042: Beyond the 9-to-5: Effective Flexible Working with Donna Wayman

TRIGGER WARNING - Please note that from minute 29 of the episode, we discuss baby loss, which may be triggering for some!

Summary

Donna Wayman, Chief Operating Officer at Zurich Legacy Solutions, shares her career journey and insights on flexible working in the insurance industry.

She discusses how she entered the insurance industry by chance and embraced opportunities for growth and development.

Donna emphasizes the importance of being open to different roles and experiences, even if they don't align with a strict career plan. She also highlights the value of having a generalist skill set and the ability to adapt to different roles and responsibilities.

Donna shares her experience with flexible working and the importance of setting boundaries to maintain work-life balance. Sandra discusses the importance of setting boundaries and finding a work-life blend that works for you.

Donna also shares her experience as a trustee for the charity Aching Arms, which provides support for families who have experienced baby loss.

Sandra and Donna emphasize the need for policies and training around baby loss in the workplace to support employees and their managers going through this difficult experience. Donna highlights the importance of empathy, listening, and avoiding insensitive comments when supporting someone who has experienced baby loss.

Takeaways

• Embrace opportunities for growth and development, even if they don't align with a strict career plan.
• Having a generalist skill set and the ability to adapt to different roles and responsibilities is valuable in the insurance industry.
• Setting boundaries and finding a work-life blend is crucial for maintaining a fulfilling personal and professional life.
• Consider the business needs of a role when seeking flexible working arrangements.
• Focus on what you enjoy and what aligns with your skills and values, rather than pursuing a specific job title.
• Supporting employees who have experienced baby loss requires policies and training in the workplace.
• Empathy, listening, and avoiding insensitive comments are key when supporting someone who has experienced baby loss.

Sound Bites

• "There are jobs out there that you probably don't even know about, but they are the jobs for you."
• "I think the boundaries are about the things that are non-negotiable."
• "Aching Arms are a charity that provide, fundamentally provide comfort bears. They are a gift from one family to another given to a family when they lose a baby."

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Career Journey

03:10 Embracing Opportunities and Adaptability

06:03 Navigating Career Changes and Redundancy

08:41 Flexible Working and Work-Life Balance

15:53 Setting Boundaries for Successful Flexible Working

21:13 Choosing What You Enjoy and What Aligns with Your Skills

29:39 Supporting Employees Through Baby Loss

39:14 Empathy and Sensitivity

Resources

• Aching Arms Charity for family who experienced baby loss
• Episode 003 with Caroline Bedford - discussing generalist role in insurance
• Episode 032 with Gemma Lines - discussing flexible working

About the Host

• Connect with Sandra on LinkedIn and explore more insights: Sandra’s LinkedIn