New Book: Top Tips for Talented Working Parents

Talking Talent has launched a new book:  Top Tips for Talented Working Parents.

This is a helpful guide for working parents to help them balance parenthood and their working lives. The 66-page self-coaching resource for parents provides insights from specialist coaches, senior professionals and experienced parents. The areas covered in the book include: what I want out of my working life, getting support – managing colleagues and managing stress, and logistics – from childcare, to networks, and creating time to focus. The book also addresses the area of recognising and overcoming workplace challenges.

Top Tips for Talented Working Parents also provides tips and advice to help parents work through and manage issues. Each chapter also includes a real life quote from senior managers who have navigated the highs and lows of balancing work and parenthood already.

Tips include:

• “Make sure you talk to your work as soon as you can about the role you want to come back to, about their expectations of you and what you want, in terms of flexible working.” Coachee, Financial Services Firm
• “Returning to work after your first child is traumatic. Having someone independent, knowledgeable and patient to discuss all the emotional, professional and practical issues that arise is indispensable.” Director, International Financial Conglomerate

Jo Lyon, co-founder of Talking Talent, said:

“Many companies struggle to retain women following maternity. We help clients hold on to their talented women and – at the same time – give women the confidence and support they need throughout. 

"Many clients have suggested we write a self-coaching resource to complement our coaching programmes and this was the driver behind the book launch. It is also timed with helping companies prepare for the new UK paternity law in April 2011, which will see extended paternity leave and may bring major changes to the workplace.  We hope it will be an indispensible guide for companies and their employees.” 

What some of our readers say:

"I read your top tips book yesterday and thought it was fantastic - obviously written by people who understand the challenges of being a working parent."

Joanne Dooley, CR Manager and HRD at BDO Stoy Hayward

"Many thanks for the top tips book - I've read it (perfect "handbag on train" size) and have left it prominently under my husband’s nose to the extent that he's said he must have a read through when he's on paternity leave."

Coachee from a Magic Circle law firm

Here is a quote from one of our book reviews:

"What lies between the covers is really practical and sound advice for any parent to be, returning to work or even back at work parent. I expected that it would be written for mums but I passed over chapters to my husband which he has found useful as a working parent, partner and as our daughter’s primary carer.

The tips are challenging and applicable [...] When I read tip two in the first topic area, “What do you want from work and home?”, it really hit home about the unrealistic expectations we put upon ourselves as parents in the workplace based on role models we have had in our own families and the ongoing conflicts between working and being a parent."

Helen Bradley, HR Zone

Go to HR Zone to read the full review.

To see more press coverage on our book click on the links below:

• HR Review
• Online Recruitment