3 things I’d prioritise if I had a budget…(and it might not be what you’d think)

Having spent many years on the side of a spreadsheet filled with a company budget to work with, alongside the backdrop of ‘where can we save some money?’ and ‘what’s actually committed and where can we cut?’ I understand all too well the pressures on many budget lines. When you’re trained to think of every pound as your own (I wish), it doesn’t really leave you!

It’s pretty common for an organisation to approach me with little to no ear-marked budget. Every now and again it’ll be a ‘we’ve got x amount to work with, what could we do’ but more often than not, it’s ‘there’s no budget, we’ll be pulling together a proposal to get something signed off’. And it’s fine either way, maybe not dreamy, but we need to be realistic.?

So on the off chance you’re an organisation pondering what to do with a bit of cash, I thought I’d share with you where I’d start if I had the gift of a budget line or a sponsor who understands the need for investment in supporting parents (and line managers) in the workplace. And before you grab the calculator, it’s perhaps not what you’d think…

1. Listening and feedback

Presented with some budget, it can be tempting to go on a metaphorical supermarket sweep and pick up some workshops, coaching, maybe a smidge of consulting. And they’re all great, but they’re an output and longer term investment.

Up front, we need to understand the pain points, what’s working well, the gaps, what’s already taken care of and the like. So before you sign off any invoices, start with the basics and shape a roadmap to success.?

2. Establishing a cross functional working group

Many of you already know my feelings about this not being a conversation that should remain in HR, yet here we are - rally cries for HR leaders to unite and get in touch with people like me. I understand the logic. But I also deeply challenge it.

Supporting parents and empowering line managers may well (tactically) come from an initiative owned by HR. However, it’s a much MUCH bigger picture than that. I’ve worked with countless organisations who all say similar - HR end up having to do the work of a line manager, and we all let it happen.?

The sooner you can establish a working group - NOT a parent network - the better. The purpose of the working group is to bring together company goals, values, practices and operations, alongside understanding what it’s like to be a parent or carer in your organisation.

It will be filled with decision makers, influencers (not the social media kind) and policy holders. They’ll be meeting regularly, gathering feedback, bringing a company wide overview of what’s currently going on.

They may of course morph into a longer standing network group in the future, or perhaps continue to exist separately but alongside an ERG or affinity group.?

3. Fund a parent and carers network group

It was always coming, right?! These are groups of people varying in size and purpose, and properly funded ones are few and far between. But they’re incredibly close to what your people need. With proper governance, they can help shape strategies, policies and provide safe spaces for story sharing and action.

They shouldn’t be the custodian of centrally funded activity and support, but they can be a huge voice for the things that will keep the wheels turning. The regular touch points, embedding conversations about parenting and intersectionality and feeding back day to day realities. Let them know their work, which most people do alongside already stretched day jobs, is valued by putting your money where your metaphorical mouth is.?

The responsibility of spending

Some (maybe even all) of what I’ve shared on this list might not quite be what some of you expected. But here’s the thing: having a budget line for this kind support should come with a responsibility to spend it wisely. Bringing in heaps of activity without doing the groundwork has the potential for bad spending that’s wasting budget. We want to hold on to those budget lines, and not find them being taken off future pots because of rushed decisions with little ROI to show for it.?

There are lots of things I could have put on this list, and maybe I’ll do some further sharing on this (sometimes emotive) topic in the future. It’s a blend when it comes to sharing your opinion on these things because organisations are wildly different in their set up and needs. So, it’s by no means a one size fits all but has every intention of giving you some ideas on where you could start.?

Any questions or if you’d like to talk about how you want to spend some of that mega precious budget with Power of the Parent?, you can book a call now.