveryone/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-mclean-9176217/

BONUS: Tāmati Rimene-Sproat: Thoughts On Becoming A Dad

Tue, 14 Oct 2025 07:00:00 +1300

Welcome to this bonus and unique episode where as part of the TVNZ documentary “The Motherhood Penalty TBC”, I interview Tāmati Rimene-Sproat. Well, in fact, Tāmati actually interviews me in advance of him becoming a first time dad. We talk about what his expectations are as he looks forward to becoming a dad, what kind of a dad he wants to be and he gets curious about how he might best support his partner. Tāmati shares his memories of how hard his Dad worked for his family and how that role model has influenced him along with how he might want to re-frame what success is in being a Dad.

Resources Discussed

https://www.tvnz.co.nz/shows/counting-the-beat

Connect with Emma

This podcast was funded and created by Emma Mclean, the founder of Works for Everyone.

To work with Emma or enquire about speaking – emma@worksforeveryone.co.nz

www.worksforeveryone.co.nz

https://www.instagram.com/worksforeveryone/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-mclean-9176217/

It’s Good to Talk: Why “Good Enough” Parenting Is More Than Enough – with Sophie Moskowitz

Thu, 09 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +1300

In this episode of It’s Good To Talk, I chat with Sophie Moskowitz, founder of Imperfect Parents, to unpack what it really means to parent in today’s world, without the pressure to be perfect.

Sophie shares how her experience as a mum of three and an early childhood teacher led her to create Imperfect Parents, an inclusive community offering antenatal classes, postnatal groups, and playgroups that focus on the well-being of parents, not just babies.

We explore the themes of equity at home, parental guilt, perfectionism, and the mental load of caregiving. We discuss how to share the load with partners, how to navigate returning to work, and why creating safe spaces for honest conversations can change everything for working parents.

From “maternal gatekeeping” to the myth of “baby brain,” Sophie offers a refreshing, compassionate take on modern parenting and the importance of building community around imperfection.

We speak about:

· Why “good enough” parenting is healthy for both parents and children

· How to navigate guilt, resentment, and perfectionism as a working parent

· The importance of shared caregiving and equitable partnerships

· How to advocate for yourself when returning to work after parental leave

· The power of inclusive parenting spaces and safe conversations

Resources Discussed

Follow or connect with Sophie: · Instagram: @imperfectparents.nz

Website: www.imperfectparents.co.nz/

You can also hear Sophie on the Why Do You Parent Like That? podcast, where she’s a regular contributor.

Connect with Emma

This podcast was funded and created by Emma Mclean, the founder of Works for Everyone.

Jane Wrightson: How Motherhood Impacts Your Retirement Savings

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +1300

In this episode, I chat with Jane Wrightson, New Zealand’s Retirement Commissioner, to unpack how motherhood impacts women’s long-term financial security.

Jane shares her personal experience of becoming a mother in the 1990s without paid parental leave and highlights how policies like KiwiSaver, superannuation, and workplace flexibility directly shape women’s financial futures.

From the gender pay gap to the retirement savings gap, she explains why even short breaks from the workforce have long-lasting effects, and what families, employers, and policymakers can do to change the system.

This candid conversation blends policy insights, practical advice, and big-picture thinking about how to value caregiving and create fairer systems for mothers in Aotearoa.

If you’ve ever wondered how career breaks, flexible work, and financial planning intersect with gender equity, this episode will give you both clarity and a call to action.

We speak about:

· Why the motherhood penalty shows up in retirement savings

· How KiwiSaver contributions (or the lack of them) compound over time

· The importance of agency and open conversations with employers, partners, and whānau

· What employers can do to reduce inequity and close the pay gap

· Why NZ Super is a feminist issue and what changes Jane believes would make a real difference

Connect with Emma

This podcast was funded and created by Emma Mclean, the founder of Works for Everyone.

It’s Good to Talk: Juggling Motherhood, Career, and the Mental Load with Emily Parks

Thu, 25 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +1300

In this episode of It’s Good To Talk, I chat with Emily Parks, marketing manager at the Dr. Libby Group and host of the Have It All podcast, about the realities of working parenthood, the messy middle of motherhood, and why honest conversations matter.

This candid conversation offers practical insights and gentle encouragement for parents navigating career, kids, and everything in between.

If you’ve ever felt like you should be doing it all, or wondered if anyone else feels the same, you’ll love this episode.

We speak about:

· The pressures of “having it all” and where those expectations come from

· Why outsourcing, flexibility, and systems at home can be game changers

· How the mental load affects women, even when partners share responsibilities

· The identity shift many parents experience after having children

· Why conversations with yourself are just as important as conversations with your partner, workplace, or community

Resources Discussed

· Listen to Have It All on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3JS44o7ZEUAdhgT73Xwkqz

Connect with Emma

This podcast was funded and created by Emma Mclean, the founder of Works for Everyone.

Stephanie Pow: Why Paid Partner Leave Could Change Everything

Thu, 18 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +1300

In this episode, I chat with Stephanie Pow, founder of Crayon, a startup on a mission to reduce financial stress in the moments that matter most. Crayon is best known for creating the New Zealand Parental Leave Register, which brings transparency to over 300 verified parental leave policies nationwide.

Stephanie shares the personal journey that inspired her to launch Crayon, and why even with a finance background, she found navigating the costs of parenthood unexpectedly challenging.

She explains how lack of transparency and support around parental leave can deepen the motherhood penalty and how better policies, planning and paid partner leave could change everything.

Stephanie also opens up about her own experience juggling entrepreneurship, parenting and the invisible mental load, and why she believes paid partner leave could be the single biggest lever to smash the motherhood penalty.

We speak about:

· The financial realities new parents face and why they’re often unprepared

· How the NZ Parental Leave Register works and why it’s changing the conversation

· The hidden pitfalls of clawback clauses and qualifying criteria

· Why return-to-work support and “returnships” matter

· The link between paid partner leave and closing the gender pay gap

· Practical steps employers can take to support parents and retain talent

Resources Discussed · https://www.gocrayon.com/ · https://nyupress.org/9781479835454/what-works-for-women-at-work/ · https://hbr.org/2021/09/the-problem-with-greedy-work

Connect with Emma

This podcast was funded and created by Emma Mclean, the founder of Works for Everyone.

It’s Good to Talk: Mental Load, Masculinity & The Power of Conversation with Aidan Kyrke-Smith

Thu, 11 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +1300

How often do dads get real about what’s going on in their heads?

In this episode, I sit down with Aidan Kyrke-Smith, founder of Dadventure, to unpack the often-unspoken world of fatherhood, masculinity, and the invisible mental load that dads carry.

From late-night worries to guilt around “who has it harder,” Aidan shares insights from years of working with dads who are desperate for deeper conversations, but don’t always feel they have permission to start them.

We speak about:

· Why the mental load of fatherhood is so rarely discussed.

· The myths around masculinity that keep men quiet.

· How to start meaningful conversations with your partner (without turning it into a competition).

· Simple, low-stakes ways to talk about fatherhood with your mates.

· Why workplaces need to rethink flexibility and culture for parents.

· How sharing “what it feels like to be you right now” can transform relationships.

Resources Discussed

· Dadventure: https://www.dadventure.net/

Connect with Emma

This podcast was funded and created by Emma Mclean, the founder of Works for Everyone.

Joe Consedine and Jess Stuart: Redefining Gender Roles in Work and Home

Thu, 04 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +1300

What would our workplaces and homes look like if caregiving was truly valued, shared, and supported?

In this thought-provoking episode, I sit down with Joe Consedine and Jess Stuart from Mobilise to unpack the invisible labour of caregiving, the systemic barriers that keep gender norms in place, and the opportunities we have to innovate for equity.

From the daily “mental load” of running a household, to the stigma men face when taking parental leave, this conversation challenges us to rethink what we reward in both professional and personal life.

Jess and Joe share their vision of a world where caregiving is recognised as a skill, not a burden, and where policy, culture, and mindset shifts work together to create real change.

We speak about:

· Why unpaid care work remains undervalued, and how it impacts gender equity

· The structural and cultural barriers to shared caregiving in families

· How organizations can innovate HR policies (flexibility, job design, parental leave) to reflect the future of work

· The importance of normalizing men as active, equal caregivers from the very start

· The “boring but essential” caregiving tasks that keep households running and why sharing them matters as much as the joyful moments

· What it will take to rewire workplaces, families, and society to support true equality

Resources Discussed

· Mobilise: https://www.menasallies.co.nz/mobilise-programme

· Connect with Joe on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joeconsedinenz/

· Connect with Jess on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jess-stuart-559a7940/

Connect with Emma

This podcast was funded and created by Emma Mclean, the founder of Works for Everyone.

It’s Good to Talk: The Power of Honest Conversations with Anna Johnstone

Thu, 28 Aug 2025 07:00:00 +1300

What are the conversations that truly make a difference for working parents?

In this episode of It’s Good to Talk, I turn the tables on Anna Johnstone, executive coach, founder of The Female Career, and host of the podcast of the same name.

Anna shares her journey from global corporate roles in Europe to returning home to New Zealand and building a business dedicated to lifting women up in their careers, and the conversations she wishes she’d had.

We speak about:

· The gritty, practical advice that helped Anna navigate life as a working parent.

· Why investing in childcare is also an investment in your career.

· The importance of being proactive about kids getting sick (and why you need backups to your backups!).

· The role of honest conversations, with partners, employers, and friends, in avoiding burnout.

· What dads need when it comes to having “their people” and joining these conversations too.

· How boundaries, support networks, and courageous asks can help women thrive at work and at home.

Resources Discussed

· The Female Career: https://www.thefemalecareer.com/

· The Female Career Podcast: https://www.thefemalecareer.com/podcast/

Connect with Emma

This podcast was funded and created by Emma Mclean, the founder of Works for Everyone.

It's Good To Talk | Trailer

Thu, 28 Aug 2025 07:00:00 +1300

Welcome to. It's Good to Talk. The podcast that equips working parents with the conversations they need to be having.

My name's Emma McClain. I'm an executive coach and I work exclusively with working parents.

I know for sure that working and having a family is hard. But I think the answer to real long-term sustainable change is talking.

So in this podcast, we're gonna shine a light on conversations that have mattered for my guests, the ones that they wish they'd had sooner, and the ones that have changed everything.

This podcast will appear fortnightly, right here where you're listening to this. I really hope you join me. I'm excited to have these conversations, to share different perspectives on the conversations we need to be having.

Victoria Crockford: Why women’s homelessness is on the rise in New Zealand

Thu, 21 Aug 2025 07:00:00 +1300

In this episode, I talk to Victoria Crockford, Project Director of the Coalition to End Women’s Homelessness, to shine a light on an issue too often hidden from view: the growing housing insecurity faced by women in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Victoria brings her wealth of experience across community housing, advocacy, the arts, and climate action to unpack the complex realities behind women’s homelessness.

She explains why older women, sole parents, and Māori women are disproportionately affected, and challenges the myths that homelessness is a “choice.”

This is not one of the conversations we have had on the podcast yet, and we do talk about the relationship between women's homelessness and domestic & sexual violence. Please listen with care.

We speak about:

· The 57,000 women in New Zealand currently experiencing homelessness (Census 2023).

· Why women’s homelessness often looks different, more hidden, through couch surfing, unsafe housing, or staying in violent relationships.

· The link between the motherhood penalty and long-term housing insecurity.

· How systemic issues like the gender pay gap and benefit structures keep women in poverty.

· Practical actions landlords, policymakers, and communities can take to reduce women’s homelessness.

Resources Discussed

·https://www.coalitiontoendwomenshomelessness.org/

Connect with Emma

This podcast was funded and created by Emma Mclean, the founder of Works for Everyone.

Dr Amanda Sterling: What’s really holding women back?

Thu, 14 Aug 2025 07:00:00 +1300

In this episode, I talk to Dr. Amanda Sterling, Principal Director, award-winning consultant, and proud mum, to unpack her groundbreaking PhD research to help organisations remove systemic barriers and close gender pay gaps.

Amanda combines decades in corporate leadership development and culture change with work that is backed by data, driven by curiosity, and fuelled by a deep commitment to creating workplaces where women can thrive.

We speak about:

· Amanda’s personal story of returning to work post-parental leave, and how it led to her PhD

· The subtle ways bias and outdated assumptions sideline mothers in the workplace

· Surprising findings from Amanda’s latest survey of 212 women in leadership roles

· Why manager support and partner support top the list of career success factors for women

· Practical steps organisations can take to hold leaders accountable and build inclusive leadership capability

· The role of parental leave policies in shifting gender norms and why paying both parents matters

· How to have the “awkward but essential” career conversations at home

· Why the solution isn’t telling women to “lean in”, it’s changing the system

Resources Discussed · Connect with Dr Amanda Sterling: https://dramandasterling.com/

Connect with Emma

This podcast was funded and created by Emma Mclean, the founder of Works for Everyone.

The Part Time Power Listers

Thu, 07 Aug 2025 07:00:00 +1300

In this episode, Emma sits down with two of New Zealand’s 2024 Part-Time Power Listers: Emma Thompson and Liz Blythe.

Emma is a partner in PWC’s private business team and a chartered accountant with a passion for simplifying finance through technology. She supports privately owned businesses with virtual CFO services, finance function, transformation and general accounting and tax. Emma co-leads PWC’s women in business founder series championing woman-led businesses to connect, grow, and reach their goals.

Liz is a partner at Russell Mcveagh, heading up technology, digital, and strategic sourcing law practice in Auckland. Liz also sits on Russell Mcveagh’s Board of Management and is the board lead for the firm's AI transformation program. Liz has worked on a reduced hours arrangement at Russell Mcveagh since 2022.

These two incredible women are senior leaders in law and finance, and they’re doing it all while working reduced hours and raising young families. Together, they unpack the reality of senior part-time roles, the mental load of motherhood, setting boundaries at work, and how they’ve shaped careers on their own terms.

From how to structure a four-day workweek, to the importance of organisational support, to creating equity at home and in the workplace, this conversation is packed with wisdom, real talk, and practical takeaways for anyone balancing ambition with caregiving.

Whether you’re eyeing a more flexible career path, already working part-time, or leading a team that includes parents, this episode will shift how you think about leadership, success, and what’s really possible.

We speak about:

· The real power behind reduced-hours roles and why they work at senior levels

· How Emma and Liz set (and protect) their non-working days

· Managing guilt, boundaries, and expectations in high-pressure industries

· The truth about mental load and why “help” at home isn’t the answer

· How supportive leadership and open conversations make all the difference

· The importance of role modelling flexible success and why visibility matters

· Why part-time does not mean part-talented, part-driven, or part-committed

Nominations are open for the 2025 NZ Part Time Power List - a list that celebrates innovative employers who are creating senior career building part time roles. Nominations close on August 18th 2025: https://forms.gle/mAw8e35zbaK1yEj49

Resources Discussed · Anna Whitehouse Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mother_pukka/?hl=en

· Dirty Mother Pukka Podcast https://open.spotify.com/show/5f2dP1jR7pYrhGRzz5NMKy?si=f235bb67ad76474e · "Fair Play" by Eve Rodsky https://www.fairplaylife.com/

· "Fair Play" card deck (A Couple's Conversation Deck for Prioritising What's Important) https://shorturl.at/bXaLl

Connect with Emma

This podcast was funded and created by Emma Mclean, the founder of Works for Everyone.

Dr Ellen Joan Ford: The overt and covert penalties of motherhood

Thu, 31 Jul 2025 07:00:00 +1300

In this powerful conversation, I talk to Dr Ellen Joan Ford, who is terrifyingly ambitious about improving the working world for people and for organisations.

As a leader, researcher, military veteran, international speaker, TEDx speaker, facilitator, consultant and parent, Ellen draws on her research and practical experiences to drive organisational outcomes by enhancing inclusive leadership capabilities and workplace culture.

Ellen shares what she learned about leadership, identity and inclusion over more than a decade in the New Zealand Army, including the double standards mothers face, how bias shows up in both obvious and subtle ways, and why we need to rethink “professionalism” in the workplace.

This conversation is practical, honest and deeply empowering, especially if you’re navigating leadership, parenthood, or workplaces that weren’t designed with mothers in mind.

Ellen was awarded the Kiwi Bank New Zealander of the Year - Local Hero for her efforts supporting the evacuation of 563 from Afghanistan, is Person of the Year - Manawatu Standard and the prestigious Sir Peter Blake Leadership Award. She is the author of #WorkSchoolHours and her leadership model is Belonging, Autonomy and Purpose.

We speak about:

· Why “business as usual” doesn’t work for working parents

· What true leadership and inclusion really look like

· How unconscious bias shows up in work and parenting

· Ellen’s experience with reintegration after parental leave

· Why the personal is professional… and always has been

· How leaders and organisations can better support parents

Resources Discussed

· Enter the code EMMA at checkout to get a free copy of Dr Ellen Joan Ford’s e-book: #WorkSchoolHours – buy it here: www.ellenjoanford.com · Connect with Dr Ellen Joan Ford on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-ellen-joan-ford-791a2655/

Connect with Emma

This podcast was funded and created by Emma Mclean, the founder of Works for Everyone.

executive coaching and keynote speaking. She founded her business in 2019 following a 20-year career in corporate strategy where she experienced first-hand how hard it was to have a career and a family.

Kimberlee Sweeney: Divorce, co-parenting, and Degrees of Separation

Thu, 24 Jul 2025 07:00:00 +1300

In this powerful conversation, I am joined by Kimberlee Sweeney, certified divorce and co-parenting coach and founder of Degrees of Separation, to unpack how separation and divorce can amplify the motherhood penalty — and what you can do to protect yourself emotionally, legally and financially.

Kimberlee shares her expert insight from a decade in the field, explaining how divorce coaching works, what co-parenting support really looks like, and the critical decisions mothers need to make before, during, and after a relationship ends. She also breaks down how the Aotearoa Divorce and Separation Institute (ADSI) is setting ethical standards for divorce coaching in Aotearoa.

This is a must-listen episode if you're navigating (or even contemplating) separation and want to protect your career, your confidence, and your financial future.

We speak about:

· What a divorce coach actually does, and why it matters

· Why divorce can intensify the motherhood penalty

· How unpaid caregiving impacts post-divorce financial stability

· The importance of being informed about your legal rights

· Why co-parenting dynamics affect long-term outcomes

· How career coaching and emotional regulation go hand in hand

· The questions every couple should ask before having kids

· Kimberlee’s magic wand solution to valuing unpaid labour in the home

Resources Discussed

· Degrees of Separation – https://www.degreesofseparation.co.nz/

· Aotearoa Divorce and Separation Institute (ADSI) – https://adsi.org.nz/

Connect with Emma

This podcast was funded and created by Emma Mclean, the founder of Works for Everyone.

To work with Emma or enquire about speaking – emma@worksforeveryone.co.nz

www.worksforeveryone.co.nz

https://www.instagram.com/worksforeveryone/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-mclean-9176217/

Nicole Retter: The default parent dilemma (and how to fix it)

Thu, 17 Jul 2025 07:00:00 +1300

In this insightful conversation, I am joined by the brilliant Nicole Retter, founder of PAM, Personal Admin Manager, an app built to ease the mental load for overwhelmed parents.

We unpack the invisible labour of parenthood and why the default parent trap isn’t just unfair, but completely unsustainable

We talk about the emotional toll, the cognitive overload, and the system-wide shift we could make if we stopped pretending that flexibility is a “perk” only mothers need.

This is an episode that goes beyond complaining. It’s about redesigning.

We speak about:

· Why default parenting often survives even “equal” partnerships

· The difference between doing the task and owning the load

· The power of proactive conversations (and default templates) at home

· Why flexibility should be for everyone, not just working mums

· How six months of paternity leave could transform parenting dynamics

· The deep emotional toll dads experience when they’re side-lined

· Why true work-life balance is actually work-life integration

Resources Discussed

Pam - https://www.mypam.co/

Connect with Emma

This podcast was funded and created by Emma Mclean, the founder of Works for Everyone.

To work with Emma or enquire about speaking – emma@worksforeveryone.co.nz

www.worksforeveryone.co.nz

https://www.instagram.com/worksforeveryone/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-mclean-9176217/

Rachel Carrell: The brutal reality of childcare systems around the world

Thu, 10 Jul 2025 07:00:00 +1300

In this powerful conversation, I am joined by the brilliant Rachel Carrell, CEO and Founder of Koru Kids, an innovative childcare provider operating in 10 cities in the UK.

Rachel shares the story of how Koru Kids came to be (spoiler: it wasn’t built in 18 months), the brutal reality of childcare systems around the world, and why the motherhood penalty is not a personal budgeting problem, but a structural failure.

From shift-working nurses to after-school pickup logistics, Rachel unpacks the real-world ripple effects of underfunded childcare and unequal parental leave, including what it costs women’s careers, family planning, and economic growth.

This one’s for the mums doing it all, the dads wanting to step up, and anyone ready to rethink the system we’ve all been squashed into.

We speak about:

· Why good childcare is essential infrastructure, not a luxury

· The profound life decisions people are forced into due to lack of support

· How Koru Kids is solving “the hardest childcare problems” (hi, shift-working solo mums!)

· The real reason population rates are plummeting

· The invisible memos society sends to mums and dads

· What really happens when dads try to book a nanny…

· Rachel’s two-ended magic wand to smash the motherhood penalty for good

Resources Discussed · Koru Kids https://www.korukids.co.uk/

Connect with Emma

This podcast was funded and created by Emma Mclean, the founder of Works for Everyone.

Haylee Killip: NOD: urgent, on-demand childcare

Thu, 19 Jun 2025 07:00:00 +1300

We love talking to people who are trying to smash the system and Haylee Killip is one of these people. A business that was born out of the struggle of a corporate career and the juggle of being a parent. And specifically finding childcare that was flexible. She tried everything when she was a new mum and could not find what she needed. Whether it was an extra pair of hands so she could work in the other room at home, or someone to provide care for a sick child so she could deliver a key client meeting or even time out to go and get a haircut. So NOD (Nannies On Demand) was born, as she says - the Uber for Nannies. We speak about her business, her observations and also she shares her experience as a Mum.

The conversation covers:

Her business NOD: urgent on-demand childcare to support parents who do not have a village around them.
How we have flexible working but not flexible childcare.
How her NOD nannies are like a warm hug coming into your house.
How the motherhood penalty can happen almost subconsciously.
The importance of a focus on wellness and putting yourself first

Resources Discussed

https://www.getnod.io/

Connect with Emma

This podcast was funded and created by Emma Mclean, the founder of Works for Everyone.

To work with Emma or enquire about speaking – emma@worksforeveryone.co.nz

www.worksforeveryone.co.nz

https://www.instagram.com/worksforeveryone/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-mclean-9176217/

Katherine Cornish and Vanessa Simons: Relationships Grounded In Trust

Thu, 12 Jun 2025 07:00:00 +1300

In this special episode we talk to Katherine Cornish and Vanessa Simons (both from Fisher Funds) about their experiences as single parents. To share their reflections on the motherhood penalty and how they would change the system. To understand the challenges that might be different and what some of the solutions are that help. Both Katherine and Vanessa become solo parents under different circumstances and they courageously share their stories with us. They share them in a real and unfiltered way which I know so many listeners will find comfort in. We talk about hard things including grief, choices and the importance of leadership relationships that are grounded in trust. It is a unique episode and one that I am proud of. Thank you Katherine and Vanessa, you both smashed this conversation with your clarity, your reflections and your courage.

We speak about:

The trust between a leader and a working parent.
As a single parent, there is no respite. On the plus side, there is the simplicity of not needing to negotiate with another parent.
Playing the cards you are dealt. This phrase helped Vanessa to have control over her situation as she was experiencing grief of losing her partner.
The importance of getting structure (“rigorous logistics”) and planning in your week. Outsourcing to a cleaner if you can afford it - “it makes my heart a little lighter”. And online shopping - this is buying you time - and something that all three of us do!
Saying no to volunteer work - and knowing that it won’t be forever.
Brutally prioritise your day and be open with your leader about this. Give yourself permission to choose the least worst outcome. As you can do anything but not everything.
The power of a CEO that you can be transparent with and makes you feel like the responsibilities in your life are ok and not bad for your career.
Empathy as a leadership quality we need in all our leaders.
Magic wand to develop a kinder capitalist society that enables us to priortise our families.
Permission to choose what works for you when it comes to working.

Resources Discussed

Woolworths online grocery orders!

Connect with Emma

This podcast was funded and created by Emma Mclean, the founder of Works for Everyone.

To work with Emma or enquire about speaking – emma@worksforeveryone.co.nz

www.worksforeveryone.co.nz

https://www.instagram.com/worksforeveryone/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-mclean-9176217/

Kate Mangino: Equal Partners

Thu, 05 Jun 2025 07:00:00 +1300

It is not often that you get to talk to an international author and accomplished practitioner in tackling harmful gender norms and promoting positive social change. But in this episode we do as we are talking to Kate Mangino, PhD. Kate is the author of Equal Partners: Improving Gender Equality at Home, which addresses the social norms that underpin household gender inequality - and offers practical advice as to what each of us can do to change them. (Yes, part of our gender problem is structural, which requires policy change. But much of our gender problem is social – which requires US to change.) Kate has also published in Time, Slate, Harvard Business Review and Good Housekeeping. Equal Partners has been featured in The Atlantic, CNN, BBC World News and The Guardian, as well as dozens of podcasts, including We Can Do Hard Things and What Fresh Hell. You can read more about Kate's work at www.katemangino.com.

We speak about:

The beginning of Kate’s career where she worked in women’s empowerment and management training but had a realisatation that this was not what was holding women back.
How care giving is coded as women’s work. This is not tied to our biology. But there are unspoken cultural norms. The media has had a massive role in it.
There is a price to pay when you become a mum and that includes a risk of sacrificing your health and your time.
There are challenges for dads to find a space to talk to other dads.
How we don’t even really know what being an equal partner means and the influence of what we saw our parents do.
What to do if you feel like you are a control freak about how things are done at home.
Why it is not helpful for one partner to say “just write me a list?”
Kate’s magic wand to increase understanding that there is so much to be gained from dads being equal partners at home.

Resources Discussed

“Equal Partners” by Kate Mangino
“Untamed” by Glennon Doyle
We Can Do Hard Things podcast
“Unfinished Business” by Anne-Marie Slaughter

Connect with Emma

This podcast was funded and created by Emma Mclean, the founder of Works for Everyone.

To work with Emma or enquire about speaking – emma@worksforeveryone.co.nz

www.worksforeveryone.co.nz

https://www.instagram.com/worksforeveryone/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-mclean-9176217/

Tania Domett and Prue Tyler: Who Is Carrying The Light?

Thu, 29 May 2025 07:00:00 +1300

This is a unique episode where we take a little pulse check on where we are with The Motherhood Penalty with Prue Tyler and Tania Domett. I started this podcast in September 2023 to start conversations about smashing the system that creates the motherhood penalty. In this episode we talk about how far we have come, we talk about who is carrying the light and of course - what they would use their magic wand for!

Prue Tyler is the director of Shift Advisory and Shift Compliance. Shift is all about normalizing flexible working and part-time working primarily in the legal and financial services industries. Prue is also Co-Chair of FSC Empower Women.

Tania Domett is a social researcher and she founded her business Cogo eleven years ago where they work across a range of sectors including Finance, DEI, gender equity, family violence, disability, youth, and mental health. She is also co-director of Project Gender, which is a social change agency and feminist innovation studio.

We speak about:

The Part Time Power List - this was powerful to see - we need to change this at a senior level - not just a junior level.
Crayon is carrying the light - being able to look at parental leave policies across employers. Creating transparency
The need to support working parents beyond the return to work - pick ups and being flexible is needed.
The glimmers of hope in dads being supported at work and paid partner leave.
The importance of talking about money - Hi Money! Is a great organisation - helping women to talk about money.
We need to link arms with men. One way to do this is to normalise part time working for men - as well as women.
Allyship is important and Joe Consedine is carrying the light.
The role for Women in Leadership conferences - networking is a good role but they are expensive
The importance of sponsorship - how you can cultivate someone to be your sponsor. Getting good and talking about your brand and your proposition.

Resources Discussed

SHIFT Advisory, Prue is Founder and Director of this business which is reshaping professional services – providing on-demand senior consultants (lawyers from SHIFT Advisory and Risk & Compliance, and Corporate Governance Consultants from SHIFT Compliance). https://shiftadvisory.co.nz/
Cogo, Tania is Director of Cogo, a research agency that uses creative approaches to deliver insights, helping our clients make good investment decisions and grow stronger communities. https://www.cogo.co.nz/
FSC Empower Woman https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/fsc-empower-women/
Project Gender https://www.projectgender.co.nz/
Tania Domett - How To Smash the Motherhood Penalty - Season Two
Capsule - The Motherhood Penalty https://capsulenz.com/featured/the-motherhood-penalty-part-one/
Crayon: NZ’s First Parental Leave Register https://www.gocrayon.com/
Hi Money! https://himoney.co/
Gender at Work - Workplace Insights from Women and Non Binary People https://www.genderatworkcommunity.org.nz/youngworkersresearch
Powrsuit https://powrsuit.com/

Connect with Emma

This podcast was funded and created by Emma Mclean, the founder of Works for Everyone.

To work with Emma or enquire about speaking – emma@worksforeveryone.co.nz

www.worksforeveryone.co.nz

https://www.instagram.com/worksforeveryone/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-mclean-9176217/

Norma Barrett: Healthy Families Need Healthy Dads

Thu, 22 May 2025 13:45:00 +1300

I dedicated my entire second season to Dads as they are a key part of the puzzle when it comes to gender equity. So when I came across some research on Dads that was entitled: “Passenger parenting, role conflict and guilt: the transition to parenthood from new and experienced fathers” - I got very excited.

And that is where Norma Barrett enters - Norma is one of the co-authors of this research and I was so lucky to get time with her to discuss her findings. Originally from Cork in Ireland, she now lives in Australia and is a lecturer in Public Health and Health Promotion at Deakin University.

Norma’s conversation raises the question of how we can facilitate healthy families, when we focus only on the mother’s health. One in ten dads suffer from post natel depression in Australia. Dads suffer too and it is not a zero sum game. We can look after both parents.

This conversation is good for couples who are about to become parents, those who are about to become parents again or for those who are interested in how our system impacts on dads. It leaves us with the question - what would our society look like if we looked after fathers?

We speak about:

The power of reflections from dads after they transitioned to parenthood.
Confusion around their roles - dads know that things are going to change but they never really knew how.
One of the most striking outcomes from the research was how the fathers wanted to talk about the impact on their mental health and their partner’s mental health.
How Dads prioritise their partner’s needs or preferences before them - they see themselves as the support person and it is hard for them to have their own needs - “not wanting to be an added burden”.
How Dads can feel resistance when they try to take a different role at home or at work - and that passenger parenting was safer for them - they felt they were not able to take the wheel.
How roles between parents can emerge organically rather than be active decisions. And that we need to make decisions on parental leave before we even know what it will feel like to be a Dad.
Caring about what happens to Dads is not about forgetting about caring for Mums.
It is important to revisit conversations on what Dads need - at work and at home - again and again. And this can be tricky.
Using a magic wand for Dads to help them feel safe in having conversations, for Dads to feel prepared, for Dads to not feel ranked and to be recognised as a parent and not a secondary parent.

Resources Discussed

Passenger parenting, role conflict and guilt: the transition to parenthood from new and experienced fathers
Fair Play by Eve Rodsky

Connect with Emma

This podcast was funded and created by Emma Mclean, the founder of Works for Everyone.

To work with Emma or enquire about speaking – emma@worksforeveryone.co.nz

www.worksforeveryone.co.nz

https://www.instagram.com/worksforeveryone/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-mclean-9176217/

Rachel Paris: Pivoting Your Career and Dual Career Couple Reflections

Thu, 15 May 2025 07:00:00 +1300

This conversation is so good on so many levels. I knew that I had to invite Rachel Paris onto the podcast for several reasons. Firstly because she has recently published her debut novel “See How They Fall” and at its heart, it is a story on what it is to be a mother. On what you would do for your children. It is also a story of the strength of women and how so much of our experience can be unspoken. A little bit like the motherhood penalty - a shared experience of many but we don’t always talk openly about it.

And secondly, she has pivoted her career away from being a Lawyer to being an author. And I know that changing up our careers is something that many of my clients wrestle with. There is sometimes a voice inside us, wanting something different for ourselves. So I wanted to chat to Rachel about her experience with this pivot.

And thirdly, Rachel and her husband are a “dual career couple” - they are both working in demanding careers while building a family together. I was interested to talk to her about how they have both approached this and what we can learn.

We speak about:

The motherhood penalty on your confidence as you return to work.
The complicated nature of returning to work to forge ahead in your career - and the value of setting time horizons to give yourself the best opportunity.
Sharing the load from the beginning and keeping up the conversations if you are partnered.
Asking for help and if you can outsource some tasks - then see it as an investment in your future.
Investing in your friends - carving out your own life.
We are all creative. Just start, take the pressure off yourself when you start something new.
Structure is useful when pursuing a new direction. And you need to be ruthless in creating the time.
There is no time limit and every experience is fuel for your creative self.
Making the cost of childcare tax deductible and seeing childcare as infrastructure.

Resources Discussed

“The Next Day” by Melinda French Gates
“Let Them” by Mel Robbins
“Big Magic” by Elizabeth Gilbert
“Lessons in Chemistry” by Bonnie Garmus

Connect with Emma

This podcast was funded and created by Emma Mclean, the founder of Works for Everyone.

To work with Emma or enquire about speaking – emma@worksforeveryone.co.nz

www.worksforeveryone.co.nz

https://www.instagram.com/worksforeveryone/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-mclean-9176217/

Maddock Price: The power of reflection as a working dad

Fri, 20 Dec 2024 02:00:00 +1300

In this last episode of season two, we interview Maddock Price. Maddock is a proud dad to two energetic boys with a third child on the way next year. He lives in Avondale, Auckland, with his beautiful wife, Sophie, and works as the Head of Recruitment at Kiwibank. Raised in Te Awamutu, Maddock is proud to whakapapa to Ngāti Rangi, Te Atahaunui a Pāpārangi, and Ngāi Tahu on his mother’s side, and Wales and England on his father’s side.

Maddock still has his L plates on when it comes to being a dad but loves that he has a wife and a job that empower him to invest more time into "dad life." Along the way, he has discovered some useful strategies for coping with the many demands of being a dad but admits he’s still a long way from figuring out how to be the best dad, husband, brother, son, colleague, and friend in today’s fast-paced world.

Our conversation is a magic one where Maddock very generously shares his own personal story and also the resources and experiences that have shaped him. We speak about:

The power of reflection for dads and how it is almost therapeutic.
How tough it is for dual career couples – “everything is stretched”.
The importance of carving out a third space to give yourself time to reset between the different modes that you operate.
The role of trust between your employer and yourself.
How being a working parent is the definition of a high pressure job.
Giving Dads the gift of working in a flexible way. And being more innovative when it comes to childcare.

Resources Discussed

“Find Your Unicorn Space” by Eve Rodsky.
“The Third Place” by Adam Fraser – website here
Nick Petrie and Opposite World – article here

Connect with Emma

This podcast was funded by Works for Everyone, a business based in NZ and operating globally that supports working parents to stay in the leadership pipeline through coaching, workshops, and keynote speaking.

Your host, Emma Mclean, is a mother of three teenagers, an Executive Coach and the Founder of Works for Everyone. Following a successful 25-year career in corporate marketing, Emma launched her business in 2019 to put a care wrap around working parents at the hardest time in their career. She launched the NZ Part Time Power List in 2024 as she wanted to shine a light on individuals that are building their career through part time roles, rather than side stepping it. She is alumni of the 2021 NZ Leadership Programme and a proud Swiftie (a lifelong Taylor Swift fan).

To work with Emma or enquire about speaking – emma@worksforeveryone.co.nz

www.worksforeveryone.co.nz

https://www.instagram.com/worksforeveryone/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-mclean-9176217/

Shea Bentley: Asking for what you need for your family

Wed, 18 Dec 2024 02:00:00 +1300

In this episode, we interview Shea Bentley, a father of three children under five. Along with his wife they have leaned into conversations with their employers to ensure they can manage their caregiving responsibilities. Shea was very generous in sharing what works for his family and what his family’s priorities are, including:

The power of asking for the hours you need from your employer. Even if it feels scary.
The importance of a family routine at home and communication.
Talking with other Dads around how they have a career and a family.
The pressures that Dad feel to be there for everything, to be a good worker and to continue to get promotions.
The experience of taking parental leave and how hard it was.
An idea for solving the problems that school holidays can create. Making school holidays and work line up better!

Connect with Emma

To work with Emma or enquire about speaking – emma@worksforeveryone.co.nz

www.worksforeveryone.co.nz

https://www.instagram.com/worksforeveryone/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-mclean-9176217/

Joe Consedine: How men have so much more to give to the world

Mon, 16 Dec 2024 02:00:00 +1300

In this episode, we interview Joe Consedine. Joe is a former Director of Champions for Change with Global Women where he worked with New Zealand’s leading 80 Chief Executives and Board Chairs on scaled Diversity Equity and Inclusion strategies for Aotearoa, New Zealand.

Prior to Champions for Change Joe was the New Zealand General Manger for Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand where he led the development of the accounting profession’s first ever inclusion strategy, developed a playbook on the gender pay gap with a reach of over 850k and was recognised by the NZ Minister for Women.

Joe is also the co-founder of Mobilise – New Zealand’s first dedicated leadership development and allyship program specifically for men and is currently working with ANZ, New Zealand as head of Equity Diversity and Inclusion. Joe is a member of the Gender at Work advisory board and is a mentor in the Big Buddy programme.

Our conversation is powerful and full of gems from both a DEI practitioner and a working dad perspective.

The power of his parents and how they influenced his definition of privilege and how privilege comes with responsibility.
His experience as being the lead caregiver for his daughter while she was younger.
Having tough real conversations with your partner.
The importance of Ko wai au? Ko wai koe? Ko wai tātou? / Who am I? Who are you? Who are we?
How individuals can have an impact on changing the system.
Redefining what it means to be a man – and how this can unlock men to give more to the world.

Connect with Emma

To work with Emma or enquire about speaking – emma@worksforeveryone.co.nz

www.worksforeveryone.co.nz

https://www.instagram.com/worksforeveryone/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-mclean-9176217/

Sam Cunnington Waugh: Switching Up Support for Dads at Work

Fri, 13 Dec 2024 02:00:00 +1300

In this episode, we interview Sam Cunnington Waugh. Sam is a father to an almost 5 month old boy Felix, and a 5 year old daughter Rhea, who has recently started school. He is a Brit, married to a kiwi Bella and they moved over to Aotearoa from London in 2021, during the tail end of the pandemic.

Sam works in government, currently at a crown entity, but has had a varied history in different government departments across the UK and now NZ. He is aspiring to middle management and not totally sure how he feels about that!

He’s a keen musician (having played drums with the London based band Zola Blood) and is now teaching himself classical guitar. He also loves tennis and has been playing regularly with his club since moving here, although this has taken a bit of a backseat since Felix was born. Baking sourdough is his other hobby (acquired during the pandemic like so many others) that keeps him on a level, and literally puts bread on the table.

They have a good support network, particularly through Bella’s mum who lives very close. Auntie Karen has a great relationship with Rhea and often does school pick ups and play dates. That with support from other school parents, both Bella and Sam would say it really does take a village.

Our conversation was full of rich insights and reflections from Sam on his experience as a working dad and if you’ve lived in the UK, you will identify with many of his observations about arriving in NZ. Our conversation includes the topics of:

How reasoning with a three-year-old helps your negotiation skills when working with the Exec Team.
How time takes on a different meaning when you become a parent and you often lament where all the time goes.
The importance of communicating with your partner on what you need.
His experience of parental leave in the UK.
The pressures in his career since becoming a parent and the importance of asking for help – even if it feels uncomfortable.
Switching up the workplace so that more proactive conversations are had with returning Dads and making it easy for them to ask for what they need in terms of flexible working.

Connect with Emma

To work with Emma or enquire about speaking – emma@worksforeveryone.co.nz

www.worksforeveryone.co.nz

https://www.instagram.com/worksforeveryone/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-mclean-9176217/

Sean Keaney: The importance of leaving loudly and why family trumps work

Wed, 11 Dec 2024 02:00:00 +1300

In this episode, we interview Sean Keaney. Sean, CEO of FCB Wellington, isn't your average ad exec. He's a seasoned veteran, having cut his teeth in the good old days of direct mail, and has since tackled campaigns for a diverse range of clients, from banks to power companies, retirement villages to consumer electronics giants.

But Sean's passion lies beyond the bottom line. He's a champion for important causes, bringing his strategic mind to issues like mental health, alcohol moderation, family violence, and safety across the board - road, water, fire, you name it.

He's also a strong advocate for diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) within FCB Aotearoa, leading the agency's whanaungatanga program. He also represents FCB on the Global Women - Champions for Change group, demonstrating his commitment to fostering a more inclusive and equitable industry.

When he's not strategising campaigns, Sean's a devoted family man. He's married to Melanie, a soon-to-be Clinical Psychologist (just two weeks away!), and they share their Brooklyn home with three daughters - Lucia (13) and the mischievous twins Marnie and Cece (11) - and two furry companions, Honey and Minnie.

So, what's the secret to Sean's success? It's simple: a genuine desire to make a difference, a knack for finding the right message, and a healthy dose of humour to keep things interesting. He's proof that advertising can be both impactful and entertaining, and that a career in the industry can be as fulfilling as it is challenging.

DISCLAIMER: Emma asked Sean for an updated bio, so he threw some prompts into AI. The result makes him sound way better and way cheesier than he actually is.

Our conversation blended Sean’s experience as a dad and also his experience as a CEO & senior leader in the advertising industry. I actually worked with Sean in another life so it was a beautiful way to re-connect and to listen to his powerful reflections about being a working dad.

How family trumps work – and how leaving loudly is one way that we can bring this to life.
The change in thinking around WFH and the fallout that could happen from it.
His leadership approach to managing client demands and parent’s caregiving needs.
How he and his partner manage work and a family.
The reflection of how traditional parenting roles can emerge without really thinking about it – and the work it takes to disrupt it.
How he loves getting emails from Dads on his team saying that they can’t come to work because their child is unwell.
Normalising working dads being parents and having needs.

Connect with Emma

To work with Emma or enquire about speaking – emma@worksforeveryone.co.nz

www.worksforeveryone.co.nz

https://www.instagram.com/worksforeveryone/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-mclean-9176217/

Callum Williamson: Building a society around the needs of children and parents

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 02:00:00 +1300

In this episode, we interview Callum Williamson. Callum is a working father and General Manager at Conductive Education Taranaki who recently took time off to care for his one-year-old daughter, Molly-Maggie. During this period, he experienced the day-to-day demands of balancing parenting and professional responsibilities. Callum shares his perspective on the challenges and adjustments that come with being a dad in today’s working world.

Our conversation blended Callum’s experience as a working dad, as a leader of people who are also parents and as someone who actively participates in his wider community. One of those ways he contributes to his community is as a White Ribbon Ambassador and he is proud to serve his whānau and his community by supporting this vital kaupapa. White Ribbon reminds us that we all have a role to play in preventing violence, whether it’s challenging harmful behaviours, educating others about respectful relationships, or modelling healthy behaviours ourselves. It’s about stepping up to protect and care for those around us. Callum encourage everyone to take the White Ribbon Pledge and actively promote kindness, respect, and safety in their homes and communities. Let’s work together to make a difference.

The importance of just being with our children.
His experience of parental leave and the pressure he put on himself during this experience.
The differences that Callum thinks Mums and Dads show when it comes to being a working parent.
Why New Plymouth needs a better bus system to support working parents.
How he manages work, family and community.
The societal shift he would like to see that would put children at the centre of the system.

Resources Discussed

White Ribbon. Learn more about how you can be involved at https://whiteribbon.org.nz

Connect with Emma

To work with Emma or enquire about speaking – emma@worksforeveryone.co.nz

www.worksforeveryone.co.nz

https://www.instagram.com/worksforeveryone/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-mclean-9176217/

Scott La Franchie: The role that leaders can play in making space for Dads

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 02:00:00 +1300

In this episode, we interview Scott La Franchie. Scott is a proud Husband and father of two young daughters, aged 4 and 6, and a senior leader and marketing strategist with nearly two decades of experience launching innovative products across IT, telecommunications, and security sectors in New Zealand. He is currently taking a break after finishing up at First Security and will be focusing on family and home activities full time, with his wife -Rebekah (a marketing lead at Datacom) continuing to work full time - when he has some free time (ha) he will be planning his next big adventure career wise. Known for his hands-on approach to product development and go-to-market strategies, Scott has led award-winning initiatives, including his work as Head of Security Products at Kordia and General Manager of Marketing and Products at First Security, where he introduced cutting-edge digital security solutions. An active community member, he’s also deeply involved with Oratia FC, his local football club, where he serves as a coach, player and board member, blending his love of the game with a commitment to giving back.

Our conversation together was full of great observations:

How time takes on a different meaning as a Dad as well as how you define your priorities.
The value of time boxing to protect your needs and your partner’s needs.
Looking after your energy so you can look after your family.
How trying things and adapting has worked well in his family when it comes to logistics of family life. And the constant of keeping communication up.
Feeling safe to ask for flexibility at work and feeling like your manager has empathy for you.
Scott’s observations of their family set-up that Executive team members have and what that might mean for his career in a dual-career couple.
The power of watching senior leaders actively model family friendly behaviours.

https://www.instagram.com/gohireher/

Connect with Emma

To work with Emma or enquire about speaking – emma@worksforeveryone.co.nz

www.worksforeveryone.co.nz

https://www.instagram.com/worksforeveryone/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-mclean-9176217/

Paul Taylor: The power of talking with the Dads around you

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 02:00:00 +1300

In this episode, we interview Paul Taylor. You may remember him and his wife Bec from Season One. Well – he is back! We are super lucky to hear from him again. Paul and Bec met in London, had an amazing, carefree, fun-filled time working jobs they loved, traveling, sleeping in, and genuinely living the dream. They moved home to Auckland and suddenly life came at them fast. They bought a house, got married, Paul lost his Dad to cancer, had a daughter, lost Bec’s Dad to a heart attack, moved in with Bec’s Mum ‘temporarily’, had a son, changed jobs 6 times, and neither of them can recall the last time they properly slept. Their focus quickly went from care-free fun to barely surviving and now they’re trying to bring fun back whilst also helping others to do the same.

Like all my conversations with Paul, it was generous and full of excellent observations.

Letting go of perfectionism as a working dad and accepting that you won’t be able to the best version of yourself in all areas of your life.
How Dad guilt is real and how it can feel weird talking about it.
Being a co-pilot at home and how being an active caregiver can be a source of pride and make space for your partner.
The importance of real talk with other dads and how it can help you feel less alone.
Using his magic wand for rest for parents and better conversations with managers.

Connect with Emma

To work with Emma or enquire about speaking – emma@worksforeveryone.co.nz

www.worksforeveryone.co.nz

https://www.instagram.com/worksforeveryone/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-mclean-9176217/

Steve Jurkovich: Redefining success as a working dad

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 02:00:00 +1300

In this episode, we interview Steve Jurkovich, dad to two daughters and Chief Executive of Kiwibank. You’ll need to pull up a chair for our conversation as it is a fire side chat with a master storyteller. Steve joined Kiwibank in July 2018 as Chief Executive. He graduated from Otago University with a Bachelor of Law and completed his MBA at the University of Sydney. With over 20 years of banking experience, Steve’s career to date has included senior and executive leadership positions with accountabilities across Retail, Corporate, Commercial and Rural Banking and Legal. He’s passionate about business and business leaders delivering on Purpose and Performance and having some fun doing it.

In our conversation, Steve very generously shares his personal and professional reflections of the life he has lived since becoming a dad.

How his parents and their parents have influenced his parent/life approach.
How Dads can put themselves under pressure and question themselves – am I doing enough?
Reflections on whether he thinks he stopped himself from taking the time he might have wanted for his family.
The most successful and unsuccessful period of his life – and how they happened at the sae time.
Validating Dad’s struggles does not invalidate Mum’s challenges.
Thinking about change the definition of success to more of a balance scorecard.
Wellbeing days work for everyone – not just parents.
Great stories don’t wear out, they wear in.

Resources Discussed

Fathers and Flexible Work https://www.kcl.ac.uk/giwl/research/fathers-perceptions-flexible-working-arrangements
Representation of gender doing housework in media https://geenadavisinstitute.org/research/this-is-us-how-tv-does-and-doesnt-get-mens-caregiving/

Connect with Emma

To work with Emma or enquire about speaking – emma@worksforeveryone.co.nz

www.worksforeveryone.co.nz

https://www.instagram.com/worksforeveryone/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-mclean-9176217/

Emma Mclean: Making Space for Dads

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 02:00:00 +1300

Kia ora koutou, welcome back to Season Two of How to Smash the Motherhood Penalty. In this season we are turning the spotlight onto Working Fathers. Even though they may not personally pay “the motherhood penalty” they make tough sacrifices, and they face real challenges in the juggle of career and family. In this season I will get curious about the challenges they face, the support they lean on and the opportunity for system change that will create space for dads to show up in the way they want to – at home and at work.

I was inspired to make this season all about working fathers after watching a 2024 International Men’s Day panel event. The event was streamed from London and was organised by the King’s College Global Institute for Women’s Leadership. Listening to the fathers talking on the panel and in particular listening to Marvyn Harrison, I learnt a lot. I got a peek into what it was like to be a working father and how at home they may feel that their role in the family is to give everything to work. I wanted to understand more about working fathers, more about the pressures they feel and more about how they might be able to show up as the Dad they want to be. The link to the event is below if you would like to watch it.

As one of my clients so articulately said to me “it is like women have got the memo they can break into the boardroom, but men have not got the memo they can break into the home”. If men can step into their power at home, I believe that there are only positives – better mental health outcomes, better relationships and a richer life. I hope you enjoy this season and as always I welcome your feedback.

Resources Discussed

The 2024 NZ Part Time Power List https://www.worksforeveryone.co.nz/part-time-power-list
Dads making a difference: involved fatherhood and gender equality. Global Institute for Women’s Leadership – 2023 International Men’s Day panel event https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cS_ULfjy4mI&t=356s

Connect with Emma

Emma Mclean: Smashing Gendered Caregiving Norms

Mon, 30 Oct 2023 14:00:00 +1300

As this is the final episode of the first season of “How to Smash the Motherhood Penalty”, I wanted to reflect on what I have learnt from taking the leap and making this series. And I also wanted to share what I would do if I had a magic wand. It is a question I have asked all my guests – if they had a magic wand that would make the biggest impact on smashing the motherhood penalty – what would it be? So, it is only fair that I also answer this question. Especially as I have been informed and educated on my answer after listening to all my expert guests in this season.

Thank you for supporting and listening to Season One – please let me know what you have thought about it and if you are keen for more! And what other motherhood penalty smashers I can interview? Who is doing this work that I need to amplify?

I was delighted to be interviewed in this final episode by my daughter Rose. Very appropriate given the purpose of my work is to smash the motherhood penalty so that our children and their children never have to experience it.

I share with Rose what I have learnt so far by making this podcast including:

- Seeing procrastination simply as fear showing up and how to move through it.

- The importance of listening to your whispers as do know what you need.

- The power of stories to help us feel seen.

- Why the phrase “I’m lucky” is one that I wish I did not hear as much as I do.

- My magic wand that will smash gendered caregiving norms. We are not there yet.

- How there can be a cloak of secrecy on what is really happening with work at home.

- Using the words “sotto voce” which I probably pronounce wrong!

- My favourite quote from Anna Funder’s book “Wifedom” which speaks to how complicated work at home gets completed.

- Leaning into hard conversations.

- The power of measuring what men are doing. This is the shift we need.

- Education and support for parents is overdue and needed.

Resources Discussed:

“Atomic Habits” by James Clear – as James says, “motivation often comes after starting”.

“Wifedom: Mrs Orwell’s Invisible Life” by Anna Funder

Connect with Emma

She is an Executive Coach, the recipient of the 2022 Jaguar/Viva She Sets the Pace Community

Grant, alumni of the 2021 NZ Leadership Programme, and a Swiftie (a lifelong Taylor Swift fan).

To work with Emma or enquire about speaking – emma@worksforeveryone.co.nz

www.worksforeveryone.co.nz

https://www.instagram.com/worksforeveryone/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-mclean-9176217/

Michelle Russell: The Power of Challenging Conversations

Mon, 23 Oct 2023 15:45:00 +1300

In this episode we talk with Michelle Russell, General Manager, Talent and Culture, for ANZ NZ and the Pacific. It was a special conversation recorded in the recent school holidays and a unique blend of Michelle’s story long with her observations of the workplace and what is needed to smash the motherhood penalty. She is a fierce supporter of parents continuing to grow their careers and to do it “their way”.

For Michelle, ANZ has been a wonderful place to grow her career over 16 years and become a parent. She has had two experiences of returning to work after parental which we discuss including her return during the global pandemic. Michelle’s insights around the levers that are going to smash the motherhood penalty are powerful and they include disrupting the home norms of caregiving and focusing on the little things at work to help parents feel seen.

Our conversation covers the above and much more:

- The real FOMO of stepping out of the business for 6 months when on parental leave.

- The common theme of having a partner at home or someone who supports your career.

- Being “welcomed back” to work versus “just slotting back in”.

- The importance of “while you away” meetings to help you feel seen. Being conscious of what has changed and letting them know. Little things can make us feel like a fish out of water.

- Generous paid parental leave can minimise the penalty – Kiwisaver and leave accruing.

- The power of a mentor (and conversations that Michelle has) to help you believe that youcan return to the same role – but you can do it differently. “Do it your way”.

- Relationship work allocation falls into a rhythm way before having children. This dynamic needs to change from the start.

- We don’t lean into the shift that needs to happen in relationships when it comes to caregiving.”

- The power of Dads thinking “What could log parental leave do for my career? Not what will I miss out on.

- The home norms are the game changer. Without these – policies will never be fully taken up.

- Have the challenging conversations at home and it will lead to challenging conversations at work.

Resources Discussed

“Untamed” by Glennon Doyle

Connect with Emma

She is an Executive Coach, the recipient of the 2022 Jaguar/Viva She Sets the Pace Community Grant, alumni of the 2021 NZ Leadership Programme, and a Swiftie (a lifelong Taylor Swift fan).

To work with Emma or enquire about speaking – emma@worksforeveryone.co.nz

www.worksforeveryone.co.nz

https://www.instagram.com/worksforeveryone/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-mclean-9176217/

Charlotte Ward: Re-imagining the Workplace.

Mon, 16 Oct 2023 12:00:00 +1300

This week, our guest is Charlotte Ward, the Chief People Officer for Kiwibank. I reached out to Charlotte when I saw that they had created a part time role for one of their senior leaders when they returned from parental leave. Creating senior roles that can be completed in part time hours is one of the ways we will smash the motherhood penalty. This is how we can continue to build our careers instead of side stepping it. Charlotte very generously shares her story, shines a light on how her family works, and provides observations from her career on how we can re-imagine the workplace so that it works for everyone.

It is a conversation that I feel lucky to have had and not only because we laughed a lot but because we discussed ideas that included:

The importance of conversations at home about how caregiving will happen in your family.
How gender norms start early – even with how dances are taught in primary schools.
“Workplaces are built for Don Drapers” and more goodness from Michelle King’s book “The Fix”.
Whether our definitions of success need to be updated.
The stories that women can tell ourselves that by themselves almost penalise us.
Why we need to question the way the workplace works – and to put a focus on outcomes not time spent at a desk.
Creating a culture where you feel like you can ask questions.
Policies alone may not be effective – you need a culture that enables and normalises them.
Recognising the challenges for managers and people leaders. They need support and need to be equipped to have good conversations.

Resources Discussed

“The Fix” by Michelle Collins

Connect with Emma

Your host, Emma Mclean, is a mother of three teenagers, an Executive Coach and the Founder of Works for Everyone. Following a successful 25-year career in corporate marketing, Emma launched her business in 2019 to put a care wrap around working parents at the hardest time in their career. She is an Executive Coach, the recipient of the 2022 Jaguar/Viva She Sets the Pace Community Grant, alumni of the 2021 NZ Leadership Programme, and a Swiftie (a lifelong Taylor Swift fan).

To work with Emma or enquire about speaking – emma@worksforeveryone.co.nz

www.worksforeveryone.co.nz

https://www.instagram.com/worksforeveryone/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-mclean-9176217/

Dellwyn Stuart: The Parental Leave Gap

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 14:00:00 +1300

How good is it to spend time with someone who has found her sweet spot and loves her work. This person is indeed, Dellwyn Stuart. Dellwyn is a mother of three and the Chief Executive of the YWCA in Tamaki Makaurau, Auckland. She is in her happy place working with young women in Auckland. Alongside this she is also one of the co-founders of the Mind the Gap campaign (advocating for measuring and reporting on the pay gap in NZ) and created the Women’s Fund, driven from the insight that there was also a gender gap in terms of how much women focused community organisations get funded.

Our conversation covers:

Describing what the pay gap (how it is different from equal pay) is and being able to talk about it.
Measuring the pay gap helps businesses to work out where women might be thinning out.
How your manager’s response to you being pregnant can penalise you right from the start.
Taking the negative and flipping it to be positive.
How we can still be trapped into thinking that Dads need to be the breadwinners but that the younger generation coming through wants it to be different.
How we can look overseas to see the examples we can follow.
How employers can start the system change by providing equal pay for parental leave for both parents.

Resources Discussed

Mind the Gap

https://www.mindthegap.nz/

The Women’s Fund

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/the-auckland-foundation-works-to-establish-a-womens-fund/L6QMIGTF7SNJZ5FDALMTHXUY4I/

Connect with Emma

Your host, Emma Mclean, is a mother of three teenagers, an Executive Coach and the Founder of Works for Everyone. Following a successful 25-year career in corporate marketing, Emma launched her business in 2019 to put a care wrap around working parents at the hardest time in their career. She is an ACC certified coach with the International Coaching Federation, the recipient of the 2022 Jaguar/Viva She Sets the Pace Community Grant, alumni of the 2021 NZ Leadership Programme, and a Swiftie (a lifelong Taylor Swift fan).

To work with Emma or enquire about speaking – emma@worksforeveryone.co.nz

www.worksforeveryone.co.nz

https://www.instagram.com/worksforeveryone/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-mclean-9176217/

Paul and Bec: Sharing the Load at Home

Mon, 02 Oct 2023 15:00:00 +1300

This episode is one that I dared to dream about. Through my coaching with working parents, I have had a window on the world of families that others may not have. I have listened to my client’s stories about how they manage the daily operations of their families and the challenges they face. And I have concluded that what happens at home has a massive impact on what is possible at work.

So, I was delighted when Paul and Bec (and 7-week-old baby Aloïse) agreed to be guests on this week’s podcast. It is a very special conversation where they both very generously talk about their experience of being working parents and how they think about returning to work after having a baby. Having these kinds of conversations is courageous. And I want to acknowledge this. This stuff is not easy. It is hard and we can do hard things. Speaking of hard things – thank you Paul and Bec for doing this even though you were at peak sleep deprivation!

In the conversation we talk all things:

Acknowledging that being a mother is the hardest job in the world – it is 24/7.
The power of your partner understanding the mental load and expanding their understanding of it. Getting curious.
How Paul took the lead on things he could – eg: taking the lead at night so Bec could get more sleep.
“Life is not a balance sheet” and why keeping score is not a good idea.
Work at home is work and needs structure. We don’t need helpers at home, we need owners.
Ideas for how partners can support even if they are not home.
How the planning ahead is most of the heavy lifting – not the actual doing of the task.
Renaming the mental load as strategic planning. Genius!
Their experience of using the Fair Play cards
Perception of what each was doing was different. The value is sitting down and talking about it.
Communication and why a whiteboard is a foundation of success when you return to work.
Whether it is “noble” to take parental leave.
What if we treated parental leave just like annual leave?

Resources Discussed

Podcast Recommendation - The Imperfects.

The podcast we discussed is refreshingly honest and courageous, it tells the story of how Penny and Hugh van Cuylenburg The Resilience Project have leant into this hard conversation of the mental load at home and in Hugh’s words ``been the best thing we have done for our relationship”.

To listen to Hugh and Ryan’s reflections on what it has been like for them was impactful. Honest, at times brutally, and at the same time vulnerable when talking about trying new ways of doing things at home. It provides a pathway and a way forward to a more equitable home life. Highly recommend it!

https://open.spotify.com/episode/3CRrKK9Af0QmU4j4GTgW39?si=2eb2f909013840e5

Great for listening in the car.

Connect with Emma

Your host, Emma Mclean, is a mother of three teenagers, an Executive Coach and the Founder of Works for Everyone. Following a successful 25-year career in corporate marketing, Emma launched her business in 2019 to put a care wrap around working parents at the hardest time in their career. She is an ACC certified coach with the International Coaching Federation, the recipient of the 2022 Jaguar/Viva She Sets the Pace Community Grant, alumni of the 2021 NZ Leadership Programme, and a Swiftie (a lifelong Taylor Swift fan).

To work with Emma or enquire about speaking – emma@worksforeveryone.co.nz

www.worksforeveryone.co.nz

https://www.instagram.com/worksforeveryone/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-mclean-9176217/

Mela Lush: Unlocking the Hidden Workforce

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 07:00:00 +1300

If you have ever wished for a role that has hours that suit the caregiving responsibilities you have, then this episode is for you.

We interview mother, social entrepreneur and founder of Jobs for Mums, Mela Lush. Mela is on a mission to help parents get work that works for everyone. Jobs for Mums is a social enterprise that connects parents and caregivers with flexible work opportunities in New Zealand. With a deep commitment to driving a movement for family-friendly work aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, Mela is determined to smash the motherhood penalty one job at a time.

Our conversation covers:

A business born from the living room and out of the need for family friendly work.
How the hidden workforce can solve $80 trillion global skills shortage.
Why the Motherhood Penalty is the single biggest thing to hit your career.
Part time work and how there can be perceptions that those who take this work on are somehow less committed.
How it can be common to experience the thought of “I now have a job not a career”.
Work systems and how jobs were architected were designed 100 years ago and they don’t work for any parent now – we need more innnovation.
The importance of all parents lifting each other up.
Re-thinking how you write job descriptions, whether roles could done with term time contracts, being open to flexibility, thinking about returnships (just like internships but for those that have had a career break) – a way to unlock hidden talent.
Being an agitator for change by becoming curious with your employer and asking questions.

Resources Discussed

Book Recommendation: “The Wife Drought” Annabel Crabb

To contact Mela and find out more about Jobs or Mums please use the links below:

melalush@jobsformums.co.nz

www.jobsformums.co.nz

https://www.instagram.com/jobs_for_mums_newzealand/

Connect with Emma

Your host, Emma Mclean, is a mother of three teenagers, an Executive Coach and the Founder of Works for Everyone. Following a successful 25-year career in corporate marketing, Emma launched her business in 2019 to put a care wrap around working parents at the hardest time in their career. She is an ACC certified coach with the International Coaching Federation, the recipient of the 2022 Jaguar/Viva She Sets the Pace Community Grant, alumni of the 2021 NZ Leadership Programme, and a Swiftie (a lifelong Taylor Swift fan).

To work with Emma or enquire about speaking – emma@worksforeveryone.co.nz

www.worksforeveryone.co.nz

https://www.instagram.com/worksforeveryone/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-mclean-9176217/

Tania Domett: Destabilising Caregiving Gender Norms

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 18:45:00 +1300

When we become mothers, we can often be surprised at the changes that it creates in our lives and this episode is a great reminder of that. Tania Domett is an all-round legend and champion of mothers. She is an entrepreneur and as well as running Cogo a research agency she founded 10 years ago she is also a co-founder of Project Gender - a feminist innovation studio delivering radical change through insights research, campaigns, and products and services. Project Gender was recently instrumental in getting a National Women’s Health Strategy into legislation and now policy – after hearing from thousands of women across NZ about their challenges accessing healthcare and partnering with health professionals on a massive campaign.

This episode was recorded before the pre-election policy announcements on paid parental leave (I feel like they must have heard our conversation) - bring it on!

In our conversation, Tania shares her story and her experience of becoming a mother as well as solutions to smashing the motherhood penalty.

How being a late bloomer is a beautiful thing – Tania’s first office job was at age 38.
The joining of forces with Angela Mayer to create Project Gender to bring a gender lens to the 2020 election - You Choose 2020. They advocated for a National Women’s Health Strategy and now it is a formal policy.
Saying yes to everything. Putting yourself out there. Even if it means hiding in the loos during networking events.
How Motherhood is vastly different from Fatherhood.
How a feminist can so easily become a 1950’s housewife when you become a mother.
Why smashing the system needs part time roles that are seen as leadership roles and men need to be the targets for flexible working.
Measuring the right things to close the gender gap – how many men taking flexible roles, how many men taking parental leave, etc
How on-site childcare and school holiday programmes help you by not hiding your identity as a working parent.
How Paid Parental Leave for all parents helps to destabilise the gender norm of women as caregivers and men as providers. We are one of 3 countries in the world that do not have paid partner leave. If we had this – we would dismantle barriers right at the beginning of your family.
Hope is not a strategy – action is!

Connect with Emma

Your host, Emma Mclean, is a mother of three teenagers, an Executive Coach and the Founder of Works for Everyone. Following a successful 25-year career in corporate marketing, Emma launched her business in 2019 to put a care wrap around working parents at the hardest time in their career. She is an ACC certified coach with the International Coaching Federation, the recipient of the 2022 Jaguar/Viva She Sets the Pace Community Grant, alumni of the 2021 NZ Leadership Programme, and a Swiftie (a lifelong Taylor Swift fan).

To work with Emma or enquire about speaking – emma@worksforeveryone.co.nz

www.worksforeveryone.co.nz

https://www.instagram.com/worksforeveryone/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-mclean-9176217/

Haylee Putaranui: Finding Connection With Each Other

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 07:00:00 +1300

Haylee Putaranui (Ngāti Maniapoto, Te Aitanga-a-Hauiti, Ngāti Pahauwera) is Fonterra’s Pouhere, Director Māori Strategy. Prior to this she was the Global Lead for Diversity and Inclusion also at Fonterra. Becoming a Mum to Waiaria at 17 provided motivation to move through law school and into practise before joining Fonterra. Outside of mahi, Haylee has contributed to iwi governance roles and led parts of her iwi settlement with the Crown, a process which showed her from adversity and resilience can always come resolution and hope.

This is episode is extra special and painted in bright colours – which is what you would expect when it comes to the fabulous Haylee. It is a conversation about the leadership we need for not just working parents but for everyone who loves and lives in this land. Haylee is one of the most generous people you will meet. Generous in spirt, generous in time and generous in wisdom. And it is all shared with a humour that will make you smile.

We talk all things:

Sharing other people’s names in rooms that they are not in.
How success is about how you grow others.
The link between foggy glasses and air con units.
Why you need to think about when you hold your team meetings.
How men have so much to gain by smashing this system.
Being “othered” when you announce your pregnancy
The importance of asking our people “how are you and how can I support you?”
Real talk on sleep deprivation.
Elevating DEI roles so they can have impact.
Making performance reviews work for working parents.
And putting a care wrap around parents for 4 years – sign me up!

Resources Discussed

Cindy Gallop – recommended to follow on LinkedIn – “I urge women to not look just for mentors but more importantly to find champions – those people that make shit happen for you”.

Connect with Emma

Your host, Emma Mclean, is a mother of three teenagers, an Executive Coach and the Founder of Works for Everyone. Following a successful 25-year career in corporate marketing, Emma launched her business in 2019 to put a care wrap around working parents at the hardest time in their career. She is an ACC certified coach with the International Coaching Federation, the recipient of the 2022 Jaguar/Viva She Sets the Pace Community Grant, alumni of the 2021 NZ Leadership Programme, and a Swiftie (a lifelong Taylor Swift fan).

To work with Emma or enquire about speaking – emma@worksforeveryone.co.nz

www.worksforeveryone.co.nz

https://www.instagram.com/worksforeveryone/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-mclean-9176217/

Priscilla Chand: Financially Empowering Women

Tue, 05 Sep 2023 07:00:00 +1300

In this episode, we interview Priscilla Chand, the founder of HIRE HER, a transformative digital talent and jobs platform for women. With over 250 successful job placements in 2 years and a growing community of 3,500 women, Priscilla is on a mission to forge a more inclusive and diverse workforce, bridging the gender gap one successful job placement at a time. Priscilla is a mother of two young girls and combines this role with her business and the goal of empowering women in the workforce.

Our conversation is action packed, filled with passion and covers:

Her lived experience growing up in a Fijian Indian family and the power of parents as role models for our children.
The questions that arise when thinking of going back to work and the tough calls that you make.
How being a parent makes you powerful as you return to work.
How parents need part time roles at a senior level – and the lack of these roles.
Making the pool of parents larger and weaving the middle layers with support.
The importance of paid parental leave and flexibility for all.
Thinking more innovatively about job design and job outcomes.
The importance of building understanding and educating senior leaders on what it is like for working parents. And how Boot Camps for CEOs that reimagines the workplace could be the answer.

Resources Discussed

To contact Priscilla and get on board with HIRE HER please use the links below:

contact@gohireher.com

www.gohireher.com

https://www.instagram.com/gohireher/

Connect with Emma

Your host, Emma Mclean, is a mother of three teenagers, an Executive Coach and the Founder of Works for Everyone. Following a successful 25-year career in corporate marketing, Emma launched her business in 2019 to put a care wrap around working parents at the hardest time in their career. She is an ACC certified coach with the International Coaching Federation, the recipient of the 2022 Jaguar/Viva She Sets the Pace Community Grant, alumni of the 2021 NZ Leadership Programme, and a Swiftie (a lifelong Taylor Swift fan).

To work with Emma or enquire about speaking – emma@worksforeveryone.co.nz

www.worksforeveryone.co.nz

https://www.instagram.com/worksforeveryone/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-mclean-9176217/

Emma Mclean: Was It Ever Really a Choice?

Mon, 04 Sep 2023 07:00:00 +1300

We need to talk about the Motherhood Penalty. A penalty that only mothers pay when they become parents. A penalty that can last a lifetime when it comes to salary, career, and retirement savings. And a penalty that I have personally experienced. This podcast series is going to talk about the Motherhood Penalty. It is going to shine a light on what it is, get curious about the system that creates it and talk to experts to get their ideas on how we can all smash it so that our children and their children never have to experience it.

In this very first episode we set the stage for what is to come and dive into defining what the Motherhood Penalty is:

Talking about the system we all work in, that does not value caregiving, does not work for any parents but only penalises mothers.
How your career being penalised after you become a Mum can take you by surprise.
Whether this is about choice or is it about lack of choice?
Where is the innovation in job design for senior part time roles?
The real pain point of childcare – the costs, inflexibility, and accessibility.
The importance of paid parental leave for both parents.

Resources Discussed

https://www.afr.com/work-and-careers/careers/the-motherhood-penalty-becoming-a-mum-slashes-earnings-by-55pc-20221010-p5boh5

https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/05/reduce-motherhood-penalty-gender-pay-gap/

https://globalwomen.org.nz/the-motherhood-penalty/

Connect with Emma

Your host, Emma Mclean, is a mother of three teenagers, an Executive Coach and the Founder of Works for Everyone. Following a successful 25-year career in corporate marketing, Emma launched her business in 2019 to put a care wrap around working parents at the hardest time in their career. She is an ACC certified coach with the International Coaching Federation, the recipient of the 2022 Jaguar/Viva She Sets the Pace Community Grant, alumni of the 2021 NZ Leadership Programme, and a Swiftie (a lifelong Taylor Swift fan).

To work with Emma or enquire about speaking – emma@worksforeveryone.co.nz

www.worksforeveryone.co.nz

https://www.instagram.com/worksforeveryone/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-mclean-9176217/