All the data is very clear. If you want to support your workforce – boost confidence, wellbeing and productivity – then you need to start addressing the issue of care. The majority of employees have caring responsibilities: typically one third will have kids under 10, about 15% are carers for a family member and over 50% have pets. For this enormous chunk of your workforce, care responsibility is the number one barrier stopping them from being able to: Work in the office / attend work events  Work more hours and be more ambitious in their career Feel loyal to their employer These are s ..read more

I’m Morgan, one of the co-founders of Peachies. Peachies make premium nappies engineered for exceptional softness and longer nights – so my mat leave was, for many reasons, short and sweet. Here’s how I’ve weathered the transition back to work:   1. Plan, plan, plan. Every Sunday night my partner and I sit down and discuss the week ahead. We have a joint calendar where we map out our commitments – personal and professional – and chat through what’s (ideally) unmoveable, where we need childcare coverage and where we have any overlaps so we can swap things around. 2. Routine For both you an ..read more

Everyone enjoys a good celebration. But not everyone will be popping the champagne corks to welcome in 2024. Yes, there are always reasons to enjoy what the New Year might hold, but there are also plenty of issues still to be resolved: from a stuttering economy to mortgage interest rates which are still high, and for families the increasing burden of childcare costs, assuming they can find childcare at all.    There are probably a dozen or more critical issues that we could be discussing, all vying to be at the top of your in-tray. So when it comes to supporting your employees a ..read more

Everyone enjoys a good celebration. But not everyone will be popping the champagne corks to welcome in 2024. The board of OpenAI probably won’t be… although who knows by the time you read this! Yes, there are always reasons to enjoy what the New Year might hold, but there are also plenty of issues still to be resolved: from a stuttering economy to mortgage interest rates which are still high, and for families the increasing burden of childcare costs, assuming they can find childcare at all.    There are probably a dozen or more critical issues that we could be discussing, all vy ..read more

Everyone enjoys a good celebration. But not everyone will be popping the champagne corks to welcome in 2024. Ex-government ministers trying to circumvent the rule of law probably won’t be!  Yes, there are always reasons to enjoy what the New Year might hold, but there are also plenty of issues still to be resolved: from a stuttering economy to mortgage interest rates which are still high, and for families the increasing burden of childcare costs, assuming they can find childcare at all.    There are probably a dozen or more critical issues that we could be discussing, all v ..read more

From financial wellbeing to delivering on inclusion, there are plenty of things in the HR in-tray as the New Year comes ever closer. We look at where you can make a real impact in 2024. I know what you’re probably thinking: just four? And I’d agree. There are probably a dozen or more issues that we could be discussing, all vying for precious time and space on the agenda of any HR team. But each of these four should occupy a position very high on that agenda. This is where you can make a real impact. Focus is important. I’m hearing a lot from HR teams worried that rewards have become too fragme ..read more

Hi my name is Nevine, a single working mum to a wonderful 10 year old boy and founder of tech start-up, Playdate, the UK’s first dating app for single parents. I suppose starting Playdate was initially a selfish endeavour. How the hell can a divorced, busy working mum in today’s modern world find the time to date let alone have a social life? I can hardly keep up with the school’s emails and parents WhatsApp groups, let alone make sure clothes are washed, dishes are cleaned, and fresh home-cooked food is made for the growing monster at home (while also feeding myself). Scrap that, I ..read more

This is a list I’ve been accumulating for several years. It’s my attempt to list everything to put in place in the early part of September to make life manageable. I’ve shared it with friends in the past, but this year I’m sharing it widely – let me know what I’ve missed! Oh, and no matter how prepared you are… always remember it’s ok to find ‘back to school’ overwhelming. DO NOT make big life decisions in September. In October things will calm down.   Name stickers These really do stick and stay. Pencil cases, hats, water bottles, books – sticker them all. I have versions with all kids n ..read more

Childcare – both the quality and the range of options – varies massively across Europe. The founders of Peachies, which Morgan and Rima describe as a company with one soul and two hearts in London and Vienna, are constantly comparing notes. They shared with us that for finding the balance they want in their professional and personal lives, childcare is a big question. This question drives Bubble. We still see after 6 years that new parents, like the Peachies founders, experience shock and frustration when they realise how limited childcare options are. Peachies launched three months before Mor ..read more

Bubble has partnered with Junior Adventures Group, the UK’s leading provider of holiday clubs. JAG have over 160 locations around the country, providing brilliant activities for 4-12 year olds. School holidays can be really tricky for working parents and through this partnership Bubble is delighted to be able to offer an alternative way to make sure children are safe and happy during the Summer break. Junior Adventures Group already supports 50,000 families with childcare for school holidays. They provide a jam-packed day full of a diverse range of activities so no matter where a child’s tale ..read more