Still Fabulous at 50 something revisited*

*Caveat number 1 this is a freshen up of our original chat from a couple of years ago but still absolutely relevant.

*Caveat number 2 as youthful as the lovely Joanne is, the photo is of her darling daughter Evie. ??

Break the Bias…or is it Break the Rules?

When Jemma asked me to contribute, I’ll admit, I was curious. Why me? Her answer? She rattled off my “credentials”—a menopausal, fifty-something, part-time working mum at the Office for National Statistics in Strategic Resourcing.

But if I’m honest, I prefer to think of my career path as novel rather than an anomaly. Some have even called it “living my adult life in reverse,” which I’m not entirely opposed to!

As for my education, it was nothing to write home about by today’s standards. But I was the first in my family to go to university, part of a cohort of five girls (and one boy) breaking new ground. My working-class parents always believed in equality of opportunity—no matter our gender. I’ve got to give special mention to my Nan, who took it a step further and had four boys AND four girls!

My university days included a year-long academic exchange to the U.S. on a male-dominated industrial engineering course. At 20, I was one of the youngest students in the program—by a few years!

Fast forward to my early career, which, to say the least, was far from conventional. I spent my “BC” years—before cellphones—travelling the world, including a year working in Australia. My first full-time graduate job at 26 in London marked the start of a career in HR, which eventually led me to working on projects across the UK and abroad. The boldest adventure was setting up an office in S?o Paulo, Brazil. Picture this: a thirty-something, blonde woman in the scariest metropolitan city on Earth—completely new to Portuguese. Definitely a take-a-deep-breath moment!

Eventually, I came back to Wales for a 12-month stats graduate recruiter position at the ONS, closer to family. And here I am, two decades later. The pace of change in recruitment at ONS is dizzying, but it still excites me. The constant? The incredible support I’ve received through various life stages—often in the form of policies that help “break the bias.”

It wasn’t always easy. I tried starting a family a few years after joining ONS, but my fertility journey took an exhausting 11 years, including 13 rounds of IVF. Let me tell you, I wouldn’t wish that on anyone—whether you’re working or not. At the time, there weren’t the policies and tools we have today, but I was lucky to have supportive managers who helped me navigate those tough years.

When my dad became disabled, I switched to part-time hours to help care for him. Thanks to ONS’s family-friendly policies, I was also able to take a career break between the ages of 46 and 50 to have and raise my daughter. That time was precious, and it allowed me to be there for both my dad and my daughter.

Returning to work after my break, I was at an age when many women feel forced out of their careers. But thanks to ONS’s flexible approach, I was able to continue working part-time. And having my daughter’s place at the on-site nursery was a game-changer—peace of mind and a significant financial break, as the fees were subsidised and deducted directly from our salaries.?

When I came back to work, it was in a new role. The recruitment world had shifted dramatically, and social media was now at the heart of it. Although I was the oldest and probably the least experienced when it came to online job platforms, it wasn’t a barrier. I dove in headfirst, managing the ONS Recruitment Twitter account, growing our followers, and even creating the first version of our Civil Service Careers pages.

When the global pandemic hit, recruitment went online almost overnight. We moved our assessments to digital platforms, with just a two-week hiatus in interviews. I was able to help implement these changes while working from home—and I even accessed special leave for home-schooling during those chaotic months. The support of the working parents’ network was invaluable during that time.

I’m proud to say that I’ve been able to support colleagues through their own IVF journeys, using my personal experience to offer advice—especially around the “geriatric” label I was given during my IVF treatments, and the emotional toll of miscarriage. We now also have access to support across the Civil Service through the fertility and loss network as well as our own fertility network within ONS.

And let’s not forget the menopause. I’ve experienced it, and I’ve had the benefit of our staff-led support group. The ONS also provides menopause guidance for managers, which has been a huge help in fostering understanding and support for staff dealing with the symptoms.? We also have the support of an external provider to help us navigate this period of our lives which is reassuring.???

Looking ahead, I hope to see more people like me—maybe even a whole new group of “menopausal, fifty-something, part-time working mothers.” (Okay, maybe that title needs some work!) For now, my focus is on being the best role model I can be for my daughter. It’s a role that scares and excites me in equal measure—and one I nearly didn’t get.

Already, she’s breaking the bias herself—challenging, questioning, and always striving for fairness and inclusivity. The pose below? It was meant to represent “break the bias,” but I can’t help but think she looks like she’s fluttering her wings. Maybe she’s already taking flight!