"As a dad of two very energetic boys, aged 11 and 14, I personally understand the challenges of managing a career as well as a family life. Trying to find a healthy balance has not always been easy. It has taken special care to navigate this delicate balance, especially in my role as Managing Director at SIX, which has included a commute between Switzerland and the UK.
It is only now, with age and maturity, that I have managed to find a balance that works well for my family. This was not always the case when my children were younger and needed me most.
I am very glad to say that today I am better at making time for my boys, and for my wife, who has made her own career and supported me in mine. In the past I felt that I needed to make big sacrifices at home to progress in my career, today I believe that progress would have also been possible while holding my boundaries.
The lessons I have learnt from these challenges, and my work as a former school governor have given me a much better understanding of the nurture that young children need. I believe it is now more important than ever to help employees find that balance.
In my view, organizations play a pivotal role in enabling work-life balance for their employees, particularly parents. By offering flexible working arrangements, good parental leave policies, and a family-friendly culture, companies can create an inclusive work environment that supports the diverse needs of their workforce. Such measures are crucial, not only for attracting and retaining talent but also for promoting employee well-being.
Given my interest in supporting working parents and my own personal experiences, I am delighted to be invited to speak at the parents@work Conference. This conference serves as a platform for discussing and exploring how we can build better workplaces for parents. By sharing my own journey and insights, I hope to inspire and encourage organizations to take action and invest in creating a more inclusive and family-friendly workplace for everyone.”
We are thrilled to introduce Shai Popat, who will be our keynote speaker at our parents@work conference in September. Shai heads up the product and commercial strategy for the Financial Information business of SIX Group. SIX is not only our main sponsor for the conference, but also a family friendly employer and has been offering the parents@work peer coaching program to their employees since 2020.