My journey has been far longer than just 9 months – closer to 3 years now when we factor in the fertility struggles and miscarriages along the way, and I have learnt a whole heap during this time, which I wanted to share.
Firstly – bodies are amazing. The fact that they can sustain & grow life is mind boggling. But equally – there is still so much to learn. Why are some women able to have this gift of motherhood whilst others are still fighting every day to get their body to do what others do so naturally. Despite my journey, I consider myself one of the lucky ones, and send so much love & support to those still fighting for what they so desperately want.
Secondly – women are amazing. Being pregnant during Covid has both pro’s and con’s. The need to shield and be beyond careful is always front & centre, but equally, I’ve had the “luxury” of working from home and not traveling in every day. The thought that pre-Covid, women of all pregnancy stages were heading into the office day in and day out seems mental now. It’s knackering – your body aches, your hormones are flying around, your brain is racing – yet that was the norm. I have been fortunate to largely be at home and go into the office less & less as the bump got bigger. So in that respect, Covid has helped!
Thirdly – companies have the ability to be amazing. Recognising the challenges & changes women are going through is one huge part of the solution. Half the population will go through the menopause, so rather than brush it under the carpet, lets own it & help women through it. This is why it was so important to me to launch 3 new policies at 2CV earlier this year that do just that… We now have a Menopause policy, a Fertility policy and a Pregnancy loss policy. All three policies take into account women (& their partners) and look for ways to support them through difficult or unknown times.
Running a company isn’t just about hitting targets & making money. It’s also about showing compassion and gratitude to your staff. It’s about empathy - putting yourself in their shoes and looking at situations from their perspective. It’s about acting before you are forced to. This is how I view running a company. Creating a family who look out for each other – care for each other – and together – do amazing work.
I am heading off on maternity leave calm in the knowledge that 2CV is going to thrive into 2022 and beyond – which is a pretty cool place to be!
