15 years ago, Karen Mattison and Emma Stewart were looking for flexible jobs to fit with raising their young children. Unable to find vacancies to match their skill level, and frustrated by seeing so many other women dropping out of successful careers, they decided to do something about it.
As a result, they founded the social business, Women like Us, and began matching talented women who needed flexible or part time work with like-minded employers.
However, they soon learned that pigeon-holing flexibility as a women’s issue wasn’t actually in the best interests of women; or indeed, business. Karen and Emma realised the best way to get employers to open up to flexibility is to showcase the wider business benefits, and to find role models (men and women) for successful flexible working in all sorts of businesses, and at all seniority levels.
In 2012 Karen and Emma launched Timewise Jobs, a national jobs board specialising in roles that are part time or open to flexibility.
And in 2014 Timewise consultancy and training services were launched to support organisations that want to join us on the journey to a more modern workplace, by improving their approach towards both flexible working and flexible hiring.
The Timewise group is headed up by the Timewise Foundation, a community interest company. The foundation’s core mission is to shape and grow the flexible hiring market in the UK, so that everyone can find the flexibility they need in their careers, without reducing their value in the workplace.
Timewise is driven by the social vision that people should be able to progress their careers whilst finding the flexibility they need to meet other commitments. Any profits we make through our commercial services are reinvested through the Timewise Foundation for social benefit – for example to help parents from low income families to find flexible jobs.
Our work has been endorsed by thought leaders, policy makers and the business community. In addition to our clients and partners, those who have praised our approach include the Resolution Foundation, the Confederation of British Industry, the Greater London Authority, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, the Cabinet Office, the Recruitment & Employment Confederation, the Chartered Institute for Professional Development and the British Chambers of Commerce.
Institute of Directors ‘Breaking the Mould’ awards – SME category winners, November 2014
Institute of Directors ‘Women changing the business world’ – award winners, February 2014
Britain’s Top 50 New Radicals – listed amongst the top 50 entrepreneurs who are ‘making Britain great again’, compiled by Nesta and The Observer. February 2012
Ashoka UK Fellow – Karen Mattison became an Ashoka UK Fellow, sponsored by the Arthur Guinness Fund TM. January 2012
Management Today magazine and Cisco’s ‘Business Hero’ awards – category winner, May 2011
Member of the British Empire – Emma Stewart and Karen Mattison were both listed in The Queen’s birthday honours. November 2010
Queen’s Award for Enterprise – awarded for innovation, April 2009
Timewise Solutions is a limited company registered in England and Wales
Company number: 08795991 VAT registration number: 190590594
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