#Upcycle your Job – The smart way to balance family life and career
Author: Anna Meller
Review by: Elaine Keith
I picked up this book full of hope and optimism for a new mindset on flexible working; lusting after tips on how as a single parent, I can juggle my two children, a household and still have a progressive career. I wasn’t disappointed. Anna Meller has written this book with compelling research, intellectual theories and practical tips to help you feel empowered to drive the change within organisations. She is realistic and prepares you for the resistance from your employer and carefully explains that we will need to be pioneers in steering what the new world could look like. Her reflection questions at the end of each chapter are thought provoking, helping you formulate your desired working pattern, and structure your approach towards your employer helping you take the necessary steps.
My only disappointment throughout the book is that the tips, techniques and theories are fantastic for the white square boxes that seem to reflect the corporate office world but how much of this is applicable to other working environments such as engineering and manufacturing? Could this approach really be applied to the working mum packing boxes within the latest food craze factory? Or what about the mum who is working night shifts to make ends meet? If you are a middle Manager within a corporate company looking to implement a change to your working pattern this is the book for you. Likewise, if you are an organisation looking to improve the flexible working proposition Anna’s extensive research will compel you into taking action. The evidence of injustice within this book combined with the countless social media campaigns has the potential to kick start a revolution to build on the already changing everyday working practices. Case studies and ideas around proactive changes are shared within this book however I hope Anna continues her great work by continuing to share more case studies to spark further ideas as to how this can work for employees and employers.
Elaine Keith, Head of Employee Success – Security Watchdog