Claire Bradford: trio of workshops will help work ‘returners’

Claire was working as a bank manager, when she fell pregnant with twins.

In order to help people in a similar situation, she has designed the ‘Get Yourself Work Ready’ workshops with a programme being designed for each of the top three concerns raised, which were as follows:

1. Fear of change - Ironically, many returners Claire-Louise questioned seemed unaware that they had just been through probably one of the most major changes they would ever experience in their lives: they were now parents!

We have an amazing capability to just get on with whatever we are currently facing but something unknown always seems scarier.

The ‘Embracing Change’ workshop (on September 25) celebrates the changes returners have already faced and dealt with and then looks at how change affects different people.

2. Loss of confidence - ‘I just don’t think I can remember how to do my job’ or ‘It was such a long time ago, I’m not the same person I was then’.

The ‘Building Confidence’ workshop (on October 2) is about giving someone the tools to be able to start their self-confidence journey.

3. Lack of assertive behaviour - This came from returners feeling like they somehow needed to conform with the company expectations of being in the office at 08:00 and leaving at 18:00.

Or taking on far more than they were able to do, for fear of looking like they were not bothered any more.

For many they were so committed before having children or being ill they did not want to be seen to have changed.

The ‘Assertiveness’ workshop (on 9th October) builds on the confidence one before it and gives tools to be able to say no.

The workshops are at Ham Manor Golf Club, West Drive, Angmering.

They start at 10am, finish at 2pm and are £55 each. Book all three to get a discount and, if you say you are a reader of this column, you will also qualify for a free one-hour CV review, worth £25.

Go to www.seventeenhr.co.uk/training.

I’d love to hear about your returning to work experiences and if you go on the course itself.

Email me at [email protected]

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