Embarking on the journey of motherhood while maintaining a successful career can be a formidable challenge. At ERS, we understand that the transition back to work after maternity leave is a pivotal moment for our employees, especially our women leaders. Our commitment to fostering an inclusive and supportive workplace goes beyond mere acknowledgment – we actively empower our team members to thrive both professionally and personally.

In this article, we share the firsthand experiences of three individuals at ERS who have navigated the delicate balance between career aspirations and family life. Their stories shed light on how we not only support but actively champion the career progression of women returning from maternity leave, enabling and supporting them to continue to develop and succeed in leadership roles.

Tapping into untapped potential

“Coming back from maternity leave, we really wanted to make the most of the talent that we’ve got in the business. We realised there was an untapped pool of resources in some really capable and talented potential leaders that we weren’t offering this opportunity to. It takes a lot of organisation, you’ve got to be prepared and able to run a team functionally, but it can work.”

“We really want to encourage people who may not have had the opportunity previously to be able to do that. We want to be able to open doors for people that way. As a leader and as a woman, that’s really important.”

Deniece Maddox Davies, Head of Claims Operations

Balancing career aspirations with family life

“When I did come back from maternity leave, I was more than happy in my role as a P.I. (Personal Injury) leader. From the outset, when I joined the business in 2018, I have always wanted to progress up that career ladder, but equally, I wanted to have my own family. That was a hard thing to juggle.”

“Also, with Den (Deniece Maddox Davies) and Terry (Terry Joseph, PI & counter Fraud Operations Manager) coming together and talking about the opportunity there for people who do work part-time to progress and become leaders whilst still having children was incredible for me. It was really encouraging, and it made me really appreciate the business so much more.”

“For a business this large to offer such opportunities for women who do want to progress their careers is incredible. I’m really proud of what we’ve done as a leadership team, showing people that they can be a part-time team leader. It’s absolutely doable. I’m forever grateful to the company for giving me that opportunity.”

Helen Lewis, Personal Injury Team Leader

Paving the way for part-time leadership

“We, as a leadership team, recognise the importance of exploiting the talent that we’ve got at our disposal. From my own personal experience, I would have left private practice and pursued an ambition of a leadership role a lot earlier in my career had I had the opportunity to do that on a part-time basis. As a woman, or anybody with parental responsibilities, you do feel the pressure of: am I missing out on my career? Is there anything else that I could achieve? And sometimes there’s conflict there.

“We want to try and take that conflict away and recognise that it’s doable. When Helen came back from having her first child a couple of years back, we thought we needed to test this as a theory. Can this leadership role work on a part-time basis? It takes a lot of planning, forethought and a lot of organisation, but we’ve proved that it can work and work really well.

“That’s really paved the way for people like Sarah, who might not have had the opportunity to lead a team before. We’ve got a lot of people locally, who we’re opening doors for. For me as a leader in this business, and as a woman, that is incredibly important.”

Deniece Maddox Davies, Head of Claims Operations

Creating opportunities for progression

These testimonials underscore ERS’s unwavering commitment to providing opportunities for career progression for women returning from maternity leave, enabling and supporting them to continue to develop and succeed in leadership roles. The collaboration between leadership and employees at ERS has created a supportive environment where women can continue to climb the career ladder while still having the flexibility to meet their family responsibilities.

At ERS, we believe that supporting women through various life stages, especially maternity, is not just the right thing to do – it’s an investment in our collective success. By empowering women to pursue their professional goals while navigating the challenges of parenthood, ERS is setting the standard for a workplace that truly values its female employees. We are proud to be an organisation that celebrates diversity, encourages career progression, and provides a supportive community for all team members.