Women in Retail – Roadshows Update
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Published 16 Feb 2022 in Raising Awareness
As we continue the Women in Retail campaign, today we update you all on what has happened since the last roadshows. Sharing stories about some of the wonderful women working across our Society as well as what we are doing to improve opportunities for women Working in Retail. Read more about our promoted colleagues and the job sharing trial.
What has happened since last year?
Since we completed the 2 career roadshows last year in Oxford and Walsall, in total, we had 83 colleagues attend the sessions. They had the chance to speak to our career experts, the Learning & Development team and heard direct from Sarah-Jane Moore, Food Head of Commercial on her extensive career.
Following this, all colleagues that attended had a dedicated Personal development plan (PDP) which led to 8 colleagues being promoted following the Roadshows. Well done and congratulations to you all!
Hazel Davies- promoted from Team Leader at Headington to Team Manager at Thame
Becca Boyle – promoted to Store Manager of Winchcombe (was Store Manager of Homelands)
Sam Chesters – promoted to Store Manager of Salisbury Avenue (was Team Manager at Bourton Petrol before)
Meg Ridley attended the Walsall Careers Roadshow as a Store Manager in Norton Canes. Since then, Meg was successful in her application for the Safe Store Manager role.
Chloe Walker attended the Walsall careers roadshow as a Team Leader in Rectory Road. Since then, Chloe was successful in her application for the Safe Stores Officer role.
Josh Bartlett attended the Oxford Careers Roadshow as a Team Leader in Devizes Road. Since then, Josh was successful in his application for the Fixed Term Store Manager role in Rodbourne Road to cover Store Manager LTS.
Imogen Bantams – Team Leader Long Hanborough to Team Manager at Bampton
Meg Smith has become a Team Leader from CSA in Chipping Norton
Job Shares - What do our colleagues think?
We have also progressed our job share opportunities with a new Store manager job share in Trench, a new team manager job share in Bath Road and a new addition in Highworth. Read their testimonials below.
Highworth
We caught up with Nikki and Katie from Highworth Food store, here’s what they had to say about their recent job share:
Nikki: "I have been job sharing for a few years now and I find that just being able to share the load makes life so much easier. Obviously, Katie is new to job share, but so far all is going great."
Katie: "I was drawn to the role of job share as I was a team manager working full time before I had my children. Being able to work part-time while still utilising my skills and spending time with my children works really well. "
Nikki (left) and Katie (right)
Bath Road
"I love my role as team manager but have found full-time hours a struggle, as I have some complex medical issues that have gotten worse this past year. Working 3 days a week now enables me to be able to look after my health whilst still having a career and most importantly for me is the fact I now have more time at home with my family.
I have recently become a 1st-time mum at 40 of a very energetic toddler who has made me realise how important the work-life balance is. I am so thankful that Midcounties is a supportive employer that enables colleagues in all positions to have a job share if they should want to without compromising career aspirations."
Mandi Lambie-Pitt
Bath Road
"At the end of last year, I lost my mum after a long illness and it really hit me hard and made me evaluate what I wanted in life. I love being a retail manager for Midcounties but as I have gotten older the hustle and bustle of full-time hours has made me lose sight of having a healthy balance between work and home life.
I am now able to give my family more of my time, take my elderly dogs out and about to make their senior years more enjoyable and the icing on the cake for me is being able to have a few more Saturdays off so I have been able to actually go and see my 1st live football match rather than watching the highlights."
Adam Templeman
Nichola & Lena from Trench Food
Nichola said "I have been a Store Manager for over 10 years now working full time, but recently become a Nan for the first time so it’s been fantastic to spend some quality time with my grandson and my family. I saw the opportunity come up and it felt like the perfect time to try the job share whilst maintaining my position as a Store Manager. It’s been a great benefit for me."
Lena said "I was previously a Team Manager so I have a good level of management experience but being able to take on the role of Store Manager has really developed me and enabled me to learn the role alongside Nichola. The opportunity has also made a big difference to my home life giving me more time to spend with my family."
Nichola (left) and Lena (right)
