The 2019 Power 50 are all the proof we need that part-time work is no longer just for mums, or for women, or even for office workers.
This year’s Power 50 winners are the most varied group we’ve ever had, with an equally varied set of reasons behind the career choices they’ve made. Forget the mum myth; in 2019, this is what part-time looks like.
Karen Mattison MBE, Co-Founder Timewise
It feels as if the Timewise Power 50 has finally come of age. Launched seven years ago to bring senior part-timers out of the shadows, it has evolved over time to become a high profile celebration of the art of the possible.
What’s changed, and how has it happened? Well, in the intervening years, the debate about flexible working has undergone a big shift. Critically, there’s an increasing acceptance that it benefits companies as much as it does their employees; the business case is no longer in doubt. So instead of talking about WHY we need it, the conversation has moved on to HOW to make it work.
The most varied group of winners to date
As this year’s winners show, there are many different ways to do so. They are the most varied group that we have ever seen, coming from a wide range of organisations of all shapes and sizes. Where else would you see a security chief sharing the limelight with a pair of West-End performers? Or a consultant anaesthetist being celebrated alongside the head of a music label?
And their motivations are equally varied. Some of our winners work flexibly to care for relatives; others do so to write books and musicals. Or to pursue a side-hustle, to dedicate time to not-for-profit projects, or to look after their mental and physical health. The career choices they’ve made are supporting them to live and work in the way they want to, and helping to bust some myths around flexible working on the way.
The 2019 Power 50 are all the proof we need that part-time work is no longer just for mums, or for women, or even for office workers.
Inspirational employers showing how it’s done
We’re also delighted to be showcasing three brilliant examples of employers who have taken a radical approach to their flexible working strategy. Our Employer Award winners have all embraced different ways of working, and can point clearly to the benefits that this fresh approach is delivering. It’s particularly interesting to see small to medium size employers setting an example to their bigger counterparts; we hope they inspire others to follow.
What’s next, then, in the evolution of the Timewise Power 50? Only time will tell. But with flexible working now firmly on the agenda, from the government’s Flexible Working Taskforce to the ongoing debates around board level women and gender pay gap reporting, the only way is onwards.
I hope you enjoy our winners’ stories. In 2019, they are what part-time looks like.
The Timewise Power 50 is supported by EY, Dixons Carphone, Diageo, Lloyds Banking Group and The Telegraph.
