MotherBoard Ambassador Spotlight: Helena Reeds

The ADLIB x MotherBoard Ambassador scheme is for employees wanting to volunteer their time and join the MotherBoard mission of creating a more gender-fair and inclusive tech industry. As part of a series showcasing the amazing volunteers and ambassadors, MotherBoard caught up with Helena Reeds, Senior Consultant at ADLIB.

Firstly, can you please introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your current role?

Hey! I’m Helly, and I’m a Senior Consultant here at ADLIB Recruitment. I specialise in connecting talented Project, Production, Resource, and Studio Managers with our digital, marketing, creative and integrated agency clients across the South of England.

What motivated you to become a MotherBoard ambassador?

I’m a bit embarrassed to say, but when I first joined ADLIB I wasn’t fully aware of the challenges that working mums encounter in the workplace, and the knock-on effect this has on gender inequality. I was fortunate enough to learn about these issues via Motherboard and knew straight away that I wanted to be more involved to actively amplify the movement’s message, and be able to educate others the way I had.
Put simply, I’m eager to be part of the movement to increase awareness and drive change around supporting mothers and working parents in the tech industry.

Being a Motherboard Ambassador means that I’m empowered to leverage my voice and my network to shed light on often overlooked (and let’s face it, sometimes taboo!) issues, sparking conversations about diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

What does being a MotherBoard Ambassador mean to you?

To me, being a Motherboard Ambassador means that I am an advocate for the movement and I’m empowered to leverage my voice and my network to shed light on often overlooked (and let’s face it, sometimes taboo!) issues, sparking conversations about diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

Through being an Ambassador, I’m able to confidently talk to my clients about the work of Motherboard, helping businesses to get involved in the Motherboard community to together make tangible, positive changes in the workplace.

What are you most looking forward to as part of being an ambassador?

It’s hard to choose! The community events are always really inspiring so I’m definitely looking forward to attending more of these in 2024 as an Ambassador.

Only a fraction of applicants for tech roles are female and this problem will only be exacerbated by a company that has very few females in leadership positions. To hire diverse teams we first need to look within a company to address these issues and motherhood needs to be at the heart of these inclusion strategies.

Why do you think making the tech industry more inclusive of mothers and working parents is important?

From a recruitment perspective, making the tech industry more inclusive of mothers and working parents is going to have a direct, positive effect on the talent pipeline. Without removing the barriers that mothers face in the workplace, more women will continue to leave the tech industry, meaning that we have fewer females in senior positions thus widening the gender pay gap and leaving fewer female role models in the industry.

Only a fraction of applicants for tech roles are female and this problem will only be exacerbated by a company that has very few females in leadership positions. To hire diverse teams we first need to look within a company to address these issues and motherhood needs to be at the heart of these inclusion strategies.

What do you think is the main hurdle stopping employers from being more inclusive?

Honestly, I think a lot of employers feel overwhelmed! It can feel like there are so many things you can change about your workplace but you don’t even know where to start. That’s where the work of Motherboard comes in, helping their signatories to make change via pledges and holding businesses accountable.

Having flexibility is one of the easiest ways for a workplace to be more inclusive for mums and working parents. This isn’t just having ‘core hours’ or early finish Fridays (even though this is a good starting point), but rather allowing mums to structure bespoke working hours based on what works best for them and their families.

What do you think the priority should be for creating tangible change for working mums in tech?

Flexibility! As a recruiter, I hear this word day in and day out… Having flexibility is one of the easiest ways for a workplace to be more inclusive for mums and working parents. This isn’t just having ‘core hours’ or early finish Fridays (even though this is a good starting point), but rather allowing mums to structure bespoke working hours based on what works best for them and their families. This information can only be found out by having detailed discussions with mums before their return to work, in order to make this transition as smooth and welcoming as possible!

Access to equal parental leave is also a tangible change that will help to boost flexibility for mothers. Opening up the conversation around caregiving not only gives families the flexibility to choose what works for them but also establishes parity for parents in the workplace.

Any final words of advice for other people looking to better support mothers in the Tech Industry?

Diversity and Inclusion need to be driven by everyone, especially by those with privilege already. The Motherboard website is a great place to start to educate yourself and others so that we can open up this discussion within the workplace.

MotherBoard is a Business Charter, Community & Event Series, driving tangible change for mums working in the tech industry.

Interested in getting involved? Become a signatory today