Packed-out FLIP event discusses juggling caring, burnout and managers

A sold-out event from The FLIP showcasing its new landmark survey into workforce experiences featured candid experiences on caring responsibilities, confidence and burnout. 

The FLIP’s current leaders – Collins marketing manager Cassie Rocks, the founder of non-profit WriteUnite Omara Elling-Hwang and Yanmin Zhuchen-Mander, senior marketing manager John Murray Press - presented the event on Wednesday evening (27th March) which was hosted by Collins at the News UK building in London. 

Around 150 people gathered at the sold-out event, to hear analysis of The FLIP’s new workforce report, and two panel sessions featuring candid experiences of staffers’ experiences across various levels of seniority and company. 

Before the sessions began, The FLIP members paid tribute to one of The FLIP’s founding members Sophie Christopher, senior publicity manager at Transworld, who died in 2019 months after founding the collective. “Everything we do is inspired by her legacy,” Zhuchen said. 

The panel which followed, "Navigating the Second Shift" was chaired by Rebecca Sinclair, chief brand officer at PRH, and explored the additional workload shouldered by parents in managing household and childcare responsibilities alongside their professional commitments. The panelists included Collins’ sales and marketing director Sam Eardley and Michael Joseph publishing director Dan Bunyard, who both discussed how caring responsibilities have impacted their careers. 

This was followed by a session entitled "Celebrating the Next Gen", with Daphne Tonge, founder and managing director of Illumicrate and Daphne Press, chairing a panel including Trapeze editorial director Katie Packer, Bloomsbury senior marketing manager Akua Boateng and Hachette consumer insights analyst Amanda Ahadizadeh who talked about the challenges and opportunities that come with nurturing the next generation and the skills and qualities that are essential for long-term success. 

All three of the "Second Shift" panelists described a loss of confidence after periods of leave. Bunyard described “feeling half a father and half of the worker” he had been before parental leave but encouraged people to think of themselves as “expanded versions” instead with new experience and insights. 

Bunyard said: “I’ve benefitted enormously from hybrid working and in fact I don’t see how it would have been possible post-pandemic.

“I think it’s up to everyone to keep that mental ledger about the number of contracted hours, but that we know it’s not actually about the hours, it’s about what you’re achieving.” 

Sinclair emphasised the importance of boundaries and recounted how she regretted taking a work call whilst with her mother in hospital and Boateng also discussed the need for boundaries. She said: “Understanding the best way you work and communicating that effectively – that sometimes comes out as boundaries which people aren’t always happy to hear, but if it comes out with the outcome everyone wants, people need to hear it.” 

Packer said: “It’s so important to carve those boundaries early on and then it’s so hard to claw them back.” 

On burnout – including the research which showed that 97% of respondents described experiencing it – Packer said: “Oh yeah, I’ve experienced it. I think it’s not just about the workload but the type of work you’re doing... Now I’ve figured out ways which work for me – that I work better in the morning and do the stuff I enjoy later on.” 

Ahadizadeh added: “This is so important – knowing the work which drains you and the work which energises you.” 

As the panel subsequently discussed the perils of management, Tonge said: “I don’t think everyone senior necessarily has the skills to manage people. If you can do both that’s great, but […] you don’t promote people because they’re good at managing people but managing is such an important skill to have, I almost think it should be a separate job.”