"I should have put my rent money on that."

It's one of the first TikToks I see after the Love Island USA finale. A woman screams at her TV as the winners are announced, lamenting the money she could have made if she'd backed them. Around it, my feed is filled with videos encouraging viewers to turn their encyclopaedic knowledge of reality TV into cash. The message is clear: your pop culture obsession doesn't have to be a guilty pleasure. It could be profitable.

For decades, gambling companies largely targeted men, building businesses around football, horse racing and poker. But a noticeable shift is underway. Increasingly, women are being treated as the industry's next major growth market, with products and marketing designed around reality television, celebrity culture, influencers and social media rather than traditionally male-coded interests.

Prediction markets have ramped up their culture offerings, allowing people to trade on reality TV, Spotify streams, and even Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s wedding. Currently, there is a $548,978 trading volume on the Love Island UK market, with Lorenzo and Julia leading.

The strategy reflects a broader cultural shift. Women today have greater financial independence, higher workforce participation and are investing in greater numbers than previous generations. Fidelity's 2025 Women and Investing Study found Gen Z and Millennial women are becoming increasingly engaged with their finances, while the proportion of women who own investments continues to rise.

A recent study from Deakin University found that gambling promotions linked to influencers, women's sport and lifestyle content increased the normalisation and social acceptability of gambling among women aged 18 to 40. Rather than trying to persuade women to engage with products designed for men, companies are redesigning the products—and the marketing—to meet women where they already are.

This is reflected across social media, as more content is dedicated to promoting financial literacy cheat sheets, stock tips, and the girlification of retirement accounts. Some of it blurs with self care and empowerment messaging, designed to be easily digestible, from get-ready-with-me videos, quippy listicles, and girl math equations that really work. It’s girl’s-girl behaviour delivered with a forehead kiss to your savings account.

"Women are actively seeking financial participation and literacy," explains consumer behaviour expert Ammarah Ahmed. "The challenge is that gambling companies are adapting to this content style too. You now have women who are engaged with reality television, celebrity culture and social media who are also being invited to see those interests as financial opportunities."

Rather than presenting gambling as risk-taking, these campaigns often frame it as savvy decision-making. Rather than betting, users are encouraged to think of themselves as making predictions, participating in markets or applying knowledge they already possess.

Dr Devin Proctor, a digital anthropologist and professor at Elon University, believes this represents a much broader cultural change. "This communicates to a whole new population of fans that their cultural knowledge has economic value," he explains. "The same knowledge that has often been dismissed as trivial or 'trashy' is suddenly presented as something capable of generating capital. What's changing isn't necessarily the activity itself—it's the moral framing around it."

His description of the "financialisation of cultural expertise" captures what feels so distinctive about this new wave of marketing. Knowledge of football statistics has long been monetised through sports betting. What's new is encouraging women to view their expertise in reality television, celebrity culture or internet trends through exactly the same commercial lens.

The marketing reflects that evolution. Influencer partnerships, creator-style videos and user-generated content dominate feeds where traditional gambling adverts would once have felt jarring. Instead of loud bookmakers and football pundits, viewers are met with relatable creators, casual conversations and lifestyle aesthetics that blur the line between entertainment, recommendation and advertising.

Dr. Rey Junco, a licensed trauma therapist and research psychologist, says he’s concerned about gambling being disguised as lifestyle content. “There isn’t any good regulation around this and therefore can present a risk for those who are prone to such addictions. If you lower the cultural and social barriers to gambling (‘hey this is fun, all the people you look up to are doing it’), more people will gamble and more people will develop problematic gambling addictions.”

Aside from its current regulations, Dr. Junco isn’t convinced the app will go further with its user protections. "I absolutely think that platforms should be better stewards of public health," Dr. Junco continues. "Do I have hope that they will? Absolutely not. We've seen this time and time again."

All of this is also happening at a particularly dark time for many people: the economy feels tumultuous, the housing market is in crisis almost everywhere, and politically, nothing feels even close to being in favour of women. So, the desire to find the golden ticket is higher than ever. Gambling companies are just hoping you’ll believe it’s on their app.

“The long-term problem here is not just individual financial loss in an economy where the younger generation is already struggling to be able to afford things like buying a house,” Ahmed warns. “It's what happens when a generation grows up with this behaviour hardwired into them before they could ever even tell the difference.”

The branding may be softer and the influencers may look different from the bookmakers of old. But beneath the lifestyle aesthetics and empowerment messaging lies a familiar business model: finding new customers and convincing them that this time, it's different.

I was sitting across from a 25-year-old accounts manager who had just been described by her boss as ‘not committed enough.’ She had left work at 5pm to get to her favourite gym class.

When I asked what it was like hearing that, she said something I hadn’t expected. That she was tired. Not physically. Tired of performing commitment in a way that had nothing to do with the quality of her work, and tired of the unspoken rule that staying late meant caring more. She’d watched women fifteen years older than her run themselves into the ground and call it ambition.

As a psychotherapist and advisor for twenty-five years, I have worked with leaders, co-founders and teams. Conversations like this one are happening everywhere right now. Different names, different industries, same dynamics.

One generation looks at the other and thinks: they do not understand. They do not care. They do not want to work hard. The other looks back and thinks: You do not look well. You do not have to do it that way. You don’t value what I bring.

The sad reality is that both are missing the point.

The Lazy Label (and Why It Sticks)

I don’t believe Gen Z is lazy. A 2023 Samsung survey found that half of 16–25-year-olds want to start their own business. Over 80% of Gen Z entrepreneurs describe their ventures as purpose-driven. They are not short of ambition, but they do not believe that destroying yourself for work proves you have any.

But I can understand why this label sticks. I grew up in a world where you showed your worth by showing up early, late and at weekends. The unspoken contract was simple: sacrifice your time, and we will reward you with stability. And for a long time, that contract held.

Gen Z grew up watching that contract break. They watched their parents get made redundant after decades of loyalty, and they have never known a world where a job for life was a realistic promise. When they create their own thinking about their time and energy, they are described as lazy. But they have looked at the deal on offer and decided it is not worth burning out for. That is not a character flaw. It is a survival response.

The Burnout Problem Nobody Wants to Own

What we need to acknowledge is that all generations are exhausted. Gen Z is exhausted by a system that measures commitment in hours rather than impact. Older generations are exhausted by the feeling that the rules have changed, and nobody told them. Society for Human Resource Management research shows that 61% of Gen Z workers would leave a job for one with better mental health support. Deloitte found that only 56% feel comfortable discussing mental health with their managers.

What none of the surveys talk about is that exhaustion is not really about workload or burnout. It is about disconnection.

The Gen X colleague sees someone who will not pick up the phone and thinks they are avoiding real communication. The Gen Z colleague sees someone who insists on a call for something that could be a message and thinks they are wasting time.

The challenge is that both are failing to understand what the other actually needs.

Guess Who Ends Up Bridging the Gap

If you are a woman reading this, you already know the answer.

Research published in the Journal of Marriage and Family in 2024 confirmed what most of us have known: women carry a disproportionate share of the invisible cognitive labour, the remembering, the anticipating, the smoothing over. At home, yes, but at work too. Women are more likely to be the ones translating across generational lines. Softening the feedback that came out too bluntly from the Gen X director. Explaining to the senior partner why the new starter is not being difficult. Doing the relational labour that keeps the team functional while still being expected to deliver on their actual role.

McKinsey’s Women in the Workplace research has consistently shown that women in leadership invest more in supporting their teams’ wellbeing than men do. That work matters. It is also unpaid, unmeasured, and very rarely mentioned in a performance review.

I see this in my work constantly. Women who are exhausted not by the work itself but by the weight of making the relationships around the work function. And when they burn out, nobody connects it to the relational load they have been carrying. They just get told to be more resilient.

What Is Actually Going On

There is a term I keep coming back to in my work: relational poverty. It is what happens when the connections between people thin to the point where they can still function together, but they cannot actually relate. They can exchange information, but they cannot be honest. They can sit in the same meeting but not feel safe enough to say what needs to be said.

Gallup puts the global cost of disengagement at $8.9 trillion. But behind that number is something simpler. People go to work every day and feel alone in a room full of people. Not because anyone is intentionally being cruel. Because the quality of how people relate has eroded to the point where genuine connection feels like too much effort.

Gen Z did not create this. They inherited it. And they are the first generation to say out loud what others have been tolerating quietly for years: the way we are with each other while we do the work is not working.

Gen Z is not lazy. They are relationally different. Shaped by a world that trained their expectations in ways previous generations do not fully understand.

The question is not whether they are tough enough for the workplace. It is whether the workplace has the capacity to hold what they are bringing. Whether we can stop turning generational difference into a hierarchy of who is doing it right.

Because we need both the innovation and the resilience. We just have to stop blaming each other long enough to figure out how to relate and reconnect.

“You’ll never get another loan like it,” my college tutor told me, reassuringly, when I was 18. He was right, though not in the way he intended. Aside from a mortgage, it’s unlikely I will ever take on a debt with interest rates this high, a repayment window this long, or such power to shape my adult life. Student loans weren’t just misunderstood by teenagers like me; they were actively downplayed and sold as harmless.

Like many British teenagers from working-class backgrounds – current stats put the number of first-gen UK uni students at 651,965 – I was the first in my family to go to university. Both my parents left school without finishing, and as far as anyone could tell, no one on either side had gotten to college. All this meant that my acceptance letter was greeted exclusively with adulation. We knew nothing about loans or league tables — and don’t even ask me about “red bricks” or “polytechnics,” because I only learned about those after I’d graduated.

Fortunately, or so I thought, I had plenty of tutors who could provide some guidance, and all of them, without exception, guided me in the direction of a student loan. Coming from a low-income, single-parent household meant I instantly qualified for the maximum amount, and I was encouraged to take as much as I could get. This is how it was framed: as if I’d be lining my coffers with the public purse, rather than taking on a tremendous debt with no real plan as to how I might repay it, let alone what I would be paying on top. Interest rates? That simply was not in my teenage vernacular.

I don’t blame my tutors. I think they were probably just parroting the student loan playbook. It does bother me, though, that knowing I came from a family that qualified for free school meals — a benefit so shamed in my school that I never once used it — and later EMA, no one ever mentioned I might qualify for a bursary. Instead, I was encouraged — like approximately 909,000 other students in the academic year 2010/11 — to take out a student loan: “You won’t even pay it back until you’re earning enough,” was the party line.

And so, I find myself in the unfortunate — but not at all uncommon — situation of having graduated in 2013 to a debt of 26592.43 and, 13 years later, still owing £21,907.18.

A quick roll call of peers reveals a similarly dismal situation. “I’ve supposedly only paid off 4k, but with interest, we know I’ve paid more,” says Isabella Silvers, 32. Like me, Silvers is a journalist who graduated to a debt of just over £25,000 and, sadly, also like me, now has a debt of a little over £21,000 despite over a decade of chipping away at it. “I don’t even know how to find that information,” was the response that came from another friend — several, in fact — who have taken the “ignorance is bliss” approach to their mounting debt.

All of this feels almost quaintly British. We call queues “orderly,” bullying is “building character,” and now student loans have been dubbed a “graduate contribution,” or “graduate tax.” This makes it sound like a helpful donation to the nation rather than what many of us now recognise as a compounding financial trap.

The cruel irony is that the people most affected by ballooning student debt are often those the system claimed to help. Students from less wealthy backgrounds borrow more, rely on maintenance loans, and have less family cushioning when repayments begin to bite.

The problem isn’t that we borrowed money. The problem is that we did exactly what we were told: study hard, invest in education, aim high. All under the belief that student loans weren’t like other debts — that we’d only repay if we earned enough, that any leftover balance would be written off, and that the debt wouldn’t even count against future additional debts, like mortgages.

And yet here we are, poorer than those who came before, struggling more than those who could afford to forgo a loan altogether.

Fast-forward to 2026, and many graduates on the far steeper Plan 2 are watching their balances rise even as their payslips say otherwise. For students whose university courses began in or after September 2012, their interest is accruing faster than repayments can chase it down.

Jessica Fortune, 28, is staring down a debt of £92,265.35, and in the four and a half years since she graduated, her interest has risen £2,566.10.

What makes this feel especially cruel is not just the numbers — though the numbers are eye-watering — but the sense of having been mis-sold a future. Many of us will repay for decades. Many could repay more than they borrowed. More still will never clear the balance at all. If, like me, you were paid the first loan on or after 1 September 2006, your debt will be written off 25 years after the April you were first due to repay. For graduates of the £9,000-fees era, that cut-off point sits at 30 years.

And yes, technically, the system is income-contingent, but the debt, contrary to the common narrative, is precisely that: a debt. “The student loan system here is predatory. I was shocked when I moved here that people thought it was normal,” remembers Sarah Waldron, 37, who stayed in Ireland for her studies. I shuddered in recognition, thinking back to how normalised taking on that debt felt as an 18-year-old.

I’d held onto that belief until I went freelance almost ten years after I graduated, when I realised just how much I’d paid compared to how much I’d actually paid off. It’s a statistic that hasn’t shifted now that I’m back in-house. Take my last month’s statement, for example, which shows that I paid £608 towards my student loan but accrued £618 in interest.

“Roughly for every £300 I paid each month to my student loan in the 2024–2025 financial year, £160-ish was added in interest,” explains Laura, 35, who graduated in 2013 to a debt of £39,220.80 and still has £28,090.64 left to pay, despite a successful career as Head of Marketing in EdTech. “I have grafted and grafted to earn good money, I’m very savvy with my finances, etc., and yet I still owe two-thirds of my loan back?” she wonders.

The debt that at first felt vanishingly unreal suddenly feels like a heavy weight shouldered by a generation. It shapes how we think about taking risks, starting families, buying homes — and even what kind of adulthood is possible.

Politically, the discomfort is becoming harder to ignore. The Financial Times is questioning whether student loans are set to be the next mis‑selling scandal. Martin Lewis has called Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ decision to freeze the salary threshold at which graduates start repaying Plan 2 student loans “not a moral thing to do.”

When graduates who have done everything “right” still feel financially stuck, something has gone wrong. If higher education is genuinely a public good — as we’ve been told it is, endlessly — then its costs shouldn’t fall so heavily on those with the least room to absorb long-term risk.

I’m tired of being told we live in a meritocracy when all around me I see signs of the opposite. If that story is to remain believable, student finance needs more than to be a talking point. It’s one thing for students to bury their heads in the sand, but it’s quite another for our leaders to do the same.

We can’t keep acting as if time alone will make this problem disappear. For millions of graduates, time is what is being taken from them.

Working in global finance taught me something surprising: high income doesn’t automatically equal money confidence. Money shame shows up in the most unexpected places. On the trading floors of London and Wall Street, with six screens flashing and money moving at speed, I still saw brilliant women who felt behind, ashamed, or one step from disaster. Not because they weren’t smart, but because so many of us were taught how to earn, not how to feel safe and spacious with what we have.

Sorting your finances this year isn’t about being “better with money” — it’s about getting your life back from the constant low-level stress. If you’ve done the 3 am spiral, the mental maths at the supermarket till, or the “one unexpected bill and I’m sunk” feeling, you’re not alone. The goal for 2026 is simple: less stress, more choice. You get there with a plan you’ll actually use: a few small systems that take under 30 minutes to set up and just a few minutes a week to maintain.

The shift happens when money starts to feel less hostile, not because your numbers are perfect, but because you stop treating money like a test you are secretly failing. In 2026, sorting your finances is not about shrinking your life. It is about funding the version of it you actually want to live.

In this frame, wealth is not just a bigger number. It is optionality, meaning more ways to say yes or no on your own terms. Confidence comes from simple, repeatable contact with your money that builds trust over time. This is your shortcut from awareness to alignment to action.

4 tools for getting your finances in order

Money systems only work when they reflect what you value. Each of the four tools below replaces an unhelpful belief, offers one doable action, and gives you back a little more choice. Read on to take back control of your money this year.

1. Name What “enough” looks like

Belief to release: “When I hit a bigger number, then I’ll finally feel safe.”

Action: Take ten minutes and define “enough for 2026” in real terms. Write one sentence each for: your monthly essentials (rent or mortgage, council tax, energy, travel, childcare, minimum debt repayments), your buffer goal (start with one month of essentials), and one future-you contribution (ISA or pension).

Relief: You stop chasing a moving target and start aiming at a clear shape.

2. Build a calm money system

Belief to release: “If I just try harder, I’ll stay on top of it.

Action: Keep it simple and automated.

A bill's account where direct debits live (rent or mortgage, council tax, utilities, phone, subscriptions you keep).

A spending account for day-to-day.

A future-you pot for a buffer, ISA, or pension.

Set transfers for payday so the system runs without willpower. Then do one weekly 20-minute “Money Visibility” check: open your banking app, scan what’s due before next payday, and take one tidy action, i.e, cancel a subscription you don’t use, renegotiate utilities, move £20, chase a payment.

Relief: Your money stops living in your head and starts living in a structure you trust.

3. Track energy, not just expenses

Belief to release: “Budgeting means cutting everything that feels good.”

Action: For one week, notice what expands you and what drains you. Expands are things you genuinely use and feel better for. Drains are the purchases that leave you flat, guilty, or surprised. At the end of the week, keep your ‘expands’, and make one drain smaller, i.e., by spending less often, finding a cheaper alternative, or implementing a simple weekly cap.

Relief: You keep pleasure, but you stop funding autopilot.

4. Invest in support before you “deserve” it.

Action: Pick one form of support, and commit to it this week, not “someday”. That might be a money podcast or book you will actually finish, a single session with a trusted adviser, or a room of women who talk about money without shame. Then add one action that strengthens your income, because feeling safe is about both what you keep and what you’re paid.

Relief: Money stops being a secret you manage alone at 11 pm, getting help becomes an act of self-respect, not something you have to earn first.

The habit that changes everything

If you take one thing into 2026, let it be a weekly 20-minute Money Visibility ritual. Open your banking apps and do a quick sweep of what is true, what is due, and what needs your attention. When I finally did this properly and went through old pensions, credit cards, and forgotten subscriptions, the numbers were not pretty, but the fear shrank as soon as I looked.

Small, consistent contact with your money calms the nervous system faster than any colour-coded plan. You learn you can look, take one small action, and still be safe.

In 2026, the goal is not to master money. It is to stop being intimidated by it. You deserve a year where your finances feel like a foundation, not a threat, and where choices come from calm, not from crisis. If you want to go deeper than a reset, More Money, More Life is there as a longer companion for the journey.

“Job-seeking has never been the complete and utter silence I’m facing now,” writes Marissa Castrigno. Clearly, the sentiment – that AI and automation are turning job-hunting into even more of a hellscape – resonates: the LinkedIn post has racked up hundreds of likes and countless comments. Elsewhere, Google searches for “Will AI take my job” are up 212%, and there are 58.9 million posts under the TikTok search “People saying AI is gonna take my job.”

Castrigno’s argument is that we are in an automated employment loop in which AI is being used on both sides of the hiring process, resulting in a closed feedback cycle with scarily little human input that leaves us on the sidelines of a fully automated hiring charade. The theory tracks: in the UK, 61% of employers now use AI as part of their hiring process. What’s more, only 22% of AI and data professionals are women, raising concerns among hiring experts that women may be left behind in the AI boom. As Dr Ryne Sherman, chief science officer at employment performance tester Hogan Assessments puts it: “AI is rewriting the rules of work – but who’s holding the pen?”

Iris has been a full-time freelance journalist and copywriter for eight years, and says that 2025 has been her hardest yet. Editors who once sent regular assignments have vanished, several of whom have been laid off themselves. “It would be naive to blame AI alone – media has been in flux for at least a decade,” she says. “But it would be equally naive not to see the major role it has played in all this.” A friend lost her full-time copywriting job because her company replaced her with ChatGPT. “They told her this,” Iris adds.

Marissa and Iris are far from alone. A survey by Orgvue found that 39% of UK organisations had made redundancies due to AI deployment. If you want to indulge in a little schadenfreude, more than half now consider those decisions to have been misguided. But before you take too much reassurance from that fact, the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change estimates that AI could displace one to three million UK jobs over the long-term, with peak annual losses of 60,000 to 275,000 positions.

In January, Tatiana Teppoeva – a PhD who holds a US patent in predictive AI – was laid off after 14 years at Microsoft. “It felt ironic and almost funny,’ she says, ‘because the very tools and systems I had helped to build were part of what reshaped the workforce.”

Wanjiku Kamau experienced something similar at Google. After her redundancy, she noticed every posting required some form of AI training. “I laughed at myself: here I am, working in Google Cloud, and I’d barely engaged with AI.” Many of us can likely relate. The concept of artificial intelligence has been mainstream since at least Spielberg’s A.I. Artificial Intelligence in 2001, but the pace of change in the last three years, particularly with OpenAI’s tools, has been dizzying.

When OpenAI launched ChatGPT on November 30, 2022, it reached a million users in five days. Today, weekly active users are around 700 million – four times last year’s number. Five million of those are paying business users, and that’s just one platform. In the US alone, over 60% of Fortune 500 companies use at least one AI platform – and the number of platforms continues to grow, with – at the time of writing – an estimated 70,000 platforms globally and more than 10,000 distinct AI tools.

A new joint study from the International Labour Organization and Poland’s National Research Institute found that, worldwide, one in four jobs are potentially under threat from generative AI. And women, as so often seems to be the case, are estimated to likely be hit the hardest. Worldwide, 4.7% of women’s jobs fall into the highest-risk category, compared to 2.4% for men. In high-income countries, this gap widens significantly, with 9.6% of women’s jobs at risk – nearly three times the share of men’s.

Is AI Ignoring Women?

The reasons women’s careers are at higher risk from AI are complex, but experts agree on a few common patterns. Women are overrepresented in clerical and administrative roles – which often involve repetitive tasks that AI can already perform efficiently. While these roles may not vanish entirely, partial automation could reduce job quality, stripping responsibility, stagnating wages and increasing insecurity.

At the same time, women and girls remain underrepresented in the creation, deployment and regulation of technology. We are less likely to pursue tech careers or use digital services – and disproportionately more likely to experience online harassment. Gender imbalances in AI leadership exacerbate these problems: research from Cloudera, a platform for managing big data and AI, found that 68% of UK-based female IT decision-makers worry about the lack of women in senior AI positions, and over half believe this contributes to biased AI outputs – especially as AI leadership remains overwhelmingly male.

Bias is already visible in practice. One US analysis of 133 AI systems revealed a 44% gender bias against women. Tamsin Deasey-Weinstein, an AI thought leader and workforce strategist, illustrated this when she asked an AI to define “success” in England; it returned an image of a 40-year-old man in a business suit. She tested it further with a photo of her own family – a same-sex couple with two children – and found the AI consistently rendered her as a man. “It didn’t matter how many times I put it in,” she says over Zoom. “I was the male because I’ve got short hair.”

Despite these biases, Deasey-Weinstein is an AI optimist. Based in the Cayman Islands, she leveraged her early adoption of the technology into a senior role advising the country’s Premier and sees AI as a potential equaliser: “It’s tech that’s not really tech,” she says. “You don’t need technical skills. It’s democratising, and it’s more of an art.”

Exciting Opportunities Amidst the Risk

Deasey-Weinstein isn’t alone, LinkedIn’s UK Workforce Confidence Index shows that many workers see AI not as a threat but as a tool for empowerment. Over half (53%) believe AI will relieve them of mundane tasks, freeing them to focus on higher-value, creative, or strategic work; 41% say it already helps them complete tasks faster and boosts productivity.

Deasey-Weinstein is optimistic: “Let’s say AI does take away a load of our jobs, or a proportion of them, and we’re only needed to work a day or two a week. What if that’s how we’re actually meant to be? What if the future is that we work less and we spend that time being with our families, getting back to nature, upskilling – the things that we’re actually alive for?” It’s an intoxicating idea – that technology might finally free us from the daily drudgery of “bullshit jobs” – the term coined by anthropologist David Graeber to describe meaningless or unfulfilling work that even those doing it don’t believe should exist.

Some women are already experiencing this shift. Kamau describes how embracing generative AI tools accelerated her career transformation. “It would’ve taken me weeks to ramp,” she says. “It took me hours because I started using these tools.” Her AI journey, from apprentice to excelling, inspired her book, Out of the Loop, Into the Algorithm: How I Finally Made Friends with AI, which she hopes will help others adapt to rapid technological change.

Khyati Sundaram, an AI and recruitment expert, echoes Kamau’s optimism: “AI should be used to automate repetitive tasks whilst supporting workers to transition into more meaningful, higher-value work,” she explains.

Perhaps. But the picture is far from entirely rosy. For women who are already established in their careers, shedding tedious tasks may bring welcome relief. For newcomers, whose roles often involve routine, easily automated work, AI could jeopardise the crucial entry-level experience that builds skills and career pathways.

Castrigno, for one, worries about the growing need to interact with AI. “I'm 10 years into my career, I have a master's degree in fine art and I'm about to spend the next 30 years duking it out with clankers to stay alive,” she says. “The more AI we have to interface with, the worse our experience is going to be: as candidate and recruiter, doctor and patient, driver and passenger – all of it.”

Imme Ermgassen, co-founder of Botivo, warns of what she calls a “cultural emergency” in hospitality. As robotics expand into front-of-house roles – from automatic check-ins in hotels to robots waiting tables – the immediate effect is the disappearance of entry-level opportunities. “It feels like a way for hospitality to replace the junior end of jobs versus the stuff at the top,” she says. Beyond job losses, the impact runs deeper: “For many people, hospitality is the first job after university where they gain the life skills needed to move on. If those jobs aren’t there, a whole generation won’t get that first step into the real world.” And with barely any women remaining in hospitality long-term, she explains, automation risks deepening inequality by removing the very roles that offer women and young people their first foothold in work.

The Decline of Human Connection in the Name of Efficiency

There are other risks in increasing automation. Self-checkouts and virtual doctor’s appointments might be convenient, but they quietly cut out human contact. For women in abusive or controlling relationships, casual face-to-face interactions with cashiers, receptionists, or healthcare providers may be rare opportunities to seek help or signal distress. When these points of contact disappear, so do the chances to be seen and supported. AI has the potential to isolate those who most need human connection, all in the name of efficiency. As Castrigno puts it: “It’s created a firewall of human connection.”

AI 2027, a forward-looking project led by Daniel Kokotajlo – a former OpenAI researcher who left the company over concerns it was acting recklessly – and AI researcher Eli Lifland (who accurately predicted the rapid spread of COVID-19), explores what the world could look like as AI becomes increasingly powerful. Through two contrasting visions – one optimistic, one cautionary – the project examines how quickly AI might surpass human intelligence and what societal consequences could follow if development is rushed or poorly managed. Key warnings include loss of control, competitive pressures and broad social disruption.

“As AI and social media grip us, people are hungry for real-life communities,” explains Ermgassen. “When hospitality spaces erode, society becomes fragmented. People from different backgrounds or with different opinions might not meet anymore, contributing to polarisation in an already polarised time.”

The impact is not just social – it’s professional. Hayley Dawson, the founder-director of Let’s Talk Human Skills, highlights an urgent, gendered concern: as automation takes over routine tasks, the human skills that remain – direct communication, self-promotion and visible leadership among them – become ever more critical for career advancement. Yet women are often penalised for displaying these behaviours, being labelled “bossy” or “aggressive.” In automated workplaces, where there is less “busy work” to hide behind, these interactions are scrutinised more closely, creating a near-impossible catch-22, she says.

The rise of AI presents both challenges and opportunities for women in the workplace. Research confirms a worrying gender gap, with one recently published report revealing that 81.3% of men use AI tools at work, compared with just 58.8% of women. Similarly, women are less likely than men to work in generative AI-augmented roles.

Dawson warns that “getting women to adopt AI at equal rates is the main way to ensure equitable benefit”, emphasising that unequal uptake risks leaving women behind in the next wave of career opportunities, promotions and influence.

Upskilling for the AI Era

At the same time, AI could be a powerful tool for career acceleration. Women with varied, non-linear career paths are uniquely positioned to thrive in the AI economy. According to the Global Gender Gap Report, these experiences equip women with the skills to navigate AI-powered workplaces, potentially unlocking £400 billion in productive capacity in the UK alone – equivalent to 16% of 2023 GDP.

Deasey-Weinstein sums it up: “Maybe in the future, everybody needs to show that they’re continuously learning to be relevant in a world of AI and innovation and everything that’s coming up.” However, the rapid obsolescence of skills remains a persistent challenge. Deasey-Weinstein notes, “The skills that I got at 40 aren’t relevant now five years later. The skills I had at 42 aren’t relevant now because the world is changing so fast.”

LinkedIn data reinforces this, showing that AI literacy is among the most in-demand skills, yet only 41% of employees report that their companies provide adequate training. According to Tamara Basic Vasiljev, head economist at LinkedIn EMEA, “UK professionals are facing a highly competitive job market… The ability to work with AI agents is the fastest-growing skill in 2025, while demand for collaboration, communication and other human skills is also rising.”

Teppoeva points out that “machines are great at spotting patterns in numbers. But they don’t feel the meaning behind a pause in a meeting, the tension in a clenched jaw, or the warmth in a genuine laugh.” These interpersonal and relational skills are critical for leadership and career progression, and may become even more valuable as routine tasks are automated.

AI also holds the potential to address longstanding gender inequities in work-life balance. Ermgassen hopes that AI could reduce pressures from long hours, allowing for more flexible work and time for family responsibilities, in which case, “maybe there’s a future where AI supports women staying in hospitality longer”. Deasey-Weinstein echoes this, highlighting how an increased involvement of women in AI could help shape the technology itself. “The more women work with AI, the more women create data, the more women do research on AI, the more they skew it towards their needs, it will create that equity,” she says.

The AI era is a double-edged sword for women: unequal access and uptake could deepen existing inequalities, yet the same technology offers unprecedented chances to accelerate learning, amplify human skills and design more flexible, meaningful work. The unknowns still outweigh the knowns, but one thing is certain – AI is redefining the rules of work. Women who embrace it, shape it and teach it will determine how those rules serve us all. In the end, the story of AI in the workplace will also be the story of how women claim their place within it.

Every September, I showed up with fresh notebooks, new commitments, lofty goals, and a jam-packed diary. Who was I meeting? Who cared! I was booked and busy—and busyness, I believed, meant I was inching closer to an MBE for services to British business.

I drank the Kool-Aid that said we should return from summer holidays well-rested, tanned (but not sun-damaged), with a stack of books read, and ideally, a new workwear wardrobe. Girl-chat demanded newness—and I was always happy to oblige.

If volume equalled success, then my cup runneth over. But the result? By mid-September, I was broken. Every single year. My ruptured stomach ulcer was just another addition to my burnout badge collection—a badge I genuinely thought symbolised success. I believed that unless things were physically, mentally, and emotionally hard—unless I was always “on”—then I wasn’t doing anything impressive.

September, like January, is loaded with expectation. It’s the “second New Year.” Psychologists call these moments temporal landmarks—points in time that prompt us to reset, set goals, and prove ourselves all over again. It’s sold to us as a fresh start, but for many, it feels more like a resilience test. And the whole “reset” narrative assumes we’ve had a relaxing summer holiday, which, let’s be honest, often isn’t the case.

The cultural pressure is everywhere. Substack saw nearly 10% more unique visitors in September 2023 than in August, with people searching for productivity, self-help, and “getting back on track.” Instagram and TikTok feeds are flooded with hashtags like #productivity (5.4 million posts), #BackToSchool, and #SelfCare—glossy prompts urging us to refresh, reset, and reinvent. It’s overwhelming.

According to a 2024 Mental Health UK report, 91% of British adults experienced high or extreme stress in the past year, with workplace pressure topping the list of triggers. Deloitte’s UK Women @ Work survey found that nearly half of women feel “always on,” even outside contracted hours.

As I ask in my book, Smarter:

• Why is our value tied to our productivity?
• Why do we equate constant output with progress?
• And how much of our ambition is really just a need for validation?

For years, I wore my exhaustion like a uniform. First in, last out. Every email answered. Every opportunity grabbed. Every demand met. I was addicted to being the reliable one, even when it cost me everything.

Taking a work call with a ruptured stomach ulcer was the peak of that insanity. I believed that showing up—even looking like a sickly Victorian child—meant I was winning.

But my wake-up call wasn’t just medical. I wanted to be ambitious without being annihilated. I wanted a life where achievement didn’t mean self-erasure. I wanted to understand what balance really meant to me—what the trade-offs were—and whether it might be possible to get everything I’d ever wanted without ruining my life in the process.

That’s when I realised that energy isn’t one-dimensional. It’s physical, emotional, mental, and creative. Protecting it meant letting go of my compulsion to be endlessly reliable. It meant building boundaries. It meant redefining success. I’d been taught hard work, not smart work, and I had to unlearn years of ingrained systems and adopt newer, healthier ones.

The biggest shift was reframing rest. I stopped treating rest as something I earned after the collapse and started seeing it as the foundation that allows me to keep going. Rest wasn’t indulgence. It was maintenance. I challenged my ideas about identity, perception, and success, and reconnected with what actually mattered.

I didn’t want to be remembered as the tired woman. And I had to take accountability for the fact that I was the one broadcasting that image to the world. People treat you the way you allow them to and I had taught people to value my availability over my wellbeing.

So, how do you protect yourself from the September pressure? Here are the shifts I’ve made (and the ones I recommend if you want to avoid the annual crash-and-burn):

1. Audit your energy, not just your hours: Track when you feel sharpest, when you slump, and when creativity strikes. Align your most important work with those windows. Energy is the real currency of achievement.
2. Create a To-Don’t List: We know the To-Do list well—but a To-Don’t list is just as powerful. Mine includes:
   • Don’t book Friday afternoon meetings.
   • Don’t reply to emails in bed.
   • Don’t drink coffee after 2 p.m.
   Each one protects my focus and wellbeing.
3. Practice monotasking: Multitasking is a myth. I now pick three priorities each day. If I complete them, the day is a success. Everything else is optional.
4. Redefine rest: Rest isn’t indulgence—it’s fuel. Sometimes it’s Pilates. Sometimes it’s pizza. Sometimes it’s finally doing your tax return. Rest is whatever lets your shoulders drop.
5. Set boundaries as armour: If you don’t set limits, people assume you have none. Boundaries aren’t selfish—they’re sustainable.
6. Choose consistency over intensity: A September sprint leads to a mid-September collapse. What works is building a rhythm you can maintain in November, and still hold onto in March.

Protecting yourself this September doesn’t mean opting out. It means designing smarter systems that allow you to stay ambitious without self-destruction.

I no longer measure September by how many hours I can cram into a day or how visibly busy I appear. My ruptured ulcer and endless “burnout badges” taught me that exhaustion isn’t ambition.

Now, I build rest into my routine. I guard my energy as carefully as my time. I say no without guilt. I choose balance over bravado. And I remind myself daily that ambition isn’t about how hard I can push, but how well I can sustain.

I don’t want to be remembered as the tired woman. September doesn’t need to bully you into submission. It can be the month you choose smarter ambition over endless exhaustion.

I don’t know if it’s just me, but when talk turns to the gender pay gap, my mind conjures images of Succession-style boardrooms, FTSE 100 execs, and literal glass ceilings. I imagine the fight as one between women and men in power, but new research suggests this narrative could be doing more harm than good – especially for women in low-income households.

According to a new study published in the Cambridge Journal of Economics, the gender pay gap is far more complex than women being underrepresented at the top. In fact, the pay gap is widest in wealthy households, where women earn, on average, 25% less than their male partners. In poorer households, the gap is 4%.

Lead author Dr Vanessa Gash, from City St George’s, University of London, says the issue is being oversimplified: “Policymakers’ efforts to close the gender pay gap need to be more strongly tied to an agenda of good quality employment for all.”

Focusing solely on putting women on boards and into elite leadership roles risks alienating those who aren’t in those spaces to begin with. In our already volatile political climate, this could backfire. As Gash warns: “In the context of rising political populism, there is a risk that politicians could pit the losses of lower-earning men against the gains of higher-earning women.”

The new analysis used four decades of UK work-history data, and the findings clearly show that class matters enormously in the gender pay gap. In low-income households, both men and women are often trapped in low-paid, insecure work, which naturally limits the size of the gender gap. Of course, this narrowed gender pay gap is not something to be heralded – it’s simply a mutual disadvantage, with both sexes losing out.

“Calls for pay equity, which focus on the lack of women in high-powered positions, risk alienating those in households where both partners earn similarly low wages,” adds Dr Gash.

Meanwhile, in high-income households, men still dominate in high-earning roles, and women—despite similar education or experience—fall behind. That’s before we even get to the decades-long impact of motherhood penalties, part-time work, or career breaks, which are often necessitated by caretaking responsibilities.

More worrying still is that the data shows part-time work, which is too often the only option for parents facing extortionate childcare costs, has the same negative impact on wages as long-term illness or unemployment. For every year a woman spends in part-time work, her pay is reduced by 3% per hour.

At the heart of this lies the uncomfortable truth that women still do the lion’s share of unpaid care work, and are penalised for it.

From raising children, looking after elderly parents, or running households, this invisible labour continues to fall disproportionately on women’s shoulders and data shows it has a measurable economic cost. In fact, the time women spend outside of traditional full-time work accounts for nearly 30% of the gender pay gap.

Meanwhile, men continue to work full-time, uninterrupted, reaping the compound benefits of consistent employment and steady pay growth. When men do opt for part-time roles, they face steeper wage penalties, which only reinforces the idea that care work is women’s work.

“Key to the problem is the age-old question of who is doing most of the unpaid care work in the home, which our research confirms continues to be women,” argues Dr Gash.

Men are rewarded for working, while women are penalised for caring.

Even when all other factors are accounted for—education, job type, full- or part-time status—women still earn less.

According to the research, removing this gender penalty could boost women’s wages by 43% on average. In poorer households, this accounts for a staggering 207% of the gender pay gap.

This research should be a wake-up call. If we’re serious about closing the gender pay gap, it needs to stop being treated as a problem for women at the top to solve alone. Focusing only on boardroom parity while ignoring poor wages and unpaid care misses the point, and keeps those most at a disadvantage down.

Dr Gash puts it best: “Calls for pay equity, which focus on the lack of women in high-powered positions, risk alienating those in households where both partners earn similarly low wages.”

For the gender pay gap to truly close, we need to recognise that class and gender are inseparable in this conversation. There also need to at last be an acknowledgement of care work as what it is: work.

The quest for the “perfect summer” isn’t just relentless—it’s ridiculously expensive.

It is a truth universally acknowledged that if you scroll TikTok long enough, you’ll end up convinced you need a Dyson Airwrap.

With summer sales in full swing and TikTok Shop pushing dopamine discounts at lightning speed, the virtual catwalk of “hot girl summer” hauls and “brat summer” edits isn’t just cluttering feed, it’s quietly draining bank accounts. Side note: Can we please stop turning everything into Something Girl Summer?

Social media doesn’t just warp how we spend — it warps how we feel about money, success, and self-worth. From £80 serums to sun-drenched European escapes, what starts as harmless inspiration can quickly morph into a relentless, internalised pressure to live up to an aesthetic ideal, often financed by buy-now-pay-later schemes, credit cards, and quiet desperation.

TikTok and Instagram aren’t just apps anymore — they’re finely tuned machines of aspiration. And while the glossy content may look harmless (read: aspirational), financial experts warn they’re fuelling a new kind of emotional spending spiral, with very literal costs.

“These platforms are, essentially, highlight reels of manufactured perfection,” says Ayesha Ofori, financial expert and founder of Propelle, a female-centred financial education community. “We scroll through curated lifestyles where 25-year-olds seem to own dream apartments, travel constantly, and wear head-to-toe designer—all without a hint of financial strain. But the reality is, these are carefully constructed illusions, often fuelled by sponsorships and selective sharing.”

To compound things—and not in the way we like, as in, compound *interest*—it’s becoming harder to tell the difference between genuine financial wellness and performative prosperity. Enter: money dysmorphia—a term Ofori uses to describe the increasingly common disconnect between how people feel about their finances versus the reality.

In a world where luxury appears effortless and spending is sold as self-care, it’s increasingly difficult to distinguish between authentic financial wellness and other misleading representations.

In 2025, over 63% of UK millennials have used Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL). services. Klarna reported a 50% year-on-year rise in travel bookings, and TikTok Shop racked up over £1.8 billion in beauty and personal care sales alone.

“It’s like financial body dysmorphia,” Ofori explains. “Even people who are doing perfectly fine might feel inadequate because they’re constantly measuring themselves against a filtered, monetised version of someone else’s life.”

And the fallout is more than emotional. According to UK Debt Expert, millennials and Gen Z now carry average personal debts exceeding £10,000, with short-term borrowing—especially via BNPL—on the rise.

“You’re not just buying the dress,” says Maxine McCreadie, personal finance expert at UK Debt Expert. “You’re buying the moment, the photo, the illusion of keeping up. It’s no wonder so many young people are waking up financially hungover.”

The thing is, the aesthetic of summer is seductive. From glossy Amalfi Coast vlogs to outfit transitions scored by Dua Lipa, the cost of participation adds up fast. Sure, the trends may feel harmless, fun even, but they come with a whole set of financial side effects beyond the gel manis, Ubers, and Aperol Spritzes.

“Seasonal peer pressure, amplified by the algorithm, can lead to spending that’s totally unsustainable,” McCreadie warns. “There’s nothing wrong with wanting to enjoy yourself—but when every scroll turns into a spending spree, it’s dangerously easy to lose track.”

So, How Do We Protect Our Wallets—and Our Sanity?

1. Curate Your Feed: The easiest way to escape the spending trap? Change what you see. Both Ofori and McCreadie recommend unfollowing or muting accounts that spark financial FOMO. “Out of sight, out of mind,” says Ofori. “Your summer doesn’t need a filter—or a credit card bill.”
2. Set a Summer Budget: Not sexy, but necessary. Build a budget that covers everything from festivals to fashion—and actually check in with it. “A budget isn’t about restriction,” says McCreadie. “It’s about freedom. You get to enjoy the season without the panic spiral come September.”
3. Plan Ahead: Spontaneous nights out might make for a good story, but they often come with a hefty price tag. Suggest alternatives—BYOB picnics, free outdoor cinema, a good old-fashioned BBQ. Still social, far more sustainable.
4. DIY the Glam: You don’t need a fresh set of lashes or a £200 Zara haul to look good. “Learn to do your own brows. Restyle what’s already in your wardrobe,” says McCreadie. “Make DIY your default.”
5. Track Your Spending: Use apps like Monzo, Plum, or Emma to keep tabs on your spending. The earlier you notice patterns, the easier they are to break.
6. Reframe Success: “Social media is marketing,” Ofori says. “It’s storytelling with a sales target. True financial wellness comes from knowing your values—not from replicating someone else’s curated lifestyle.”

Kickstart your coding career with these three simple steps…

Learning to code is a sure-fire way to future-proof your career, with demand for coding jobs growing year on year. But you don’t have to be a software engineer or data analyst to reap the benefits of a coding education, with 9 to 5s from graphic design to marketing now requiring some element of computer programming.

The benefits of learning to code are therefore no secret, with even basic programming skills proven to expand your job opportunities, increase your earning potential and afford you more job security.

According to research by UK-based software company KX, nearly a third of UK students now recognise coding as a core life skill, with 60% believing it will bring them better job opportunities. But despite this, 43% have reported a lack of access to education as the barrier stopping them from learning to code.

Thankfully, EE is on the case, offering “byte-sized” coding lessons on its informative LearnSmart platform, led by tech educator Dr Liv Grant.

Grant, one of EE's many LearnSmart mentors, is passionate about making STEM more accessible. And as such, she has put together a series of micro lessons on coding - breaking down the basics of programming languages, machine learning and data science.

“From making games to running robots, coding is the magic behind all things digital,” explains Grant in her video tutorial series on EE’s LearnSmart hub. “So, learning to code gives you the power to bring your creative ideas to life.”

“You can even make a career out of it, just like me. [But] it's not just for the tech whizzes,” Grant emphasises. “Anyone can learn the ropes."

With that in mind, we’ve rounded up three key steps to get you started. So whether you’re looking to learn the basics or start a whole new career, here’s how to kickstart your coding education…

Find your coding focus

The world of coding is vast, with hundreds of programming languages in existence - each with its own unique purpose. Finding and narrowing your focus is therefore key, and the first step is identifying your reason for wanting to code. Do you want to become a professional data analyst or are you looking to build games for fun? Do you want to set automated tasks or become a full-blown web developer? Identifying your target will inform which programming language you should start with, which is the fundamental first step to coding.

If you want to build apps, you’ll likely want to start with Java, for game development, C#, and if you want to train as a web developer, you’ll probably opt for Java Script. If you're stuck, Grant recommends starting with Python, calling it a "versatile and beginner friendly" language. Its syntax is also the most similar to English, so it’s a good code form for learning how to write and develop.

Access the right resources

Now that you’ve chosen your programming language, it’s important to access the right online resources. It might take some trial and error to find the right course for you, but according to Grant, it doesn’t have to break the bank. In fact, with platforms from YouTube to Google offering extensive free tutorials, it shouldn’t cost you a penny.

Our recommendation? Free Code Camp, a popular online training platform, offering video tutorials, interactive lessons and a project-based curriculum, allowing you to learn the ins and outs of coding at all levels, and at your own pace. Plus, you can also earn industry-recognised, verifiable certifications along the way - something that is proven to boost your employment prospects, and put you in good stead for a career in coding.

Hone your skills gradually

As the saying goes, practice makes perfect, and that is definitely true of coding, so make sure to keep honing your skills over time. Project-based learning is proven to be an efficient way of developing your coding abilities, but there’s no need to try writing a game or building a complex website on your first try.

Instead, Grant recommends setting yourself mini projects to ensure steady improvement, with popular beginners practice projects including building a chess game and creating a basic calculator - both being good exercises in using algorithms. Other recommended practice activities include making a countdown timer, producing a Javascript slideshow and creating a simple to-do list programme. In time, you will move onto more advanced projects, like the creation of mobile apps and consoles, but by developing your skills gradually, you can ensure that you have the best possible understanding at all levels. And this should in turn allow you to pursue coding with confidence.

Visit EE LearnSmart for more information on how to kickstart your coding career.

Rachel Reeves has presented her first Spring Statement as Chancellor, outlining Labour’s economic agenda for the coming year and introducing measures that could affect millions of UK households.

From modest maternity leave pay increases to caps on Carer's allowance, the Spring Statement will have a significant impact on women's financial independence and career progression. However, questions remain about whether these changes go far enough to tackle the structural challenges women face in achieving full economic equality. But what does this mean for your money right now?

Five key changes that will impact women

Maternity Leave Pay

Every year, as many as 74,000 women lose their jobs after getting pregnant or taking maternity leave. What's more, despite the UK's extended leave policy, British maternity pay remains relatively low and is often insufficient to maintain pre-birth income levels. A UN report last year revealed that one in four mothers are forced out of the workforce due to soaring childcare costs. Clearly, the UK has a motherhood penalty, so how does the Chancellor's Spring Statement address this?

Increased Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP): SMP will rise to £187.18 per week, an increase of £3.15. This rate also applies to statutory paternity pay and maternity allowance. ​

Neonatal Care Leave and Pay: A new entitlement, Neonatal Care Leave (NCL), allows parents of babies born on or after April 6, 2025, who require at least seven days of neonatal care, to take up to 12 weeks leave.​

Carer's Allowance

​In the UK, women make up the majority of unpaid carers. According to the 2021 Census data for England and Wales, approximately 3.0 million female unpaid carers were recorded; tracking with broader statistics that show that women make up about 60% of all carers in the UK. Speaking to Marie Claire UK, Tabitha Morton, Executive Director, UN Women UK, said: "The Government's Spring Statement fails to address that women, particularly those from marginalised and lower-income communities, are disproportionately impacted by welfare cuts. The hard truth is that when these initiatives are cut, women face more financial hardships."

Changes to Carer's Allowances were hinted at before the official Spring Statement, leading to fervent online debate. Now that the key changes have been confirmed, here's what it might mean for you.

Reduction in Eligibility: Approximately 150,000 carers are estimated to lose their Carer's Allowance because of stricter eligibility criteria for Personal Independence Payments (PIP). This change is expected to decrease financial support for carers by £500 million by 2029/30, according to Carers UK.

Increase in Carer's Allowance Rate: For those who remain eligible, Carer's Allowance will rise by 1.7% from £81.90 to £83.30 per week, effective from April 2025. ​

Earnings Threshold Adjustment: The weekly earnings limit to qualify for Carer's Allowance will increase from £151 to £196, starting in April 2025. This adjustment aligns with the National Minimum Wage increases, potentially allowing more carers to qualify. ​

Wider Welfare Cuts Affecting Women: The proposed welfare cuts are projected to push an additional 250,000 people, including 50,000 children, into relative poverty by 2029/30, according to data released by The Guardian

Disabled women are particularly vulnerable, facing potential reductions in social security benefits that could further exacerbate economic disparities. ​

Disability Allowance

"The proposed plans to cut social security for Disabled people will disproportionately impact women who make up the majority of Disabled people and also the majority of people caring for Disabled people," says Morton, adding: "Some women are likely to lose their Carer's allowance which will deepen gender disparities and also hinder the potential for economic growth, social well-being, and progress towards a more equitable society."

The Women's Budget Group's analysis found that together with changes (cuts) to taxes, those measures will have cost Disabled women an average of £4,000 a year by 2028, resulting in an 11% drop in their living standards. Here are the topline figures you need to know.

Tightening of PIP Eligibility: An additional requirement means claimants must score a minimum of four points in at least one daily living activity to qualify for the daily living component of PIP, according to official Government guidelines. This is expected to result in 370,000 current claimants losing their daily living allowance, with an average annual loss of £4,500. ​

Reduction in Universal Credit Health Element:

The health element of Universal Credit will be frozen at £97 per week for existing claimants until 2029-30. ​

For new claimants from 2026-27, the health element rate will be halved to £50 per week, also frozen until 2029-30. ​

Financial Losses: Single women constitute 44% of those adversely affected by these changes, with an average annual loss of £1,610, according to the ​Women's Budget Group

Overall, 250,000 adults, including a disproportionate number of women, are projected to experience reduced income due to these reforms.

Increased Poverty Risk: The Guardian reports that the reforms are estimated to push an additional 250,000 people, including 50,000 children, into relative poverty by 2029-30, exacerbating existing gender disparities.

Women's Budget Group warn that the changes may also affect carers, many of whom are women, potentially leading to increased caregiving responsibilities without adequate support. ​

Single-Parent Households

"It's time to stop treating gender equality as 'nice to have' and recognise it for what it is. It is essential to business success, economic growth, and a fairer society," argues Morton. Single mothers make up the majority of single-parent households, with about 90% of single-parent families being headed by women, according to Office for National Statistics.

Single mothers are statistically more likely to live in poverty due to factors such as lower overall household income, the high cost of childcare, and difficulties in accessing flexible, well-paying employment.

The Spring Statement introduced several policy changes with significant implications for single-parent households. While some measures offer modest benefits, others may exacerbate financial challenges, particularly for single mothers.​ Here's what it could mean for you.

Increase in Universal Credit Standard Allowance: Effective from April 2026, the standard allowance for Universal Credit (UC) will rise. Single parents aged 25 and over can expect an increase from £92 per week in 2025-2026 to £106 per week by 2029-2030. ​

Reduction in Health-Related Universal Credit Elements: Starting in April 2026, the limited capability for work and work-related activity (LCWRA) element of UC will change.

For new claimants:​ Universal Credit will decrease from £97 per week in 2025-2026 to £50 per week in 2026-2027, remaining at this level until 2029-2030.

For existing claimants:​ Universal Credit will be frozen at £97 per week until 2030.

Individuals under 22 will no longer be eligible.

These changes may disproportionately affect single-parent households, as they experience higher rates of disability. ​

Stamp Duty

Women, who statistically earn less than men and are more likely to be single parents, are set to be hit by increased stamp duty costs. The additional tax could also further strain budgets already stretched by childcare expenses and other financial responsibilities.​

Reduction in Stamp Duty Thresholds:

First-Time Buyers: The tax-free threshold for first-time buyers decreases from £425,000 to £300,000. This change means that first-time buyers in London could face an additional £6,250 in stamp duty tax. ​

Other Homebuyers: For all other property purchases, the threshold drops from £250,000 to £125,000. This reduction signifies that a larger portion of property values will now be subject to stamp duty, increasing the tax burden on many buyers.

Women are holding on average £41,000 less in financial assets than men. While 50 years ago you would have had fewer privileges as women with your money, can the same be said of today?

It’s hard to believe that only 50 years ago, you would have been denied the right to buy your own property without a male guarantor — yes, you’d have needed a man to get a mortgage.

And it was only in 1975 that women could have their own bank accounts.

If that shocks you, then imagine also being refused service in a pub just because you’re a woman. It was perfectly legal to refuse to serve women in English pubs until 1982 when solicitor Tess Gill and journalist Anna Coote ensured this law changed. Despite the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, the pair had been barred from a Fleet Street wine bar for standing with their male colleagues, rather than sitting at the tables.

Thankfully, we’ve come a long way since then, but we’re still a long way away from being on a level playing field when it comes to our money.

Mind the money gap

One of the biggest challenges we face today is the glaring gaps — we’re talking money gaps. From pay to pensions and investments — here are the gaps you need to know about.

The gender pension gap 

It’s well documented that women retire poorer than men. Career breaks, lower pay and the fact we live longer all mean we will stop working with a smaller pension pot.

Research from Now: Pensions and the Pensions Policy Institute last year found women retire with the average pension savings of £69,000 — an astonishing £136,000 less than the average man. To retire with the same amount as a man (£205,000), women would need to work and save for an extra 19 years on average.

Pensions provider Scottish Widows says that based on the current trajectory, the UK is still at least 20 years away from closing the disparity.

But, the problem isn’t insurmountable and there are things you can do now to close the gap. This includes paying more into your pension if you can (especially if your employer matches your contribution when you pay in more), avoiding pausing contributions and starting as young as possible.

Jackie Leiper, managing director at Scottish Widows, says: “While the cost-of-living crisis might make pausing pension contributions seem tempting, this is likely to be a mistake in the long term. Making decisions about how to manage any shortfall in funds is a difficult one, but pausing contributions means you'll miss out on valuable employer contributions and the power of compound interest.”

Closing the gender pensions gap can help ensure you get the life you want to live when you stop working.

The investing gap

Gone are the days when investing was seen as something only men in pinstriped suits do. Women invest too. But, unfortunately, not as much, meaning there is a significant wealth disparity.

Research from Boring Money shows while 6.8 million women invest, this is significantly smaller compared to 9.9 million men who invest.

One of the easiest ways to start investing is with a stocks and shares ISA, but there’s a gap there too — with women heading to cash ISAs instead.

AJ Bell Money Matters, a campaign run by the investment platform AJ Bell to promote women’s financial independence, found women hold a million more cash ISAs than men. Men have around 500,000 more stocks and shares ISAs. According to HMRC, men’s ISAs are also worth at least £3,000 more than women’s.

This leaves a gender ISA gap totalling £6.6 billion.

“Many savers don’t realise that holding only cash for long-term goals can be a detrimental strategy, as the value is eroded by inflation over time,” Charlotte Tattersall, financial planner at wealth manager RBC Brewin Dolphin, says. “If you mainly have cash savings, you might want to consider investing, which may help shield your money from inflation and offers the potential for higher returns than cash over the long-term.”

Want to start investing to grow your wealth? See our simple guide on how to start investing.

The gender pay gap

Would you work for free? Of course not, but because of the gender pay gap, women essentially work for free for nearly seven weeks each year, analysis from the Trades Union Congress shows.

The gender pay gap stands at around 13% according to the Office for National Statistics. And it gets worse as we get older, too. Women between 50 and 59 have the highest pay gap (18.9%), while that figure is 17.5% for those aged 60+.

The gender wealth gap

Women are worse off than men, with women holding an average of £177,000 in financial assets, compared to £218,000 for men, according to a study from Handelsbanken Wealth & Asset Management.

Closing some of the gaps we have mentioned and addressing financial education can help.

Here are some resources to help you boost your financial Knowledge.

Books about money by women

• Invest Now: The Simple Guide to Boosting Your Finances by Kalpana Fitzpatrick
• What They Don’t Teach You about Money by Claer Barrett
• Money: A User’s Guide by Laura Whateley

We’ve rounded up some actionable tips to ensure that your AI usage is helping, not hindering, your job applications…

Applying for a job is not to everyone’s skillset. And with the process involving time-consuming tasks from CV and cover letter building to interview preparation, more and more people are turning to artificial intelligence for help.

According to a recent survey by Capterra, 53% of UK job seekers now depend on generative AI during their job applications. And as per statistics from the same study, those who used AI to support their applications were 75% more likely to receive a job offer.

AI technology can be a valuable tool in both your job search and application, from proofreading and grammar checks to specific keyword analysis and company research. And when used correctly, these tools can significantly enhance your submission.

However, it is important to strike the right balance, with the overuse of generative AI on job applications actually proven to hinder your success.

74% of hiring managers reported being able to detect when a job application had been made by AI, according to a survey by CV Genius. Not to mention, 80% reported being put off by AI-generated CVs and cover letters, with the content often reading as generic and impersonal.

The key is finding a happy medium - harnessing your AI tools to aid, not take over, your job application. And for this, EE has done the work, partnering with industry-leading AI technology, like Google Gemini Premium, which is now featured in its All Rounder and Full Works plans. And in doing so, giving customers access to its trusted AI tools to help their work.

Here, we’ve compiled some actionable tips to help set boundaries when using AI in your job applications, allowing you to benefit from the power of technology in a way that won’t encumber your chances of being hired…

Five dos and don’ts when applying for jobs using AI

DO make the most of AI tools for job research and preparation

Research is a key part of the job application process, and from company culture to role specifications and requirements, it can be a lot of work. Luckily, this is where artificial intelligence can be an attribute, with EE’s partnered AI tools designed for just this. Google Gemini’s new ‘Deep Research’ tool is industry-leading, conducting detailed reports for you within minutes. And from searching job platforms to match you with relevant positions, to sourcing important information about the company that you are applying to, it can save you valuable time. Google's NotebookLM feature is another handy tool, turning source documents into a podcast to summarise findings for you, and even making interesting connections between topics. And when it comes to interview preparation, Google Gemini has even more features - generating practice questions, and providing you with personalised feedback. This in turn, will not only improve your readiness but save you time to spend on other areas of your application, increasing your overall chances of success.

DON’T rely on AI-generated cover letters or CVs

The most common mistake when applying for jobs with AI is overuse, with generative AI tools like Chat GPT now able to write your entire cover letter and CV for you. However, AI-generated applications are not fail-safe, often producing content that is impersonal and vague. And from the use of generic buzzwords and repetitions, to errors and inconsistencies, they often fall short compared to human-written applications. Heavily AI-generated content can also be easy to detect, with 57% of employers in CV Genius’ survey even reporting that they would dismiss an automated application. Therefore, it is important to only use AI to enhance your work - polishing your cover letter and offering improvements to your CV after you’ve written it yourself. This will allow you to reap the benefits of AI, while still retaining your authentic and personal touch that sets you apart as a candidate.

DO enhance your application with AI feedback

While CVs and cover letters are proven to be more successful when written yourself, AI tools can play an effective role in enhancing your application. Google Gemini’s 'help me write' feature allows you to check for spelling and grammatical errors, even offering rewrites to help you find the right tone and wording. Plus, it also provides summarising features, helping to optimise formatting and prioritise important information on your CV. With just a few simple edits, these AI tools can help polish and refine your application, maximising your chances at getting the job, while still keeping your work your own.

DON’T mass apply for jobs using generative AI

According to a recent study by Capterra, one in four UK job seekers are using AI to mass apply for positions, with automated AI bots able to examine job descriptions, prepare your CV and apply for multiple jobs on your behalf. But quantity is no match for quality, and while it can seem like a shortcut, the drawbacks to mass applying on AI often outweigh the positives. AI-generated applications can lack personalisation, and when mass applying for positions, they often fall short on targeted focus, specific details and the genuine interest that shows your suitability to the role. Not to mention, it can raise red flags with hiring managers, with recruiters increasingly using AI-detection tools to eliminate candidates who have overused artificial intelligence.

DO be transparent about your AI usage

AI technology is expected to become more integrated into our 9-5s, and so having an understanding in how it works is a positive attribute. Using artificial intelligence to optimise your job application is a good way to demonstrate this skill, but in order to reap the benefits, you should be upfront about your AI usage. Whether you’ve used Google Gemini to fine-tune your cover letter or generate practice interview questions, be prepared to explain how you’ve harnessed AI tools to support your application. This in turn will show your ability to adapt to technological advances, and highlight your AI knowledge as an asset, making you even more employable.

Google Gemini Premium is included in the features when you sign up for an All Rounder or Full Works plan at EE. Plus, customers get 2TB of storage, worth £18.99 a month.

Visit What is AI? Understanding and Safely Using AI on Your Devices | EE for more information on EE tech, and how to harness it for work.

Campaigners at the charity Pregnant Then Screwed have published new data that shows more women than ever are being fired while pregnant or on maternity leave.

Despite maternity leave protections in the UK being enshrined in law, the data, conducted in partnership with Women In Data reveals that the motherhood penalty is getting worse, not better.

Every year, as many as 74,000 women lose their jobs after getting pregnant or taking maternity leave—a sharp rise from 54,000 women in 2016.

Maternity leave should be a time to recover from childbirth and for parents to bond with their baby and adjust to their new life. But increasingly, new mothers are finding that this time is marred by the fear of losing their jobs.

Of the 35,800 parents surveyed, the report found that 12.3% of women are sacked, constructively dismissed or made redundant whilst pregnant, on maternity leave or within a year of returning from maternity leave. If scaled up to the general population, this could mean as many as 74,000 women a year are forced to leave their jobs. All this at a time when women are increasingly being blamed for falling fertility rates.

This shameful statistic highlights a worrying trend in the UK workforce—one that exposes significant gaps in employment protection and challenges the government’s commitment to gender equality. It’s an experience Ann-Marie Kinlock knows all too well.

Kinlock—who is launching KindHaus, a co-working space and childcare service for new mothers—was made redundant when pregnant with her first child, here, she shares her experience of navigating new motherhood while facing unemployment and financial hardship.

As told to Mischa Anouk Smith

“I was working as Head of UX for a financial services company when I discovered I was pregnant with my first child. I was delighted and really looking forward to motherhood. I saw myself taking a full year to immerse myself in this new bountiful life, but I was anxious about what it might mean for my career. Little did I know the challenges that lay ahead.

At just two months pregnant, the company decided to close the London office and I was made redundant. I assumed I’d be at my job until the baby arrived and then go on maternity leave. Suddenly, instead of planning my new life I was polishing my CV and scrambling for job interviews. The stress was overwhelming and I worried constantly about how it might affect the baby.

Looking for a job knowing you are pregnant is nerve-wracking—I felt like a fraud. Like I was committing a crime, but I just needed to get back to work. I remember putting on an extra baggy shirt for interviews. I’d have these great conversations and then on the way home, I’d feel like a complete fake. It was horrible.

I managed to secure a new position at a lovely boutique agency within a month. The relief was short-lived though. I was so worried I couldn’t even celebrate. I spent the rest of my time there worrying if they’d hate me for taking the job.

I loved my job, but the sense of dread leading up to the 25th week of my pregnancy was awful. I wasn’t legally obliged to say anything before then, but more than anything, I was too scared to tell them. When the day finally came, I could see my manager was disappointed but seemed to take it well. No special arrangements were made, I just cracked on, grateful to still have a job and keen to prove I could still do good work. And work, I did, right until I was 8 months pregnant. I felt really healthy so I pushed my mat leave as far back as possible with the plan to take a year off after the baby arrived.

When my son was seven months old, an email came…

I went on maternity leave feeling relatively secure. A week after the baby arrived I sent the usual baby pic with a message to the team. Then, when my son was seven months old, an email came. The company was making an announcement and they wanted us all to come into the office to hear the news first-hand. The following week I received a redundancy letter with a 1-week notice period. I was devastated.

Surviving on Maternity Allowance was a struggle I never anticipated. Because I’d joined the company in May and my baby was due in October I’d missed the threshold to qualify for Maternity Pay. I would be thousands of pounds short every month.

My husband's salary at the time was just about able to cover the rent, utilities and food. Everything else was on me. My savings soon disappeared, I missed bill payments and my credit score spiralled—as did my mental health. The constant worry about money cast a shadow over what should have been a joyous time with my new baby.

Nursery costs for a child under one were shocking. The lack of flexibility really threw me. Nurseries had their rules on minimum days and what those days could be. Their survival depended on these rules, but they left me isolated. I couldn’t survive any longer on Maternity Allowance. I needed to generate an income but I couldn’t afford the cost of childcare.

Re-entering the 9-5 felt impossible at the time with a young child. I was still breastfeeding. So I decided to prepare to set up my own business consolidating my experience in digital and design to help level the playing field for small businesses. I patched together a network of care using family and friends, but it regularly fell apart—people had their lives to live after all.

Eventually, I came to the sad conclusion that it was better to give up on my business dreams to focus on being a stay-at-home mum. Without reliable care, I couldn’t get through the work. Eventually, my financial situation got worse and I felt forced to return to full-time work.

I managed to secure a Lead UX role at a cool integrated agency. My manager had three kids and provided the much-needed moral and practical support navigating working life with kids. But I was leaving my baby at times for 10 hours a day in childcare. Everything in me told me that this was not for me. Grateful to even have a job I tried to push away the guilt.

On the flip side, going back to work gave me access to lots of other working mums. The more we spoke the more I realised we’d all felt we’d been given an ultimatum—work and survive financially or stay at home and lose our income. We chose to work. This deal meant spending up to 10 hours a day away from children we dearly loved.

This community of working mums was essential, especially when navigating breasts leaking while in client meetings, trying to pump milk discreetly in the toilets, and working out how to hide breast milk in the staff fridge. It also meant hiding tears on the run to catch the train, panic every time my mobile rang, and mental angst about having to leave exactly on time to catch the train that would make it to the nursery on time—bad mum guilt when I was late. As working mums, we were trying our very best to do more with less time to avoid looking like an "incompetent mum” or being accused of having “baby brain”. The list went on. We’d weigh up whether after-work drinks to bond with the team (and improve the chance of promotion) were worth losing time with our babies.

It was during an online course about baby brain development that the idea for KindHaus began to form. The science was clear. The first five years of life were critical and one of the best ways to support a baby is to support the mother. If a mother is continually stressed and worn out, it can impact her capacity to give extra attention.

Opening KindHaus was a leap of faith. We started small, renting a temporary space on a North London High Street offering coworking desks, a nanny service, and good coffee. We sometimes brought in experts to give talks on modern parenting.

I wanted to create a space that says to women “You can do this”. I don’t want to see another woman suffering financially just because she can’t find support while she gets work done to pay the bills. The financial struggles I faced surviving on Maternity Allowance still impact me. I’m very cautious with our business finances, planning for the worst while hoping for the best.

In hindsight, I wish I was more clued up on the policy around maternity leave and maternity allowance. It would have given me the chance to prepare better and reduce the impact on my financial and mental wellbeing. Getting a full understanding of these quite complex policies was hard. Then having to apply your unique scenario to this, understand the implications and then make critical life decisions based on this is no small feat. I wasn’t aware you could get paid for KIT days for instance.

The cocktail of mum guilt expertly blended with a fear of looking like you can’t cope at work was toxic. The UK Maternity Leave policy is dismal compared and needs a serious rethink. It’s time to support mothers through this critical life stage.”

Here’s something I never thought I’d say, let alone commit to metaphorical paper: I quite enjoy going into the office. I like wearing cute outfits (Corpcore! Office Siren!), catching up with my colleagues, and generally feeling purposeful click-clacking across London like an extra in the opening scene of The Devil Wears Prada.

Of course, a large part of this enjoyment comes from the fact that I only have to do it a few times a week. Pulling together a workwear wardrobe is fun when it’s novel, as most things are. However, the bulk of my actual work gets done at home where I can bunker down in leggings and an old jumper and just write—as I am now.

I am infinitely more productive working at home away from the noise and distraction of a large open-plan office. I also start earlier, finish later, and rarely take a proper lunch break. I’m not endorsing overworking as a justification for remote working, but I think it’s worth highlighting that statistically, we are a nation of grafters. Research from Somebody Digital shows that 56% of surveyed digital workers admit to checking their emails within 10 minutes of waking up (guilty) and 70% work beyond their contracted hours (also guilty). Yet we’re repeatedly fed the idea that working outside of an office is “not doing proper work”, as the former boss of Marks and Spencer and Asda, Lord Rose, recently told BBC Panorama.

Despite the extra hours and output, I also get to exercise and catch up on life admin as well as save money on lunches and commuting, and, you know, see some natural light. These aren’t things my employer likely cares about, but I bet my colleagues do.

So it’s a good job that we don’t work at JP Morgan, who earlier this year demanded all 300,000 (including 22,000 in the UK) of its employees return to the office for five days a week from March. Soon after, advertising agency WPP ordered its 110,000 staff back to the office at least four days a week (including two Fridays per month) in what has been described as “a fresh crackdown on working from home”.

The tech overlords at Amazon, Google, Meta and Apple have followed suit.

It’s not just big corporations either: LinkedIn platform data shows that hybrid job postings in the UK are declining: 39.8% of UK job postings in November 2024 were hybrid, but this has dropped 12.3% YoY. Global trends also suggest a gradual shift back toward in-office roles. Hybrid roles are down 9.8% in the States—which sets the global standard for many company policies—and 10.2% and 9.7% in Germany and France respectively.

However, employees aren’t necessarily following suit. “While many companies are reintroducing in-office expectations, application trends make it clear: employees still want flexibility,” confirms Janine Chamberlin, Head of LinkedIn UK.

Fiona Wylie, CEO and Founder of Brand Champions is one such employee. She left a senior leadership position at a well-known FMCG company to set up her own agency after realising that the working world isn't created for working mothers. “I spoke to a recruiter who told me I had to make a choice between a senior marketing career or being a Mum.”

Wylie’s experience is far from isolated: a UN report revealed that one in four mothers are forced out of the workforce and in the UK, roughly a quarter of a million mothers are impacted by the ‘Motherhood Penalty’, forcing 26% to drop their hours to accommodate caretaking responsibilities and 25% to unwillingly leave the workforce entirely. Hybrid working doesn’t directly tackle this, but it does allow for some much-needed flexibility. “If we really want to accommodate, and not just ‘say the right thing’, we have to design offices with women in mind, remove any stigma around flexible working, and cultivate a culture that gets out of the way of women”, says Wylie.

Having the flexibility to manage your hours doesn’t just impact women and mothers, it benefits everyone. Even if you don’t take advantage of flexible working policies, we all benefit from a culture that recognises the differing needs of the workforce. At a time when Diversity and Inclusion policies are being widely scrapped, it’s more important than ever to champion flexible policies which are, for some, a bonus, but for others, a lifeline.

“Even before the pandemic, the lack of flexibility in workplaces meant a lot of disabled people were shut out of jobs,” explains Dr Shani Dhanda, an inclusion and accessibility specialist and broadcaster. Although Dhanda welcomes flexible working policies, she bristles at how the pandemic made remote working happen overnight despite disabled workers campaigning for decades for hybrid roles. “Now, with return-to-office mandates, the little flexibility we gained is being taken away again,” says Dhanda, adding: “And let’s be clear—disabled people aren’t some tiny minority. We’re one of the biggest marginalised groups, and anyone can become disabled at any time. If workplaces care about inclusion, they must stop treating accessibility like an optional perk.”

So why are companies so wedded to the idea of offices? “There are many advantages to bringing teams together—you can’t beat in-person collaboration, and the huge benefit to junior staff of ‘learning by osmosis’”, says Chamberlin, but she’s quick to point out the importance of offering a degree of flexibility. “For many, hybrid working allows leaders to build a strong company culture and ensure teams are inspired and motivated while allowing them the flexibility to get their work done how and when they need to”.

Wylie takes a dimmer view: “We’re seeing an alarming rise in regression not progression across many industries.” Studies show that productivity levels are the same for hybrid workers as full-time in-office employees.

I’m fortunate that I don’t face the barriers that many workers do, I also consider myself quite extroverted, but even still, being in an office and being ‘on’ all day, not to mention the commuting, takes its toll. New research by The Work Foundation shows that 85% of disabled workers in the UK say they are more productive working from home while a survey of hundreds of disabled workers across the UK reveals that 70% believe not being allowed to work remotely would negatively impact their health.

“Remote work allows people to manage their health better—taking breaks when needed, avoiding flare-ups, and being productive without sacrificing well-being,” says Dhanda. She’s speaking on behalf of disabled workers, but the sentiment is true for everyone.

Forcing people back full-time without considering the differing realities workers face—whether that’s inaccessible public transport or chronic pain that makes travelling exhausting, childcare or caretaking responsibilities, or any of the myriad reasons why full-time office work might negatively impact people—makes work less accessible for everyone.

Hybrid working isn’t the answer to the gender pay gap, stagnating wages, or the exorbitant cost of childcare and it’s certainly not the solution to a lack of inaccessible public spaces. What it is is a much-needed and long-awaited move towards prioritising employees and their differing needs.

Offices just don’t work for everyone.

Mark Zuckerberg, billionaire tech giant and Meta CEO, wants to see a more aggressive corporate culture—should we be worried?

To round off an extraordinarily chaotic news week, Mark Zuckerberg appeared on Joe Rogan’s podcast announcing that companies need more “masculine energy”.

Zuckerberg, who, lest we forget, created Facebook as a platform for voting on a woman’s attractiveness, has never shied away from controversial opinions, but this new approach feels cannily catered towards a growing movement of free speech absolutists. In other words, he’s following Elon Musk’s playbook.

In addition to calling the corporate world “culturally neutered” and proclaiming the benefits of a culture that “celebrates the aggression”, Zuckerberg spoke to Rogan about his plans to remove third-party fact-checking in favour of an X-model of community regulation.

The news, which has drawn the ire of many high-profile public figures such as Prince Harry and Meghan—who say the policy changes “should deeply concern us all”—has been defended by Meta. In a statement released by the newly appointed Joel Kaplan, who has taken over former UK Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg as Chief Global Affairs Officer, policy changes were described as: “a better way of achieving our original intention of providing people with information about what they’re seeing – and one that’s less prone to bias.”

Despite critics finding X’s crowdsourced Community Notes feature to be “mostly unhelpful” in tackling content moderation and misinformation, Zuckerberg said Meta will “phase in Community Notes in the US first over the next couple of months” according to an official press release. The same report, posted on the Meta Newsroom, goes on to cite X as the inspiration for this model of free speech and fact-checking, or lack thereof.

As one of the largest social media networks in the world, Meta has long been under scrutiny for its role in spreading false or misleading content. Fact-checking programs—once a key part of its strategy to combat this issue—provided a layer of scrutiny for posts that could potentially mislead or harm users.

Kaplan says that when Meta launched its independent fact-checking programme in 2016, they never intended to be “the arbiters of truth” and that in recent years, too much harmless content has been censored and “too many people find themselves wrongly locked up in ‘Facebook jail’”.

The worry here is that Meta relaxing its content moderation policies allows harmful rhetoric—namely misogyny and hate speech against women, LGBTQ+ individuals, and marginalised communities—to proliferate. Scrapping fact-checking and content bans—in much the same way Musk did when he bought Twitter (now X)—provides a space for extreme right-wing and misogynistic views to flourish.

Habiba Katsha, a reporter for People Of Color In Tech, says she’s worried about how the new Meta moves—which, like Amazon, also include scaling back its diversity initiatives—will lead to an increase of online abuse for people of colour. “As someone with over 18,000 followers on X, I’ve noticed a spike in online abuse since Elon Musk took over X and introduced the community notes feature.” says Katsha.

Despite both tech billionaires being criticised for contributing to the spread of misogyny and ultra-conservative ideologies, up until recently, neither explicitly aligned themselves with political parties or movements. Instead, they let their platforms and statements enable and amplify those narratives.

With Trump getting ready to return to the White House, the masks have officially fallen. Through their platforms and public personas, both are acting as willing enablers of a wider cultural shift that is amplifying conservative, often misogynistic voices. As one user on X put it: “Zuckerberg saying that workplaces have become too feminized is by far the craziest example of the vibe shift I’ve seen so far”.

The vibe shift critics are concerned about: Ultra-conservative, often anti-women and anti-minorities. Experts argue that Meta’s moves towards moderation—such as restoring accounts previously banned for spreading hate speech or misinformation—align with conservative movements that often propagate anti-feminist and anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric.

We’ve already seen how women and people of colour are primed to be targets. Within hours of Trump’s election win, the slogan “Your body, my choice. Forever” began circulating online, racking up millions of views. Around that time, Black people were targeted with hideously racist messages, which the FBI is still investigating.

Furthermore, a report published by Onyx Impact found that Black people are more likely to encounter disinformation and fake news. The biggest-ever UK survey into online violence against women also found that women are often targeted by online harassment and face the brunt of the misogynistic and far-right ideologies circulating on these platforms.

Despite their proclamations to the contrary, both Zuckerberg and Musk are amplifying harmful rhetoric and eroding online safety by prioritising ‘free speech’ at the expense of safer online environments. It’s unlikely these ideologies will stay confined to online spaces.

Women are up to three times more likely than men to be targeted by sexual harassment at work, and the most recent UK census research revealed that over a quarter of all accounts of sexual harassment happen in the workplace. As part of our 16 Days of Activism campaign—Power in Unity—we unpack everything you need to know about The Worker Protection Act.

While we may have (thankfully) moved away from a Mad Men-era of casual workplace sexism as the more recent #MeToo movement proved, sexual harassment remains a pervasive issue across all industries.

Over 70% of women in the UK say they’ve experienced sexual harassment in public. 95% of those women didn’t report sexual harassment, according to a widescale report by UN Women UK. Sexual harassment affects people at all levels, and like the wider issue of Violence Against Women and Girls, tackling it requires a whole-society response.

Women shouldn’t bear the responsibility to protect themselves. That’s why, this 16 Days of Activism, we’re joining UN Women UK and calling on the Government, the private sector, and the public to look out for the people around us and call out sexism when we see it.

Research shows that a significant number of women—and an increasing number of men—experience unwelcome advances, inappropriate comments, or abuse of power in the workplace. Yet, often, incidents go unreported due to fear of retaliation, stigma, or lack of confidence in HR processes.

It can be daunting to speak up, but a new law—introduced under the Equity Act—aims to better protect employees from sexual harassment as well as workers who speak out against it.

We all have a role to play in changing the culture of sexism. Here, David Martyn, Partner and legal expert at Thompsons Solicitors explains everything you need to know about The Worker Protection Act.

This is what you need to know not only to protect yourself but also to advocate for a culture of respect and accountability.

What is sexual harassment at work?

“Sexual harassment in the workplace happens when an employee is subjected to misconduct of a sexual nature. It doesn’t necessarily need to be sexually motivated, it can also be sexual in overall nature. Examples of this include being the subject of sexual jokes and comments, pornographic images, propositions and suggestions, rumours, blackmail, emails and messages, unwanted touching or intrusive questions.”

What does the new law change mean for workplace protection?

(Previously the Equality Act 2010 placed the duty on employers to redress sexual misconduct, but the new law change forces them to initiate prevention as well.)

“While employers were already advised to prevent sexual harassment and respond to it accordingly, there is now more pressure to do so with more tangible rules set in place by the new law change.

Employers are being pushed to take reasonable steps for prevention by introducing more frequent behaviour training to review gender equality in the workplace with things like staff attitude surveys—to take sexual harassment awareness more seriously in line management—and have more stringent procedures in place for reporting cases.

The law change also extends to ‘workers’ and not just employees, meaning both must now be protected from third parties as well internal employees under the new regulations.

The most significant change is that if employers are found to have breached the above duties to prevent harassment, employees and workers who are targeted by sexual misconduct at work can now get 25% more in compensation.

How do I know if my employer is following the new rules on sexual harassment prevention at work?

“Your employer should have delivered training to your colleagues on behavioural expectations, and what sexual harassment is and how you can report it. There should be clear, obvious processes and policies in place in order to ensure prevention and what to do if you’re targeted that were explained to you by line managers. Policies should also be kept up to date and any reports that have been made should have been swiftly dealt with.

If it feels like there is no clear protocol for sexual harassment reports, or if it looks like documentation is out of date or reports weren’t taken seriously, it’s likely that your employer is not following the new rules.”

How effective will the new law change be at actually protecting workers?

“There are now stricter prevention rules in place to protect employees than there were before, and there is greater compensation for neglect of these rules by employers.

That being said, the government failed to outline specific criteria of compliance that employers should follow, leaving the compliance rules quite vague as just ‘reasonable steps’ of prevention. Originally, the bill was drafted so that employers were required to take ‘all reasonable steps’ so it’s now more diluted than what it should be.”

How can I report sexual harassment at work?

“There should be appointed workplace champions that deal with harassment reports. This should be someone your employer has chosen to deal with allegations in confidence, and it should be made clear to all staff who these individuals are. This person should be trained in the procedures to follow that ensure your report is escalated accordingly.

Remember that the effect in which your harasser has had on you with their conduct should not be necessary to your report being listened to or in claiming compensation. If they have intimated or degraded you, or created an inhospitable working environment, this is sufficient to establish harassment at work.”

The Autumn Budget has just been announced by Rachel Reeves, the first female Chancellor. It is Labour’s first Budget in 14 years and the first Budget to ever be delivered by a woman. Here’s what it means for you.

“Girls and young women everywhere, I say, let there be no ceiling on your ambition, your hopes, and your dreams,” said Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves at this morning’s Autumn Budget announcement.

Reeves opened the Autumn Statement to the House of Commons this morning by telling MPs that the new Government plans “To restore stability to our economy”. The official Autumn Budget announcement ran for just over an hour and Reeves called out key areas such as Housing, Education, and—of course—tax.

Speaking about the “22 billion blackhole” left by the previous Government, Reeves declared; “Never again will we allow a government to play fast and loose with public finances” before explaining that a line-by-line breakdown of the 22bn blackhole left by The Opposition will be published.

40bn in tax hikes, (marginally) cheaper pints, and changes to Carers’ allowance were all outlined in today’s Budget announcement, but what does it mean for the average Brit? Here’s how the first Labour Budget will impact you…

Childcare

Childcare costs in the UK are amongst the highest worldwide with 1 in 4 women being forced out of the workforce due to exorbitant care costs according to data from UN Women UK. The birth rate in England and Wales is also at its lowest in almost 90 years.

The key pre-budget pledge of £1.8bn for childcare expansion has been confirmed, however, Simon Kelleher, Head of Policy and Engagement at Working Families says “it’s essential that funding rates keep pace with the rising National Living Wage and Employers’ National Insurance contributions to ensure high-quality childcare remains accessible and sustainable for families.” Tabitha Morton, Executive Director UN Women UK, added “We're disappointed not to see the Government prioritise the expansion of access to affordable childcare or reforming parental leave so that fathers and co-parents are incentivised to take on an equal share of care responsibilities.”

“Making childcare affordable and tailored to the family’s needs is essential for the UK to close its gender gap in women’s economic participation and address the “motherhood penalty”, added Gaia van der Esch, a policy expert and author of Leading Our Way: How Women are Re-Defining Leadership.

Violence Against Women and Girls

Despite violence against women and girls (VAWG) being declared a national emergency earlier this year, there was no explicit mention of this or domestic abuse in the Chancellor’s speech. In a statement released by Women’s Aid, Isabelle Younane, Head of External Affairs argued that due to the “failure to commit to new funding on tackling VAWG, we are concerned about the ability of government to meet its important manifesto commitment. Without adequate investment in the specialist services that support survivors by helping them to rebuild their lives free from abuse, this pledge will be impossible to deliver.”

As Charli Keely, Head of Campaigns for Our Streets Now explains, “During the 2024 General Election, Labour pledged to halve violence against women and girls within a decade. The budget outlined by Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves does not mention VAWG at all, despite it being 20% of all police recorded crime,” (according to data from NPCC 2024).

Domestic Abuse

“We are also concerned that the only reference in the Autumn Budget to domestic abuse is in the Home Office budget and in the context of criminal justice outcomes,” explained Younane. One woman a week is murdered by a current or former partner in England and Wales, yet funding for women’s support, social services, and refuge allocations are terrifyingly low. “Without proper funding, life-saving services that support women and children will be unable to meet demands,” says Younane.

National Insurance

“Change must be felt — more pounds in people’s pockets,” said Reeves, stating her intention to “Keep every single commitment that we made on tax in our manifesto.” Put simply, this means there will be no increase to VAT, no increase to National Insurance, and no increase to Income Tax, for employees at least.

Labour is “Asking businesses to contribute more” by increasing employer’s contributions from 13.8% to 15% in April 2025. This will raise 25bn annually.

Tax

Capital Gains Tax

Labour intends to increase the lower rate of Capital Gains Tax and maintain the rate of Capital Gains Tax on property. The UK still has the lowest Capital Gains Tax in any European or G7 country.

Inheritance Tax

Only 6% of estates will pay Inheritance Tax, the threshold for which has been frozen for an additional two years beyond the previous Government’s promise to extend the Inheritance Tax freeze until 2028.

Reeves promised to “close the loophole” by bringing inherited pensions into Inheritance Tax.

Carers' Allowance

Reeves announced the largest Carers Allowance increase since the scheme was first introduced in 1976. The weekly earnings limit will increase to the equivalent of 16 hours at the National Living Wage. This means a Carer can earn up to 10k.

Of this, Simon Kelleher, Head of Policy and Engagement at Working Families, said, “This change will allow carers to hold onto more of their income, supporting those who provide critical care yet often find themselves stretched financially. We look forward to the promised reviews on Carer's Leave and Universal Credit which we hope will consider the viability of paid leave or raising the Carer Element of Universal Credit.”

National Living Wage

National Living Wage

The National Living Wage for workers over 21 will go up from £11.44 to £12.21 in April 2025.

Wages for 18-20-year-olds will rise from £7.49 to £10 and apprentice rates will go up to £7.75.

“Increasing the minimum wage is one of the most effective policies this Government could take to ensure a dignified work and life for all” says Gaia van der Esch.

NHS

Labour has pledged to invest a 22.6bn increase in the day-to-day health budget and a 3.1bn increase in the capital budget.

This is the largest real-term growth in NHS spending since 2010 (minus Covid), and it will address the backlog of repairs across the NHS.

1.5bn has been allocated for new hospital beds, as well as new capacity for diagnostic tests and hubs so that “people waiting for treatment can get it quicker.”

This “record injection of funding” aims to begin to bring waiting lists down more quickly. The goal is for waiting times to be no longer than 18 weeks. An additional 40,000 extra hospital appointments should be available per week.

Housing

Labour has pledged to build 1.5 million new homes in the next four years.

There are also plans to increase the supply of affordable housing and extend the Affordable Housing scheme by reinvesting in housing stock and new supply.

There will also be a 2% increase (from 3% to 5%) in Stamp Duty for second homes in England and Northern Ireland, effective from Thursday 31st October.

1bn will be invested to reduce dangerous cladding.

Households

Labour will provide 1bn to the Household Support Fund to help cover the cost of essentials.

The level of debt repayments that can be taken from Universal Credit allowance will be reduced so that 1.2ml of the UK’s poorest households can keep more each month.

Schools

Schools were a key focus in the Autumn Budget with Hackney South and Shoreditch MP Meg Hillier discussing her own experience following Reeves’ announcement.

2.3bn will be provided to improve school maintenance and rebuild schools in need.

Investment in breakfast clubs will be tripled to fund thousands of school programmes.

Labour plans to hire thousands of teachers in key subjects and an additional 300ml has been allocated for Further Education.

Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) will get a 1bn uplift in funding.

Public Services

“The British people can see and they can feel that,” said Reeves of the near-record high NHS waiting lists, “trains that do not arrive” and “crimes that are not investigated”.

To rebuild public services (and cover the compensation costs of the infected blood scandal and Post Office scandal) taxes will be raised by 40 billion. “Any responsible Chancellor would tax action”, said Reeves, who is a former economist at the Bank of England.

“Get Britain Working”

There will be an increased investment aiming to “get Britain working”. A Get Britain Working white paper will be “targeting economically inactive” and aims to “get people into work and reduce benefits bills”.

HMRC systems will be modernised and Labour plans to clamp down on umbrella companies who target workers.

The unpaid tax debt will also be increased and the promoters of tax avoidance schemes will be targeted.

Pensions

State pensions will increase by 4.1% in April 2025, so roughly 12 million pensioners will get up to an extra £470 a year.

Universal Credit

Universal Credit will go up by 1.7% in April in line with inflation. This equates to an extra £150 on average for approximately 5.7mn for low-income households.

Fuel duty

The tax on petrol will remain frozen and the current 5p cut will be maintained.

Alcohol Duty

Alcohol duty will go up in line with retail price inflation. However, duty on draught products will be dropped, which means the cost of a pint in a pub will be a penny less.

Women are being blamed for falling birth rates, but can we really be surprised that more and more women are opting out of motherhood when the penalty for having children is so staggering—and shamefully—high?

Motherhood is never far from the headlines and this week the online chatter has been deafening. Just days after a Loose Women episode discussing whether or not women should be incentivised to have children aired, a report by Pregnant Then Screwed revealed that more women than ever are being forced out of the workforce.

Though shocking and shameful, the report isn't entirely new. In fact, it chimes with a report published late last year by UN report that showed that one in four mothers are forced out of the workforce due to soaring childcare costs. Shortly after that report was published, Kemi Badenoch’s comments on “excessive” maternity leave pay sent waves of frustration throughout the nation.

Mothers often carry the lion’s share of parenting and are routinely penalised as a result. The ‘Motherhood Penalty’ affects roughly a quarter of a million UK mothers, forcing 26% to drop their hours to accommodate caretaking responsibilities and 25% to unwillingly leave the workforce entirely. It’s an experience Ann-Marie Kinlock, founder of KindHaus, a family club for modern parents, knows all too well. She was made redundant at two months pregnant and again when her son was seven months old. “In a country that claims to be developed, women with children under the age of five are highly impacted by financial hardship,” adds Kinlock.

Maxine Palmer, Head of Service Development at the National Childbirth Trust says that while starting a family is a personal decision that shouldn't be influenced by external economic challenges, for anybody considering having a child in 2025, "we know there’s pressure from every angle. With the cost of living crisis, unaffordable childcare costs and career implications of taking parental leave, we need to do more to support new and expectant parents.”

A survey by Open Study College found that one in three working parents have to make significant career sacrifices to afford childcare, and 22% agreed that the system is specifically unfair to working mums.

“All too often women end up leaving jobs because that is the only way to resolve the stress and then finding work as a new mother is very hard,” agrees Elizabeth McGlone, Managing Partner of Didlaw a boutique discrimination firm specialising in women’s rights in the workplace.

The UK also offers some of the lowest maternal pay when compared to other European countries. Estonia, Poland, and Luxembourg all offer mothers 20 weeks at 100% pay, while countries including Portugal, Germany, and Spain pay mothers their full salary for the duration of their maternity leave according to World Population Review.

Our support systems are failing and ever more expectations are loaded onto mothers.

Here, four women share their unique and honest experience of maternity leave and what they wish they’d been told before they took it.

Everything four women wish they were told about maternity leave

“I found it really traumatic and way too soon.”

“Maternity leave did not give me enough time to recover mentally and physically from my birth. I remember being at my trade stand in Olympia with a giant sanitary towel in and leaking boobs just feeling completely discombobulated, and like I was in a trance.

I ran my own small clothing label, and I was only able to take five weeks maternity leave because I had a big trade show. I had to take him with me to set up and man the stand every day, and that was very stressful and unpleasant. I was really devastated to have to do that.

I needed a lot longer at home, I was still bleeding after my birth when I went back to work, and I still hadn't established breastfeeding properly. I wasn't getting any sleep—I found it really traumatic and way too soon.

I found it very difficult balancing childcare and returning to work, I was too nervous to shell out for expensive childcare—which was about £100 a day at our local nursery—in case I didn’t make it back with my business. So I would take my son with me to the office, which was really hard because he cried a lot when he was a tiny baby, and as he got bigger, he moaned and whinged and wanted to get out of his buggy or his car seat or whatever I’d taken him in.

He started crawling very early in and that walking/crawling stage was impossible to have him in the office. I couldn’t get anything done except for when he was asleep. I found it really hard to have to ask my husband for money. That wasn’t something that came naturally to me.”

Becca Maberly, 46, had her first child at 33 and her second child at 35, she had been running her own business for 5 years when she became pregnant. She is a postnatal expert, author and founder of A Mother Place.

“I needed to reduce my hours by 15 minutes to pick up my daughter...work calculated how much time I’d be taking out and deducted my pay”

“Being a mum, there are some things that people don’t tell you. I had the standard maternity pay, so after nine months, I had to decide whether I was gonna go back to work or take the next three months unpaid. I decided to go back to work.

Finding a nursery was tough; a lot have long waiting lists but it’s also hard trying to find one that fits around your work hours and also runs during term time. I’ve paid for a nursery, and now I need to pay for someone else to look after my child because I can’t take all those weeks off over Christmas, Easter and six weeks in the summer. If, like me, you don’t have family nearby, that’s a problem.

So bearing in mind, I’ve had restricted pay because I’m on maternity leave, once you do find somewhere, it’s the cost. My monthly payment for nursery was £1500, which in itself is rent, or, as the bank sees it; another mortgage. If you were trying to get a mortgage, the bank would reduce your rate because they see nursery as another mortgage.

You need to pay a month upfront and the deposit for me was £500—that’s 2k I need to pay upfront before I’ve even gone back to work, as well as being on reduced pay. When I went back, I needed to reduce my hours by 15 minutes in the morning and the evening to get to the nursery to pick up my daughter, otherwise I would get a late fee. My work then calculated how much time I’d be taking out and deducted that from my pay and told me what my new salary was, which was so demoralising. You work all that overtime and then they deduct my pay by 15 minutes—they’re really gonna just deduct that? It was demoralising, but I had to do it.

I see why some women then decide to not go back to work—who wants to pay £1500 for your child to be in nursery 8 am-6pm? They’re in nursery more than I’m at work, and I’m paying for it.”

Tamara Thomas, 39, had her daughter at 34 and had been in her job for three years when she became pregnant.

“I found it really lonely going from engaging with people every day to having this tiny little person that I had no idea how to take care of.”

“The most challenging part of adjusting to maternity leave for me was going from a career that I’d studied, trained in and was part of a team to suddenly having this new identity as a mum and having no idea how to do the job and losing that massive part that felt in control and knew what I was doing.

I felt so lost and I missed the social connection of my career, which surprised me because when I was pregnant, I thought I was gonna love maternity leave.

The week I set up my Mind Mommy Coaching, I had a massive surprise and found out I was pregnant with baby number three— my daughter Anna. I worked right through my pregnancy and didn’t take maternity leave per se because I was self-employed. But you know what? Out of all of my postpartum periods, I enjoyed the one with Anna the most, because I was self-employed.

I think for mothers—and I see this through my work—it depends on their career and how satisfied they are. If they’re in a career they love and they have an accommodating employer who understands the needs of mums, in my experience—and the work I do with my clients—they’re happy to go back to work. Very often what I see with my clients is they’re forced out of the workplace and end up going down the self-employment route.

I wish someone had told me about that shift in identity that you will feel as a mum and the short-term grief of seeing your colleagues in a career that you know how to do. When it comes to being a mother, none of us know what we’re doing. Everyone’s winging it, and that feels like a massive shift in identity.”

Laura Guckian, had her first child at 31 and had been in her job for about 18 months when she became pregnant. She has three children; Leo, 8, Alex 4.5, and Anna, 3. She is the Founder of Mind Mommy Coaching and the host of the Momfessions podcast.

“I wish I knew how much of an adjustment it would be to go from earning a regular salary to not earning”

“The biggest shock, financially, was how much it costs to return to the workplace. When it comes to juggling childcare and work, I think the first time anyone goes through this, it’s a shock to the system. I had to figure out how to blend my ambitions with everything that I wanted at home and everything that I wanted to achieve at work. As time went on, I became more efficient and more ruthless with my time.

Another challenge I faced was going from earning a monthly salary and having to make the mental shift to surviving on statutory maternity pay, then once that was over, having to make the mental shift to nothing coming into my bank account. That’s quite a shift if you’re used to having that monthly salary and then suddenly there isn’t anything coming in.

There is so much that I wish I’d known before going on maternity leave. I knew I was ambitious before I went on maternity leave, and I didn’t appreciate how much of a journey I would go on to reconnect with my ambitions. I wish I knew how much of an adjustment it would be to go from earning a regular salary to not earning. I also wish I knew the journey that I would go on when it comes to finding my confidence, finding my feet again in the workplace and realigning, refining and reconciling my ambitions whilst raising a young family.

Something I wish I’d explored more was shared parental leave. It’s really prudent to explore those conversations because just the female or the dominant parent taking an extended maternity leave might not always be the best financial solution—sharing it might be the best financial solution.”

Tobi Asare, had her first child at 29 and had been in her job for three years when she became pregnant. She works full-time on the board of a UK media agency and runs My Bump Pay.

Growing up, I was taught that if you want anything in life, you’ve got to work hard for it. Sayings like “Don’t take the easy way out” and “Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard” are bandied around from the moment we start achieving things and repeated at every opportunity. From exams and extracurricular activities to university, apprenticeships, full-time jobs, and side hustles, we're taught hard work is the only way.

Whether we’re motivated by dreams of a lovely house, the promise of happiness, or the fear of what will happen if we don’t keep working at full capacity, we spend our lives grafting, sure that this effort will be rewarded.

Until recently, I never stopped to think about whether hard work worked for me, or questioned the expense of the hard work versus the “rewards”, because, well, I was too busy working hard.

Then, one day, a tiny seed was planted in my head, one that felt dangerous and devious to consider: “Is this hard work really worth it?”

By 24, I’d cycled through multiple mental breakdowns and spent a quarter of my life on antidepressants. I was so scared of stopping because every time I did, my hard work seemed to catch up with me and I'd spiral into exhaustion and a mental health crisis. I felt as though I was stuck on a treadmill, but I was still sure that this hard work would pay off someday soon. And then, after getting diagnosed with both autism and ADHD and spending an awful lot of time reassessing things, it came to me: Instead of killing myself on this treadmill, I could just… step off it.

I could stand on the sides and take a breather. The world wouldn’t end if I stopped. And, when I needed to get moving again, I could take the treadmill at a much slower pace and without the steep incline that I had been battling against my entire life.

I could let go of hard work. I could do things in a way that worked for me, and at a pace that worked for me. I could find ways of working with my brain rather than against it. In life, there are thousands of “shoulds” imposed on us every day. You “should” do it this way, you “should” achieve these things, you “should” be able to manage this, and you “should” feel this way while doing it. You might not have noticed them because they’re so frequent and far and wide. Or, like me, you might feel the weight of them bearing down on you every day. One of the silliest “shoulds” I’ve fallen for is the idea that the only path worth taking is the difficult one. We have been tricked into believing that struggle, difficulty, and sheer hard work are a rite of passage and that anything we do to make things easier for ourselves is ‘cheating’ or ‘lazy’.

“Hiring a cleaner is so lazy!” Or, maybe it’s a smart decision for somebody who has identified that they don’t have the time themselves. “Using pre-cut veggies? What are you, a child?!” Nope, just an intelligent adult who has realised that food prep is a challenge and that she’ll be getting the same amount of nutrients from her meal whether or not she chopped the carrots herself. “Listening to an audiobook? That doesn’t count as proper reading!” - Actually, it does, you’ll still get the exact same ending.

Why is it that making life easier for ourselves is seen as cheating? Shouldn’t the point of life be to find ways of making it as easy and enjoyable for ourselves as possible?

So why not try it? Why not say “sod it” to hard work, so long to burnout, and cheerio to struggle. Instead, start the day with “Hello to making as many things as possible as easy as possible and doing things in a way that suits me.”

How to be You: Say Goodbye to Should, Would and Could So That You Can by Ellie Middleton is out now.

Ah, celebration seasons! Whether it’s a birthday, wedding, anniversary, or Christmas, these moments bring joy, togetherness—and, let’s be real—a bit of financial anxiety. While we all cherish these special events, the pressure to spend can strain our wallets. You’re not alone if the thought of gifts, parties, and endless commitments has you feeling more stressed than festive. But here’s the truth: You don’t have to sacrifice your financial well-being to keep the celebratory spirit alive.

Let’s talk about how to navigate those tricky money conversations with friends and family during any celebration season. Whether you’re a budgeting pro or just trying to keep your head above water, open communication and setting boundaries are the way to go. Here’s how to do it gracefully—and without feeling like the party pooper.

Be honest about your financial boundaries

First things first: honesty is essential. If you’re feeling the financial squeeze, it’s okay to let your loved ones know. You might worry that talking about money will dampen the celebratory spirit, but remember, it’s better to set clear expectations than to overextend yourself and regret it later. A simple, “I’m watching my budget this year, so I’ll be keeping things simple” can go a long way. Most people will appreciate your honesty and may even feel relieved to follow suit.

The key is to approach the conversation with warmth and positivity. Frame it in a way that shows your decision is about making the occasion more meaningful, rather than just cutting costs. For example, “I’m really excited to focus on the experiences and memories we can create together, rather than just the material things.”

Suggest alternative ways to celebrate

Instead of pricey gifts or extravagant outings, suggest alternative ways to celebrate that won’t break the bank. For birthdays or anniversaries, how about a small gathering at home or a DIY gift that shows thought and effort? If it’s a wedding or a hen-do, consider proposing group gifts or shared experiences that don’t require everyone to overspend. For Christmas or other holidays, a Secret Santa exchange with a spending limit or a potluck dinner can keep things festive without the financial strain.

If you have a creative streak, consider giving handmade gifts or offering your time and skills instead. A home-cooked meal, a day of babysitting, or a DIY craft can be more meaningful than something bought in a shop. Plus, it shows that you’ve put thought and effort into your gift, which is often more appreciated than the gift itself.

Normalise the conversation

Money talk doesn’t have to be taboo, especially during the holidays. Normalising these conversations can help break down the stigma and make it easier for everyone involved. Start by sharing your budgeting approach and how you plan to celebrate within your means. This can encourage others around you to open up about their financial situations and foster a more supportive environment.

For example, you might say, “I’ve decided to set a budget for Christmas this year because I’m trying to save more for the future. It’s been a bit challenging, but I’m getting there.” By being open, you invite others to share their experiences and create a space where financial transparency is valued. You never know what conversations you’ll spark just by sharing a small tidbit of information.

Set expectations early

The earlier you start these conversations, the better. Don’t wait until the last minute to let your loved ones know that you’re sticking to a budget. By setting expectations early, you give everyone time to adjust and plan accordingly. This can prevent any awkwardness or disappointment closer to the big day.

You could even make it a group effort. Suggest that everyone agrees on a budget for gifts or activities, so there’s no pressure to spend beyond your means. For instance, “How about we all set a gift limit for the wedding presents this year? That way, we can focus more on celebrating the couple and less on the material stuff.”

Embrace the true spirit of the season

At the end of the day, these special occasions aren’t about the gifts or the fancy dinners; they’re about spending time with the people you love and creating memories that will last long after the event is over. By focusing on what truly matters, you can alleviate some of the financial pressure and enjoy the celebration more fully.

Consider planning low-cost activities that bring everyone together, like a casual movie night, a walk in the park, or a fun game night. These simple pleasures can often be more memorable than anything money can buy.

Final thoughts

Navigating money talks during any celebration season can be challenging, but it’s also an opportunity to create more meaningful and less stressful celebrations. By being honest, setting boundaries, and focusing on the true spirit of the occasion, you can enjoy moments that are rich in love and connection—without draining your bank account.

Remember, these celebrations are about cherishing the people around you, not how much you spend. So take a deep breath, have those conversations, and embrace a celebration that works for you and your finances. You’ve got this!

Bola Sol is the Author of Your Money Life, published by Merky Books an imprint of Penguin Random House. You can buy it now.

Even though summer feels like it never quite got a foot off the ground, here we are, standing at the edge of the last burst of the season. This weekend welcomes the final Bank Holiday of summer, and if you’re anything like me, you’ll be eking out every last moment like a tourist ringing out their beach towel on the balcony after a day basking in the rays. Or, to put it plainly, tacking on extra holiday either side of the long weekend.

Of course, this isn’t without its stresses. Taking time off is often shouldered with mounting pressure to get everything wrapped up. Research from Asana’s Work Innovation Lab shows that 45% of workers feel overloaded, and 40% report a high burnout rate. Add to that summer holidays and reduced teams, and you’re halfway to worker fatigue.

But holidays are important—they’re your reset button and crucial for rejuvenating and motivation. We live in a time of hyper-connectivity, so switching off has never felt harder—or more necessary.

To help you navigate the late summer crunch, Dr. Rebecca Hinds, Head of Asana’s Work Innovation Lab, offers some expert tips for switching off on holiday.

Communication is key

First things first, if you’re about to set your out-of-office message, remember that a detailed and clear handover is the backbone of smooth communication while you’re on holiday. Properly briefing your colleagues on what needs to be done—and when—helps prevent any misunderstandings and gives you the peace of mind to fully unplug.

Leave your work routines at the office

Your brain needs a vacation too, so give it time to recalibrate and slip into holiday mode. While you’re on break, ditch your office routines. Skip the alarm clock if you’re not commuting, and if work thoughts pop up, jot them down quickly so you can get back to relaxing. Letting go of these routines helps your mind and body unwind from the daily grind, making it easier to truly relax. And when it’s time to get back to work, picking up those familiar routines will signal to your brain that it’s go-time, helping you shake off any post-holiday sluggishness.

Learn how to say no

Saying no might seem simple, but it’s a skill many of us haven’t quite mastered. It’s easy to worry that saying no will make you seem lazy or uncooperative, but the truth is, it’s essential for protecting your own well-being and prioritising what really matters. During the summer crunch, this could mean declining work requests that pop up while you’re OOO, or handing off unfinished tasks rather than logging in during your holiday to wrap them up. For those holding down the fort at the office, don’t feel pressured to say yes to every task that lands on your plate. Be realistic about what you can handle and focus on the tasks that truly move the needle. Saying no to the rest? That’s just smart decision-making and prioritisation.

Still struggling? Get more practical tips for how to say no.

Take advantage of your annual leave 

Everyone needs time to disconnect. Ignoring this will actually backfire, leading to reduced productivity and, over time, burnout. Schedule regular breaks with your annual leave days—whether it’s a long weekend or a full two-week getaway. This not only gives you something to look forward to but also helps break the year into manageable sprints, keeping you refreshed and ready to tackle the next challenge.

Trust your teammates 

When you go on holiday and leave an important client conversation or project in the hands of others, it’s essential to trust your team. Without that trust, you’ll feel the constant temptation to check in, ensuring things are progressing as you would like—which means you never truly disconnect. On the flip side, those still in the office might pick up on your lack of trust, which could deter them from taking full ownership of the tasks they’ve been assigned. If you’ve handed over responsibilities effectively, your team is more than capable of handling your workload. So, take a deep breath, trust your colleagues, and fully enjoy your time off!

Here are Team Marie Claire's stories...

A-level results were announced this week and as always there will be just as many tears as celebrations up and down the country. 

Some people will have got their grade requirements and already be packing for their first choice of university, but for others, this will be a long week of scouring remaining uni choices via clearing and crying into comfort food, before landing on an impromptu gap year.

To those people, we say - we get you.

Just talking about our dreaded A-Level results days, Team Marie Claire realised that few of us actually had good memories. A lot of us didn't get the results we wanted and ended up going to our second, third or even fifth choice of university. But that's ok, and without that happening, we wouldn't have got to where we are now.

Whether you go to Exeter or Cardiff and whether you go to university or not, you're still going to experience the same life moments.

You will fall in love, you will make friends for life, you will find your career path and at some point you will be so poor that you will have to share a pot noodle for breakfast with your housemate.

Nothing will change those facts.

No matter what you got in your A-levels, everything is going to be OK, so take a deep breath and read our stories because we were once you.

Here are some stories from Team MC...

Andrea Thompson - Editor in Chief

"I applied to Cambridge with dreams of becoming a lawyer but completely flunked my interview. I was so nervous that I totally clammed up. My head was spinning and I found it impossible to answer the first couple of questions. I ended up going to York University instead and studied English. I had the most amazing three years and met some of my best life-long friends as well as having a healthy social life I don’t think I'd have had at Cambridge. But most of all I developed my love of political and feminist literature from a really inspiring lecturer there. It was that which spurred me onto a career in journalism, which has taken me all over the world reporting on a hugely diverse range of stories from The Oscars to child exploitation. Its also been a lot of fun and so rewarding. Looking back, I'm not sure being a lawyer would have been for me."

Jenny Proudfoot - Contributor and former Marie Claire Features Editor

"My A-level results day was one of the worst days I can remember - I've always been a slow developer and at 18, I just wasn't ready. I didn't get the grades I needed, and got a D in French - the one subject I wanted to pursue. I spent the whole day crying on my sofa eating brownie batter, feeling like my life was over and that I had let everybody down. All of my friends were off to university and I wasn't going with them. That day changed my life and entirely for the better - I literally developed an insane work ethic overnight and ever since have worked as hard as I can to make sure that I never feel like that again. I worked in France for a year, became fluent, retook my French A-level and got a place at the University of East Anglia to study French with International Development. None of my school friends had gone there and as a city it wasn't on my radar until it was my only choice, but looking back I can't imagine going anywhere else. My days at UEA were the best of my life, and it was there that I met my best friends and discovered journalism as my career path. I don't know where I would be if I hadn't initially failed my A-levels, but I don't think it would be as good as where I am now, and I definitely wouldn't have got as far."

Mischa Anouk Smith - News and Features Editor

I was an incredibly studious kid all through school, so much so that I sobbed when I didn't get the SATS results I wanted in Year 3. I was 8. Maybe it was a lifetime of self-imposed pressure, but by the time I got to college to study for my A-Levels, I was burnt out. I over-committed and, ultimately, underperformed. I was devastated, and for the first time in my life, I couldn't figure out my next step. Then, a teacher recommended that I study for a Foundation Diploma in Art and Design instead of rushing off to Uni. To this day, it's the best course I've ever been on. It gave me the creative schooling I'd missed out on at A-Level (which was very exam-focused) and informed my future career as a fashion and lifestyle writer. More importantly, it gave me a brief reprieve from the pressure of exams and applications and allowed me time to figure out what I actually wanted to do.

Lucy Pavia - Contributor

"I’m embarrassed to admit I thought my university applications would be a cake walk. I had 4 As at A-level in the bag and a lovely glowing reference from my headmistress. Come and get me, boyz! Then the rejection letters started to hit the doormat. A quick no from Oxford (not much of a surprise given my car crash interview), then Edinburgh, Exeter and finally Durham. The two remaining universities – Leeds and Newcastle - I had put on my UCAS form without any thought of actually going to one of them. Now they were my two options. After visiting both campuses and cities I picked Newcastle. What came next was three years studying English Literature in an incredible place, making friends I’m still close to a decade later and drinking more Glens vodka than any human should in a lifetime. I know it can seem the end of the world when things don’t go to plan, but it can also teach you to adapt to a new (and often better) reality, a really valuable experience to have under your belt when you’re released into the world of work, where very little is a given."

Megan Hills - Freelance Writer

"When I found out I missed my offer, I hid in a quiet corner of my aunt’s house and cried for hours. I was super lucky though and Warwick wound up letting me in anyway, however I had this massive chip on my shoulder because I didn’t feel like I’d earned it. I became a more driven person because I felt like I had something to prove, but now nobody can tell me I didn’t deserve to be there because I walked out with a first. It’s not your results that define you, it’s the way you deal with your challenges that do."

Katie Thomas - Senior Digital Beauty Editor

"My father went to Cardiff University and regaled us with tales of the incredible time he had there. When I found out that a) they did a journalism course and b) three of my best friends were planning to go there, I applied straight away. I visited a few other places and put them as my other options just to make my career advisor happy, but all I wanted was Cardiff. When I got my A-Level results and found that I hadn’t got the grades they required my whole world fell apart. Give me some credit, I was 17 - this was the end of my world! I rang up Clearing and got through to the department head at Cardiff who told me that he couldn’t admit me, as I had expressed my deep hatred for critical thinking in my personal statement (d’oh) and one of the key modules on the course was exactly that. So I was forced to attend my second choice, Bournemouth University. At school, we were encouraged to apply to Red Brick unis, so Bournemouth was not ideal in my mind. However, it was quite literally the best thing that could have happened to me. The year before, the Bournemouth University media school had won a lottery grant, propelling it and its courses to number one in the country. Because I was so obsessed with Cardiff, I hadn’t even researched Bournemouth and its credentials. Rather than learning about critical thinking (yuck), we were the first students in the country with access to an HD TV studio. I was exposed to radio, TV, news, features and online journalism in all my three years on the course and the connections that the school had made with the real journalism industry was second to none. Oh and p.s. I did all my revision on the beach. So that was fucking great."

Dionne Brighton - Writer

"Before A level results day, I had confirmed a few different unis with my predicted grades, but I hadn't thought much further ahead with what I wanted from my career further than what make-up and hair I would do for my sixth form prom. But once I opened the email, saw my results, and saw everyone else post theirs on Instagram, I wanted to go to university, too. Little did I realise it would help me land my dream career. With only one month until the term started, I applied to a uni in London through clearing. After a few months, I didn't enjoy it. I realised it wasn't for me and wanted an on-campus university experience outside of London. An impromptu gap year followed, and I applied to the University of East Anglia through clearing the following August. I chose to study English Literature because I enjoy reading absolutely anything and everything, devouring all the best books of the year, I even enjoy a self-help book or two. All I ever wanted was to be a writer. Although I had never heard of UEA before I applied, it was the best decision I ever made (albeit a last-minute one) and where I realised working in publishing would be my absolute dream. Whether you get the grades you want or are still yet to decide what you want to do, don't feel pressured to follow your friends and do what feels right for you at the time. Most importantly, if you start university and don't like it, there's no shame in moving or changing course." 

In short, whatever results you receive this week, you are going to be fine. Life will go on and you will still get to experience all of the same exciting moments. A-levels may seem like the most important thing right now but further down the line they really won't. And one day you will be in our shoes, living your dream job and able to look back at this moment and laugh.

Just take a deep breath and find your next step.

We’ve rounded up the best EE tech to enhance your ability to work from home this summer…

The summer months are officially upon us, and with UK offices adopting a more hybrid way of working amid the soaring temperatures, more and more of us will be working from home.

However, with schools breaking up across the country, so too will our children. And with heatwaves, social temptations and parental duties, working from home over the summer can present a host of distractions.

As always, having a good home office set-up is key - allowing you a place of solace to thrive in your 9 to 5. But, with new factors to contend with, from WiFi sharing to soaring temperatures, it’s important to tailor your home office for the summer months.

This is where EE comes in, providing fail-safe tech to help you achieve the ideal WFH situation. And in turn, allowing you to enjoy a better work-life balance and feel like your best and most productive self.

From desk set-ups to WiFi enhancements, here’s how to tailor your home office for your summer needs…

Create a healthy environment

It’s important to make sure that your workspace is a healthy environment for you - enhancing mood, focus and productivity. This can be done through EE’s Smart lighting selection, allowing you to personalise your space to your working needs. Not to mention, improve your circadian rhythm during the working day - all allowing you to be your best and most productive self. Temperature is another key factor, with a proven correlation between workplace climate and performance. And with heat waves forecast for this summer, remote workers are increasingly investing in smart thermometers to maintain an optimal office temperature, improving concentration and motivation.

Perfect your desk set-up

Making sure you have the right tech in your home office is essential, equipping you with everything you need to be your most productive self. And with laptops and tablets, from Apple to Samsung, to Smart Displays, Google Nests and even VR headsets, EE has plenty of industry-leading work tech to invest in. Plus, when you need to be on the move, whether it’s lunchtime errands or parental duties, EE’s Smartwatch selection will allow you to receive notifications and reminders, not to mention receive calls straight to your wrist. This in turn will save you time and energy, heightening focus and productivity during your working day.

Minimise distractions

When working from home with children, particularly over the summer months, it’s hard not to feel in full-time parental mode. And more often than not, concerns for our children (and their tech usage) can distract from the working day. By setting up EE’s WiFi Controls, you can minimise these concerns, with the popular tool giving you full ownership over your network. And from setting age-appropriate filters and content blocks, to spending caps and even WiFi freezes, its parental controls will allow you to manage family life and settings from your home office.

Boost your connectivity

WiFi sharing is one of the most reported issues when working from home, with subsequent lags and network interruptions blocking productivity. EE’s new Smart Hub Plus is designed to eliminate this very issue, offering fast and reliable speeds. Plus, by activating ‘Work Mode’ in the EE app, you can actually enhance your WiFi, allowing you to prioritise and boost your connection to work related apps during working hours. This function is particularly compatible with Zoom and Microsoft Teams calls, allowing you to work from home without a hitch.

Visit ee.co.uk/work for more information on EE tech.

Overworking, over-giving and over-functioning is leading to burnout.

As a society, we’re obsessed with self-optimisation; we track and tally our most basic functions in a desperate bid to do things—even as primal as sleep—better. And as women, this obsession is compounded by another cultural conditioning - the ‘good girl’ myth. As Jane Fonda explained in our Power Issue, “Good girls—I was taught—were not supposed to be ambitious, or angry, or assertive.” It took Fonda seven decades and three marriages to free herself from what she calls “the good girl cultural conditioning”. Good girl conditioning is what keeps women in a cycle of prioritising the needs of others above their own, and we see it play out in every corner of society, from the office to the home.

It’s an experience Tamu Thomas, author of the new book Women Who Work Too Much, knows all too well. Here, the leadership coach and keynote speaker recalls her first anxiety attack and how the experience taught her to break free from toxic productivity and help other women separate their worth and identity from their productivity.

By Tamu Thomas

In September 2017, I had an anxiety attack on my way to work. I could barely breathe; my heartbeat felt like a punching bag, sweat beads were forming across my hairline, and my vision was blurry. I considered calling an ambulance but told myself I was making a fuss. Fortunately, I had tools that helped me regulate myself enough to get to work. I didn’t know it was an anxiety attack at the time and chastised myself for not having my act together.

I had experienced milder versions of this before and flippantly described them as “periods of heightened anxiety”. I had normalised chronic busyness, stress and exhaustion. Chronic busyness and my ability to mask stress and push through exhaustion were rewarded with praise and respect. It made me ‘good’, and I relished it. Being busy and relied upon gave me a sense of importance and worth. It made me feel I’d earned my place as a professional woman and mother. Anything less was lazy, and being perceived as lazy threatened my standing as a productive person.

I felt like my body was about to implode, and I was terrified, so I made an appointment with my GP who confirmed I was experiencing depression and anxiety. I refused the medication because this was the permission slip I needed to take better care of myself. I couldn’t be accused of being weak or lazy if I had a medical reason to slow down. When I finally got to see a psychotherapist, they explained that I had probably been depressed but high functioning for some time, which led to anxiety. She said it sounded like my strong will had allowed me to suppress my anxiety for a long time, which is what led to the anxiety attacks.

Reflecting on my childhood and the childhoods of women around me, I realised that we all had something in common: we were raised to be ‘good girls’ and being good meant learning how to invalidate our feelings so we could be convenient and productive. As I write in my book, Women Who Work Too Much, we are taught that our innate human needs are an inconvenience, and we set about perfecting the skill of self-abandonment in exchange for being ‘convenient’ and ‘productive.’

When we are hurt, we are told not to cry, to be brave, and our pain is minimised or denied. As we swallow down primal sounds and hold onto our tears, we are rewarded with praise – four simple words woven together to create a sentence that is intended to be loving but, in this situation, is embodied as stifling: ‘There’s a good girl.’ Who doesn’t want to be ‘good’? We learn that pain must be suppressed if we are to be good, and bravery is promoted over empathy.

This conditioning normalises and even glorifies toxic levels of productivity and burnout. Burnout is not just a buzzword; in 2019, the World Health Organisation classified it as an “occupational phenomenon” characterised by exhaustion, cynicism, and reduced professional efficacy. This phenomenon is not limited to our occupations; it is part of how we are socialised as girls.

Many of us are raised to be ‘selfless’ to prioritise the needs of others above our own and not to make a fuss. Each Mother’s Day, you see a plethora of social media posts praising mothers for being selfless - women are praised for not considering themselves. This conditioning makes womanhood synonymous with martyrdom, and anything other than putting your needs last is seen as selfish. This is true in the home and the office; we’re told we can have it all, which invariably means we can do it all. We still take on the majority of the emotional, domestic and care work within our households and the long-term impact of this is devastating.

In my case, I am a single mother, and my good-girl conditioning included living up to the ‘strong Black woman’ stereotype. I learnt to be hyper-independent, that vulnerability is weakness, and that it was ok for me to feel bad, but I couldn’t look bad and asking for help looked ‘bad’. This pattern of over-functioning to prove myself worthy led to me existing in a state of exhaustion for a decade, culminating in the burnout I experienced in 2017. The pressure to be ‘good’ was depleting physically, mentally and emotionally.

I had just turned 40, and contrary to the glossy magazines I read as a teenager, it did not feel like my life was about to begin. I realised that I could leave the conditioning of my childhood behind and create new conditions that made my life feel like mine. This led to me redefining success and creating new ‘success standards’ based on how I wanted my life to feel.

I wanted my life to feel powerful, pleasurable, and peaceful. These words are my north star, and they have led me to become a coach, keynote speaker, published author, and, most importantly, a role model to my daughter about what womanhood can be when we decide to be bold women instead of good girls.

Tamu Thomas is an author, leadership coach, and keynote speaker who is passionate about empowering ambitious mission-driven women and organisations who want their work to be a positive force for good. Her new book, Women Who Work Too Much is out now

2024 has seen major advancements in the workplace, and with people now able to work from anywhere and juggle their 9 to 5 jobs with thriving passion projects, our generation can in theory “have it all”.

But along with the benefits of this progress come the drawbacks, with the rise in hybrid working blurring the lines between work and home life, and employees reporting an inability to switch off.

According to Mental Health UK’s annual stress report, the UK is at risk of becoming a “burnt-out nation”, with one in five people needing to take time off work due to stress over the past year. And despite the extreme levels of pressure among UK workers, a staggering 24% noted that they felt unable to manage the stress in their lives.

This can be compounded over the summer months, with social season pushing the boundaries of work and play, and too many of us overstretching and sacrificing our relaxed downtime to “do” and “have it all”.

Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be this way, and by setting some positive boundaries, we can manage our over-working and maximise our downtime, enabling us to avoid workplace burnout altogether and focus on achieving our goals in a healthy way.

This June, with the support of EE, we’re here to help, breaking down the common mistakes that lead to workplace burnout, and how harnessing your tech can help improve your work-life balance.

Here are 6 mistakes not to make if you want to prevent burnout at work, and how to avoid them…

1. Sacrificing time for your mental health

With so much to juggle in our day to day lives, it can seem impossible to find the time to do everything. And too often, we end up sacrificing time for our mental health in a bid to finish our never-ending to-do lists. This is a key mistake to avoid, with prioritising your mental wellbeing proven to ward off burnout, while actually being a crucial part of sustaining and achieving your goals. In an effort to get customers back on track, EE has partnered with leading mental health brand Calm, offering discounted access to its science-backed tools. And from bite-sized stress relieving breathing exercises to daily meditations, they promise to calm your mind and build up your resilience.

2. Spreading yourself across multiple projects at once

It can seem productive to spread yourself across multiple projects at once, but this is actually another common pitfall on the route to burnout. And with 9 to 5s, side hustles, socialising and in some cases parenting to balance, overstretching yourself will actually most likely hinder your productivity and satisfaction across all areas. Focusing your time and energy is key, allowing you to commit to the task at hand. This is something that EE’s Smart Hub Plus aims to do, with the app’s ‘Work Mode’ enabling you to prioritise your connection, work with purpose and maximise your productivity.

3. Forgoing exercise for screen time

The importance of exercise cannot be overstated when avoiding burnout, with physical activity scientifically proven to play a role in reducing work stress. Yet still, the effects of exercise are massively undervalued in the workplace, with too many of us skipping our lunchtime walk or evening exercise class, to work overtime. EE’s smartwatch range has the answers, giving you the freedom to take work calls, set reminders and send emails on the go. This makes it easier to factor regular exercise into your daily routine, and consequently will increase your efficiency, productivity and job satisfaction.

4. Making yourself available at all times

One consequence of tech advancements is being contactable at all times, which is a benefit for our social lives, but a drawback when it comes to work. We’ve all experienced a late night call from our boss or an early morning client email, turning our precious downtime into a panicked work session - time that is often never logged or reclaimed in lieu, and over time those hours can add up. To combat this, it is crucial to set positive boundaries, making clear definitions between work time when you are available and contactable, and home time when you are not. EE’s WiFi controls feature is an effective tool for setting these boundaries, allowing you to pause WiFi, switch off connection for individual devices and even schedule some tech-free time for yourself.

5. Allowing work to cut into your sleep hours

Another common mistake is allowing work to cut into your allocated sleeping hours, with too many of us sacrificing some shut-eye to get a jump on the day. This however should be avoided, with a proven correlation between sleep deprivation and burnout. According to research by Calm, 91% of adults are not rested and feel tired often, with 77% of its subscribers using the app primarily to aid with sleep. Its science-backed features, from Sleep Stories and meditations to soundscapes are proven to enhance sleep quality as well as duration. Not to mention, EE’s WiFi controls feature can be used to schedule some tech-free time as you wind down for bed.

6. Turning your downtime into work

Undervaluing the importance of downtime is a common mistake, with too many of us writing it off as unproductive. In fact, leaning into your downtime is actually vital for recharging your energy, so make sure to switch off from work, unwind and relax your mind on the regular. And by doing so, you will see positive results in not just your personal life, but your work life too. EE’s home entertainment selection has this in mind, and whether your downtime comes in the form of TV, music, podcasts or gaming, the exciting range of extras on EE mobile is a guaranteed win. We’re talking Apple TV+, TNT Sports on discovery+ and the Entertainment Data Pass, offering endless streaming from Spotify, Netflix and Prime video, among others.

Visit ee.co.uk/work for more information on EE tech and how to harness it to achieve your goals.

This May, we’re breaking down four ways to use your tech to see through your New Year’s resolutions in 2024 and beyond…

A New Year is the perfect time to form good habits, with the UK population committing to self improvement with their resolutions and goals.

Yes, from upping the exercise and saving money, to prioritising mental health and improving work-life balances, New Year’s resolutions are all about positive growth in 2024.

EE customers are at the forefront, with a survey from the tech brand revealing that 97% of its users see their objectives as part of a long-term lifestyle change.

However, a third of the way into the year, our willpower with resolutions has (as always) begun to flag, with the majority of us giving up on our goals. 

According to statistics, a whopping 80% of New Year’s resolutions have been dropped by February, with very few lasting past April.

Tech is the easiest way to get back on track, with a proven correlation between using smart tools and achieving goals. But despite its success rate, tech is still often overlooked and underused as a tool for productivity and inspiration. 

This is something that EE is determined to change this year, arming its customers with tech hacks to see out their new habits for the rest of the year and beyond.

Here are four ways to use your tech to sustain your New Year’s resolutions this year. And not to mention, help you to form better and more sustainable habits in the process…

1. Organise your time

Time management is crucial when it comes to achieving goals positively. And with many of us balancing 9 to 5 jobs, childcare, passion projects and social lives, it is no easy feat. EE’s WiFi Enhancer is designed for this very purpose, allowing customers to experience a more hybrid way of working, with the ability to work from anywhere, keep on track of multiple projects and make the most of the time at hand. Plus, its smartwatch range (everything from Samsung Galaxy to Fitbit) go one step further, allowing customers to balance work and home life, and organise your time more efficiently. From receiving calls, texts and app notifications to your wrist, to setting calendar reminders and alarms on-the-go, tech can play a pivotal role in helping you to set boundaries, create a positive routine, and importantly, achieve your goals in the process.

2. Power your productivity

Working smarter and more productively is essential to seeing through your goals. And whether that’s climbing the job ladder, starting a passion project or improving your work-life balance, efficiency is key to maximising your time. EE’s new Smart Hub Plus’ WiFi Enhancer offers just that, with its enhanced features ensuring fast, reliable internet and an end to productivity barriers, from buffering to network interruptions. Plus, by activating ‘Work Mode’ in the EE app, you can actually prioritise your connection and ensure that everything from your work calls to project collaborations goes off without a hitch.

3. Turn off distractions

Technology is also an extremely effective (and underrated) tool for setting boundaries and turning off distractions - two things that are fundamental when carving out time (and energy) for achieving your goals. And whether you’re aiming to meditate each day, factor in more exercise or start a passion project, minimising interruptions is the key to productivity. Thankfully, EE has created a solution, with its WiFi controls feature allowing you to turn off your own distractions - enabling you to pause WiFi, switch off connection for individual devices and even schedule some tech-free time for when you need it. This way, you have complete control of your own technology, and by extension your productivity.

4. Look after your mental health

Prioritising your mental wellbeing is a crucial part of sustaining and achieving your goals. And particularly when it comes to New Year’s resolutions, with reducing stress levels and improving sleep being among the most popular objectives in 2024. Tech is one of the most powerful tools at your disposal, with self care apps proven to reduce stress, heighten focus and improve sleep. EE has now partnered with Calm, to give its customers just that, offering discounted access to the leading mental health brand and its science-backed tools. And in turn, boosting productivity, focus and helping you to find your flow.

Visit ee.co.uk/work for more information on EE tech and how to harness it to achieve your goals.

Here are four ways to power your passion project in your spare time…

2024 is the year of the passion project, with increasing numbers of people in the UK looking to fit a side hustle or hobby around their day job.

From crocheting and painting to comedy and novel writing, passion-related goals are on the up. And with an increase in flexible working and the endless possibilities of social media, this year is seeing a rise in home-based entrepreneurs. 

More than ever, people are looking to power their passion projects from their kitchen tables, and in many cases, monetise them, with increasing numbers going on to become side hustles, and viable businesses.

Technology is one of the most effective ways of making this happen, with a proven correlation between the use of tech and achieving goals.

Thankfully, EE is here to help. An overwhelming 97% of those we surveyed saw their goals as part of a long-term lifestyle change, and as such the tech brand wants to help its customers build the right mindset, routine and system to achieve their passion-related goals.

From time management settings to hacks on focusing your energy,  here are four ways that you can use your EE tech to power your passion project, and fit it around your day job.

1. Manage your time

Managing your own time is cited as one of the most common challenges for pursuing a passion project, particularly when balancing it with a day job, but it is also considered “crucial” to success. EE’s smartwatch selection is designed for this very purpose, allowing you to work on the go, carve out time for you and to help you work across multiple projects. From Samsung Galaxy models to Fitbits in all varieties, EE’s wearable tech partnerships are all about maximising your time, allowing you to receive calls, texts, calendar alerts and app notifications at a glance. Plus with the built-in voice assistant, you can set reminders and alarms - all essential for helping you manage your time more efficiently.

2. Focus your energy

While splitting your time between work and a passion project, focusing your energy is key, allowing you to immerse yourself completely in the task at hand. The secret to this is setting boundaries, designating time (and energy) to the different facets of your life. And consequently, enhancing your output across both your passion project and your 9-5 - heightening focus, energy and productivity. EE has tailored its tech to give customers just that, with its WiFi controls feature allowing you to focus your tech - pausing WiFi, switching off connection for individual devices (say goodbye to distractions) and even scheduling some tech-free time for when you need it. 

3. Find online inspiration

Passion projects can evolve rapidly, and it’s important to read up on your subject so that you can be adaptable as it progresses. This can be a difficult task, with IRL evening classes almost impossible to fit around a 9-5, but thanks to tech, it doesn’t have to be so time consuming. In fact, it can all be done from your device and worked around your day job. Tune into an informative podcast on your commute, with entrepreneurial offerings from 'How I Built This', 'Masters of Scale' and 'This Week in Startups' among others. And even after your working day is done, online evening classes are a great way to brush up on your skillset virtually, with thousands of classes available at your fingertips. And from coding to creative writing, these extensive sessions should arm you with all the information that you need to go from passion to pay check.

4. Prioritise your mental wellness

Managing your mental wellbeing should be an essential part of a daily routine. And particularly when juggling a busy 9 to 5 with a passion project, it’s important to make time for you. Surprisingly, technology can be one of your most powerful tools, with people turning to self care apps more than ever. EE has now partnered with leading mental health brand Calm, offering consumers a 14 day free trial and discounted access to its science-backed tools and features. And from meditation to breathwork, its exercises are proven to reduce stress and heighten focus, helping you to balance and make the most of your time.

Visit ee.co.uk/work for more information on EE tech and how to harness it to achieve your goals.

From inspirational interviews to essential careers advice, Marie Claire is committed to championing women’s equality year-round. But there is one particularly special date in team MC’s diary that we look forward to every year without fail: International Women’s Day. 

A day to celebrate how far we’ve come while reflecting on how far we still have to travel, this year’s International Women’s Day theme is Inspire Inclusion – a message we’ve been getting behind since we launched in the 80s. 

To mark this special day and never more necessary theme, we’ve partnered with L'Oréal Groupe to elevate the voices of women in STEM, an area where women continue to be vastly underrepresented. As the #1 global beauty player with 37 international brands, L’Oréal Groupe employs over 4,000 scientists - 69% of which are female. It has also been recognising exceptional female STEM talent for over 25 years through its L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women In Science programme.

Women make up less than a third of the UK STEM workforce, and recognition of women’s achievements in the field is minimal, with less than four percent of Nobel Prizes for science having ever been awarded to women. 

This is hardly surprising when you look at a recent UK survey from L’Oréal and YouGov, which found that unlike their male peers, girls experience a drop in confidence in science and maths subjects between the ages of 11 and 13. 

So how do we shift the dial?

Well, it’s not all bad. The study also found that girls in school years six to eight who know an adult who works in a science or maths job are 75 percent more likely to be confident in studying science than those who don’t. In short, role models matter. 

Which is why this IWD, Marie Claire Editor-in-Chief Andrea Thompson gathered together a stellar panel featuring leading lights from the world of science and technology to discuss the topic. Here are some of the key takeaways. 

STEM careers start at home

“When I was younger, the toaster would go astray, the kettle would go missing and I'd be in my room tinkering with them and trying to de-engineer them,” robotics engineer Eneni Bambara-Abban told Thompson. But it was a doll that could walk and talk that acted as the catalyst for her future career. “This was the nineties, and a doll that was black was itself quite a rarity,” she added. “But it being able to walk and talk and having hair like mine – it was like, ‘what is this inanimate object and how can I make the same thing?’”

It’s important that these early explorations are supported, said Katherine Mathieson, Director of scientific education and research charity the Royal Institution. “That sense of having a community around you is really important, particularly for girls and young women or for people from marginalised communities,” she said. “This thing of having confidence instilled in you from a young age is really crucial.”

Physicist Dr Jess Wade, who lectures in functional materials at Imperial College London, is case in point. “I grew up in a family of medical doctors, so certainly I was excited about understanding the world and wanted to do a job that would give back. We’re so lucky as scientists and engineers who have discovered this love for learning early on and had those inspirational experiments in the classroom or in the kitchen or bathroom,” she said.

A good teacher can make a world of difference

“There’s more that we need to do to support teachers,” said Mathieson. Bambara-Abban’s secondary school experience in Nigeria is demonstrative of this. “I did not have that support,” she said, citing her own passion for the subject as the main driver behind her decision to work in the field. “I realised very quickly that there was an opportunity for me if I continued doing robotics to go back and educate and be that role model.”

But not all teachers reside in schools. “I definitely think role models are important and they can take lots of different forms,” said Wade. “You have these people who are real and relatable and I think for me, that’s a much bigger role model than people you read about in history books.”

She added: “Making subjects real and relatable and having real and relatable role models, I think is key to not just making kids excited about it, but the science and engineering we are doing to be inspired and excited on that journey too.”

Brands play an important part in providing support

“At the L'Oréal Young Scientist Centre at the Royal Institution, our role is to bring people and scientists together,” said Mathieson of the imaginative London laboratory where young people can experiment with science outside the confines of the classroom.

She added: “We have all these amazing young people who come in for the day and spend a day with us in a scientific lab that is kitted out especially for young people.”

The Young Scientist Centre is just one of the ways L'Oréal is supporting more women into STEM. The brand’s L’Oréal-UNESCO Women In Science partnership has been offering fellowships to encourage the contribution of women pursuing their STEM research careers for over 25 years.

Get comfortable with failing and trying again

All of the panellists agreed that “scientists never get the answer straight away”. “[There could be] no answer and you’re just trying to give people an understanding,” said Wade.

“I think that failure element is what people are scared of, isn’t it?” asked Thompson. “But the way you’re all talking about it makes it all seem a lot more open.”

“There’s so much to discover,” echoed Wade. “Maybe the experiment didn’t turn out the way you’d planned it but along the way you discover a huge amount that you could apply to some future innovation.”

“You lift others as you climb”

“Something I know that we all feel very passionate about is that you don’t all move up through your own career. You lift others as you climb,” said Wade, who added that her L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women In Science fellowship has allowed her to provide a helping hand to other women in science.

Bambara-Abban, who founded the Techover Foundation in 2021 to encourage school girls in Nigeria to hone their love of STEM, was on the same page. “I always say that you can’t be what you can’t see,” said Bambara-Abban. “It's a hard fight. That’s why we need people coming forward and encouraging others.”

Watch the full discussion above and find out about L’Oréal Groupe’s commitment to women in STEM, through the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science programme: https://www.forwomeninscience.com/

Answer me honestly: do you have too many clothes? If your answer is no, I’m genuinely impressed (and also slightly skeptical, sorry). If your answer is yes, congratulations: acceptance is the first step towards doing something about it. So, it’s probably time for a clear-out, and luckily, 'Second Hand September' is the best time to do it. I promise, there’s some real cash to be made from old clothes—take it from someone who’s made close to £5,000 selling unwanted items over the past few years, a good chunk of which came from the high street.

That said, even the most in-demand item won’t just sell itself—you do need to put a little effort in to reap the rewards. Ok, maybe a Chanel Flap Bag will be snapped up instantly.

First, choose your resale site. Personally, I’m an eBay fan, mostly because I’m a little too lazy to switch from the first app I ever tried. My friends, however, rave about Vinted and have seen similar success on there, as well as Depop. Then there’s Vestiaire Collective for luxury labels, My Circular Wardrobe, which does all the legwork for you—just package up your garms and send them off—or Zara Pre-Owned, exclusively for Zara pieces. Each platform has its own perks, from no selling fees to quick payments.

Once you’re on the apps, the good news is you’re half-way there. Snap some pics of the items you want to sell—clean backgrounds, tidy clothes, and plenty of shots showing every detail, from cuffs to care labels—and start listing. You’ll be pleased to know that a number of sites now have AI tools to help write descriptions—finally, an AI task I can get behind. And once your item sells (woohoo!) and you’ve sent it off, all that’s left is to sit back and watch the money roll in.

Below, ten fashion resale sites to suit every item, budget, and schedule. No excuses—time to clear that wardrobe.

The Best Sites to Sell Clothes Online

1. Depop

Best for: All kinds of clothes, shoes and accessories. With AI-writing tools, pre-paid shipping QR codes and an algorithm that helps your items get noticed by the right buyers, consider Depop your go-to for simple, straightforward selling.

What's the commission? 10% of all sales, plus a standard transaction fee by either of PayPal or Depop Payments of around 2.9% + £0.30. You also get charged straight away meaning you don't have any nasty surprises later on.

Sell on Depop

2. Vinted

Best for: Fashion finds. Missed the return deadline on a not-quite-right new season buy? Or looking to shift some long-loved high street styles? Vinted is the place to put your items. Just be mindful that it's a little more sociable than the likes of eBay, so take the time to build out your profile and be a little more mindful of taking tasteful snaps. You'll also get plenty of messages from buyers trying to negotiate a better price, so take this into consideration when listing.

What's the commission? It's free to list and sell on Vinted, which is a big bonus (unless you'd like to pay to bump your item or for a wardrobe spotlight). Buyers do get charged a small fee under their Buyer Protection Fee, usually between 3 and 8% of the purchase price for items under £500, and 3% for items above that.

Sell on Vinted

3. eBay

Best for: All kind of items, from clothes to furniture. Thanks to a collaboration with Love Island (a lot of the Islander's clothes come from here), the OG selling site has had a bit of a rebrand in recent years. Plus, some handy extras have been added, making it even easier to part with your old items: an AI product writing tool, pre-paid QR shipping labels and 'boost' options included, meaning you can pay a little more to get your item really noticed.

What's the commission? It's free to list items on eBay until you go over a monthly 300 product limit, and it's then 35p per item. Every product does have a selling fee, however, of around 12-13% for many categories plus a fixed fee for most sales in the UK that varies across each item but usually stays around 30p.

Sell on eBay

3. Vestiaire Collective

Best for: Designer clothes—Vestiaire authenticates everything for you. You can either list it yourself and then send it to Vestiaire once it's sold so they can check everything and send it on to the buyer, or you can send it to them directly to list and sell.

What's the commission? Compared to other luxury resell sites, Vestiaire fees are pretty low. Depending on the item, there are variable selling fees that range around 10-12% of the sale price plus a payment processing fee of around 3%.

Sell on Vestiaire Collective

4. My Circular Wardrobe

Best for: Easy selling. Launched by a mother and daughter team, My Circular Wardrobe's 'preloved at first sight' aim is to encourage people to fall in love with buying second-hand instead of new. Whilst environmentally friendly, they want to make the experience of shopping second-hand inexpensive and luxurious. You can sell and buy items by designers and elevated high-street brands including Chanel, Christian Louboutin, and Cos, although they currently aren't accepting Zara, Topshop and H&M.

What's the commission? 50% of the sale, although they do take care of all the admin, so that's reflected in the fee.

Sell on My Circular Wardrobe

5. Facebook Marketplace

Best for: Local sales for everything from shoes to furniture. Facebook Marketplace allows you to list your unwanted items (whatever they may be) and share them on the social media platform. Working predominantly on a 'pick up' delivery method, it's best for larger items you need to shift rather swiftly. Although, do note a lot of items are listed for free, so consider it of more as a tool to clear out your home rather than make some money.

What's the commission? There are no listing or transaction fees.

Sell on Facebook Marketplace

6. Etsy

Best for: Vintage items. Etsy is great if you're selling unique vintage pieces and anything that you've created yourself too. Just make sure to take particularly clean images to get noticed as there's a lot of competition on here.

What's the commission? Etsy charges 16p per listing and 6.5% per transaction. You'll also pay 4% plus 20p per transaction in payment processing fees.

Sell on Etsy

7. Zara Pre-Owned

Best for? Zara, of course, no matter if it's new with tags or much older (and still in good condition). The high-street retailer launched the platform back in 2022 allowing customers to re-sell their pre-loved Zara piece and shop the brand second-hand. And, impressively, you get 100% of the total sale.

What's the commission? As per the Zara website, the seller will receive 100% of the sale price, however, the funds will only be sent once the item has been delivered and the customer has confirmed and rated the item.

Sell on Zara pre-owned

8. Thrift+

Best for? Everything, though mainly high-street labels if you want to earn more on designer items. Thrift+ is different in that you don't earn any money, you donate unwanted clothes to end fashion waste. The way it works is you fill one of their bags with your unwanted items, send it to them and they're recirculate your clothes.

What's the commission? For each item sold, you'll earn Thrift+ points to spend on their preloved section.

Donate on Thrift+

9. Reliked

Best for? Influencer wardrobes. If you're an influencer whose wardrobe is bursting at the seams with lovely clothes and accessories, this is for you. Leonie Hanne, Hannah Strafford-Taylor and Vogue Williams are just some of the names selling their clothes on here. There are also men's, beauty and home items.

What's the commission? For items between £20-£499.99 you get 50%, and items over £500 you'll get 75% of the final sale.

Sell on Reliked

10. ReThread

Best for? Any good quality clothing item from high street to designer. Your items need to be sellable for at least £25. Then send them your items to sell and they do the rest, selling them on their eBay store for you.

What's the commission? They charge a commission of 65% of the final sale price up to £50 and 25% on the rest, subject to any returns, refunds or claims. You will also be charge for a transaction fee of £1.67 + 18.35% (for eBay fees, PayPal etc)

Sell on ReThread

New year, new priorities – here’s how to set positive boundaries and take control of your digital life with help from EE...

A new year means new resolutions, and it’s no longer just about our physical health. Creating a healthier work-life balance is the perfect goal to set for 2024 – because of the way it benefits both our mental health, and the time we have free to spend with friends and family. 

But with hybrid working at a high and a subsequent rise in bringing work home, it can be harder than ever to balance our work and personal lives. 

As we return to the grind this January, it’s time to set some positive boundaries, and take control of our digital lives – allowing us to work more efficiently and make time for what’s important. 

Thankfully EE is on the case, showing us new ways to use tech for good – all aiming to help people establish better boundaries and improve their work-life balance. 

Here are 5 ways to set better work-life boundaries with a little help from EE.

1. Power your productivity

Working smarter and more productively is key to a better work-life balance – allowing you to work as efficiently as you can and, crucially, to switch off on time with peace of mind. Barriers to productivity range from video buffering and slow speeds to network interruptions or even cyber threats. With EE’s new Smart Hub Plus there’s not only enhanced security features and fast, reliable speeds, but with WiFi Enhancer you can activate ‘Work Mode’ in the EE app, allowing you to prioritise your connection and have your best ever work calls and project collaborations when you need them most.

2. Switch off at home

Allowing yourself to switch off from work at home is easier said than done, but it’s essential for setting boundaries and establishing a healthy routine. We’ve all been guilty of doing work emails in front of the TV or finishing a brief instead of enjoying some quality family time, and even minor administrative tasks can disrupt your daily work-life balance. That’s where EE’s WiFi Controls come in, allowing you to pause the Wi-Fi, turn off individual devices and schedule some undisturbed wellbeing time.

3. Make time for you

Setting boundaries is the ultimate form of self-care, and making time for you is vital for achieving a better work-life balance. It allows you to de-stress from the office, focus on your mental health, ease any stress and enhance your sleep. And in turn, it will actually make you more productive during your 9-5. EE has partnered with leading mental health brand Calm, offering consumers a 1-month free trial and discounted access to its science-backed tools and features. We’re talking movement exercises, breathwork and a host of mindful and meditation content – all designed to make time for you.

4. Prioritise your parenting

For parents, balancing your work and personal life is a whole lot tougher, and whether you’re working remotely or in the office, it’s hard not to be in full-time parental mode. Keeping your children safe online can be a full-time concern – particularly when you’re not able to be there 24/7. Thankfully, EE’s Wi-Fi tools gives you full ownership over your network, with its parental and access controls allowing you to manage family life and settings even when you aren’t physically there. The features enable you to tailor parental controls by family members, setting age-appropriate filters and content blocks, not to mention spending caps. And by giving us some control (and peace of mind) over our children’s internet activity, it allows parents to live (and work) in the moment, without having our minds elsewhere.

5. Maximise your downtime

When you’re switching off from work, it’s vital that you maximise your downtime, making sure to unwind and relax your mind. This is made easier with the exciting range of extras on EE mobile – designed to entertain not just you but the whole family. We’re talking TNT Sports on discovery+, an Apple One bundle of Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade and more. Plus, Entertainment Data Pass, offering endless streaming from Netflix, Spotify and Prime Video to name a few. And as well as Work Mode, EE’s Wi-Fi Enhancer gives you Game Mode, which turbo charges your experience with features like geo-filtering and ping-optimiser. Enjoying your time off is crucial, and by leaning into your downtime, you will enhance not just your personal life but your work life (and satisfaction), too. 

Visit ee.co.uk/work for more ways to work on your own terms. Plus, save £20 a month on new, unlimited mobile plans, when you choose EE Broadband.

Now the January reset has come around once again, we can finally recharge after some serious hosting. Gaggles of little ones running around, extended family members to feed, squabbling over the TV remote – managing a home full of guests isn’t easy. In the post-yuletide calm, why not think about how to make hosting easier for yourself in 2024? From intimate get-togethers to casual drinks to games nights and sit-down dinners, 2024 is the year you get your hosting down to a tee.

To get the ball rolling, let’s talk about tech. I see entertaining guests and giving endless house tours as being the perfect opportunity for me to show off my well-connected smart home this year. 

I’ve been a smart home convert for a while now, still getting a thrill from being able to control my lights, heating and locks with just a voice command or a quick press in the app. And don’t even get me started on my automated settings - with the blinds automatically shutting and the lights coming on as it starts to go dark, and my door unlocking itself as I walk up the drive.

However, it’s when I’m entertaining that I tend to rely on my smart gadgets the most. Functioning as both a time saver and a party trick, I can change the colours of the lights in different rooms to give them different vibes and of course play my new favourite songs through every speaker in the house - all from my phone.

It really is the gift that keeps on giving when I’m playing the perfect host - entertaining my guests, whilst allowing me to enjoy the party.

Get Connected

Getting connected is essential, and thankfully pretty straight forward, allowing us hosts to focus our energy on the actual party, and limit the time spent setting up the tech. Smart devices will link to most voice assistants, so it doesn’t even matter whether you use Amazon, Google or Apple to control your devices.

The one essential part of the process is a strong internet connection to make sure all of your devices can get online and communicate with each other. My choice? EE’s Smart Hub Plus - it’s easy to set up, provides super-fast Full Fibre broadband, and has a strong enough signal for all of my smart gadgets - and I have a lot. There’s even enough for my guests too, with EE’s Full Fibre able to handle up to 190 devices. That’s all you need to get connected - it really is that simple.

Time to celebrate

Once you’re connected, it’s time to relax - whether that’s a dinner with a curated playlist or a gathering with atmospheric smart lighting controlled by your phone. And if you really want to show off your smart technology, nothing beats a BAFTA winning movie night screened to your 4K TV, featuring cinema-quality sound and background lighting.

I often get smart recommendations from friends looking to upgrade their tech, and my first piece of advice is always the same - get on EE’s Full Fibre plan. Once you’ve done that, the possibilities are endless.

Visit ee.co.uk/home to find out more. 

Flexible working has become a constant in the modern world, with increasing numbers of people forgoing their office spaces five days a week to work from home on the regular. 

A hybrid model of working seems to be the most popular, with a recent YouGov poll revealing that 60% of working people in the UK would find it most beneficial to work partly remote, and partly in the office.

The flexibility that hybrid working affords has proven transformative, allowing people to structure their days in a way that's productive for them, and crucially allowing us parents to balance childcare. Not to mention, the move away from the full-time office setup is saving us all time and increasing travel costs in the absence of our commutes. 

It’s also more efficient work-wise, with over two thirds of UK employees claiming that they are more productive when working from home, and 55% reporting that they can concentrate better.

However, there are significant downsides to working remotely, from cyber threats and network sharing to the all-consuming dread of internet connection issues. And according to statistics, these are currently outweighing the perks, with many reverting to their offices out of fear that these drawbacks could actually be stalling their careers.

A whopping 85% of people are afraid that working from home (despite it being their preference) will set them back in progress, particularly when it comes to a new job or skill.

This is chiefly down to a mistrust of WFH networks - an issue that can be rectified with equipment that provides support and certainty, empowering us to work efficiently and flexibly - minus the stress.

Thankfully, EE has committed to helping consumers excel in a home environment, identifying the key problems facing remote workers, and creating technology to make flexible working work for you. This Autumn, as EE launches the game-changing WiFi Controls feature - available on Smart Hub and Smart Hub Plus, we look at how it’s going to revolutionise the world of hybrid working.

Here’s how to make hybrid working work for you with WiFi Controls

Enhance your internet

The number one reason for dissatisfaction amongst home workers is unreliable internet connection, with slow speed, video buffering and network interruptions cited as the main areas of concern. We’ve all experienced the perils of freezing in a video meeting or pitch, and the anxiety around these WFH network inconsistencies is actually now driving people back to the office. This is something EE is hoping to combat with its new WiFi Enhancer, launched as part of its new WiFi Controls feature. The industry-leading feature allows customers to prioritise work traffic on their network, consequently reducing bandwidth congestion, making it an essential for hybrid workers everywhere. 

Take control of your network

Another barrier to working from home is sharing your WiFi with everyone you live with, particularly those of us living with fellow remote workers or children attached to devices. The WiFi Controls feature is designed for this very purpose - taking control of your network. By giving you full control over the connectivity in your own home, the feature allows you to manage all connected devices, with features including network optimisation, pause WiFi and device based parental controls. This allows you to prioritise working from home above other household activities and gives you ownership over your network. It even offers Guest WiFi with certain packages, so that you can share broadband connection with guests without them joining your WiFi connection. 

Step up your security

Cyber security is another concern that people have reported when working remotely - particularly those of us sharing devices with our children. And with an increase in security threats (both in scale and complexity) and a long list of dangers to look out for, it can all get very overwhelming. We’ve all experienced a virus deleting our files or slowing our computers down, and when sharing devices with everyone in your household, it’s hard to feel secure. As UK workers are returning to the office just to ensure device protection, EE has launched its new WiFi Controls feature. And aiming to give us back control in our homes, it has advanced security protection, blocking threats and stopping our data from being accessed. Advanced Web Protect can safeguard every connected device on your network - you can even check out any blocked threats in the EE app. Plus EE’s Cyber Security, powered by Norton, offers dark web and social media monitoring, real-time protection against viruses, and more. With our security issues finally put to bed, hopefully we can get back to hybrid working with peace of mind, and enjoy the freedom that gives us.

Visit the EE website to find out more about WiFi Controls, and EE’s upcoming features.

Female empowerment has long been central to Magnum’s beliefs, with the brand committing itself to the financial and social advancement of women across its cocoa farming communities. 

Introducing the AWA by Magnum Programme.

The initiative, established in 2020, supports women in cocoa farming communities across Côte d’Ivoire - enabling them to prosper as entrepreneurs and generate their own income through investments and on-the-ground impact programmes.

Arming them with education, skills, funding and social infrastructure, the initiative helps women to set up and invest in their own businesses - giving them the tools to establish themselves independently, socially and economically.

This year, the programme is expected to reach over 3,000 women, through the support of its partners Cargill, CARE International, 100WEEKS, Yhebe and now Barry Callebaut. And offering direct mobile payments, literacy and numeracy training and Village Saving and Loans Associations (VSLAs), it has made a monumental impact.

“We are delighted that the AWA by Magnum programme has been expanding at such a great pace this year,” stated Rosie Festus, Global Brand Manager and AWA Programme Lead. “Having visited the programme in the Côte d’Ivoire and seen it evolve over time, it’s incredible to see how much the women on the programme have not only grown their businesses and investment opportunities, but also on a personal level too.

“Women in the communities really are inspiring the generations to come through their businesses.We have heard from the villages that women are now able to send their children to school and university as a result of their income generating activities, which was not achievable before.”

This World Cocoa and Chocolate Day, Magnum has announced that it will be upscaling the AWA by Magnum programme - committing to support 5,000 women in cocoa farming communities in Côte d’Ivoire by 2025.

As Magnum announces the exciting expansion, Marie Claire UK hears from four women on the ground who have benefitted from the programme. Here are their stories.

Ouedraogo Aminata

I am 30 years old, married and a member of the Amour VSLA.

“I am a hairdresser, but when I finished my training I did not have the means to have the hairdressing salon that I wished for,” explained Ouedraogo Aminata. “Me and my husband used to argue like children about finances and business. And then one day we were called to the cooperative for a meeting that would change our lives. 

"We were told that we were going to form a group that would help benefit us financially and socially - to bring women together in a group and help us start our own businesses and become entrepreneurs.”

She continued: “They gave us cell phones and every week, on time, we are given 5,000 CFA francs. Using my investment money, I built a hair salon, which I work in with my apprentices.

“I go to Abidjan to buy braids, relaxers etc. and I invest everything in them. I want my customer to experience the best and improve on my business even more. If clients come to braid their hair, they often ask for a drink. So I asked for a loan of 150,000 CFA francs and bought a refrigerator for the customers to buy juice, which I can sell at a profit - an additional source of income for me.

“Today my husband respects me thanks to the AWA by Magnum programme - it has really developed our relationship," Ouedraogo Aminata went on to explain. "Before we never discussed things - he made decisions without telling me anything. But today, because of the programme there is real respect between us. And I know that’s true for a lot of the women in this programme. Now when we step outside, they know that we are real women.

“Looking to the future, I want to expand my salon. I have many apprentices but I want to support my community more. There are some women in our village who never finished school. Some became pregnant and never went back to school after giving birth. So, I want to train them to become hairdressers so that in future, they don't have to suffer.”

Sawadogo Ramata

I am 35 years old, married and I have 6 children. I am a a member of the Manzanouan VSLA.

“Before the set-up of the VSLA, things were very difficult," Sawadogo Ramata explained. "My husband and I weren't in this community before. We were in another village, but because of the difficulties we were facing at the time, we relocated to Manzanouan. We were working our plantations and we didn't even know how to save.

"The VSLA has brought us a lot - and not just in financial gain. For instance, it was hard for me to even say hello to people. I did not know how to do it - and we used to hide inside. But thanks to the VSLA, I have built confidence in communication."

She continued: "Everyone now feels part of the community and every week, we convene for the meetings together. It really has opened our eyes - we know how to respect others, how to sit in front of others and to better express ourselves, all thanks to the AWA by Magnum programme.

"In the future, I want to build a store to sell loincloths in the village, in addition to farming and agriculture. Because you can't stay in one activity - if you go bankrupt in your business, you will be ruined. I want to expand my businesses, so I have multiple streams of income and am not just reliant on one.

“Our husbands did not converse with us before,” Sawadogo Ramata reflected. “But since the project, there has been improvement. They laugh with us, and when we go to the meetings, they are happy - they encourage us to go now because it brings good things to our homes. And the work we are doing is inspiring future generations. I want one of my children to become a veterinarian one day so they can take care of my sheep and my oxen.

"The financial help that has been brought to us has been life changing, but really the biggest success for us is being able to see our children succeed in school. Because we have had the money from our business to be able to do this – that really is the future."

Nikiema Korotoum

I am 31 years old, married with three children. I have been a member of my VSLA for the past five years now.

"I am a small trader, and I sell Maggi cubes, sugar, rice, oil, eggs, soap and washing powder, among other things," explained Nikiema Korotoum. "To be honest, when we started trading, we didn't know how to read or write. How to write when ordering goods, when a person comes to take a loan on goods, how to keep a record - we did not know how to do any of that.

"The training we received through the AWA by Magnum programme has been very useful and learning has helped, because now I cannot be cheated anymore in my business. For example, some goods came in today. The invoice reads 55,000, but if you give me 53,000, then where did the remaining 2,000 francs go? I can now question this as I understand. Business has grown and my plans for the future are to own a store that I will fill up with goods."

"Because of the success we have achieved through the AWA by Magnum programme, we now do not need assistance to pay for our children’s tuition, their food, shoes or other expenses," she continued. " And I have been able to support the education of my two children.

"My husband is away working for the majority of the time. Unfortunately, he fell ill and left for Burkina Faso for treatment and is yet to return," she continued. "Often, my husband calls me to ask for my financial help. And I am now able to send him money. The money I receive from my business and the programme has helped a lot."

Sawadogo Abiba

I am 43 years old and I have 3 children. I am from the VSLA of Manzanouan.

"I used to work in the cocoa fields," explained Sawadogo Abiba. "When I told my husband that I wanted to start my own business, he refused. One day, some women passed by and said they were going to a VSLA meeting, so I snuck out and followed them. I knew he could have divorced me if he saw me follow those women - he didn't even want me to go out for a walk, but I went.

"We were trained in financial literacy - how to trade, how to save, how to make profit and how to manage money."

She continued: "Later, when I returned home, my husband asked me where I came from, and I apologised for lying to him. The apology was accepted and he started helping me.

"He now advises me, and shares ideas on what I should do, which makes me very happy. He has promised to build a store for me - a store that he would give me."

"The support we received for two years was very helpful," she reflected. "I am still working with the money I received and our lives have changed. We had no idea what activities to invest in and we did not know how to save - the VSLA has helped us a lot.

“Our children look up to us now. When the children leave school at noon, if we parents come back from work tired, the children help us sell and they really enjoy it. It is also preparing them for when they may need to take over the business.”

Read more about the AWA by Magnum programme.

Women in Science don’t always get the recognition they deserve, so accolades such as the L’Oreal Foundation and UNESCO Women in Science International Awards are vital in championing their achievements and breaking down any barriers for women in STEM. 

The L’Oreal Foundation supports women through inclusive beauty practices and sustainable actions. And for the past 25 years, it has partnered with UNESCO to create a Women in Science program that empowers female scientists to overcome any barriers to progression. 

Following its Women In Science awards ceremony in Paris, I sat down with Alexandra Palt, CEO of the L’Oreal Foundation and Chief Corporate Responsibility Officer, to discuss how L'Oreal has been supporting women for the past 25 years and what we collectively can change for the better.

Before joining the L’Oréal family as Chief Sustainability Officer in 2012, Palt studied law with a particular interest in human rights, and it quickly became clear from our conversation that bettering society is at the heart of everything she does. From launching L’Oreal’s first sustainability program and celebrating her team’s successes over her own, to realising her challenges can never be compared to the women she's met on the ground through the brands Women's Fund. 

Take me back to the start of your L'Oreal journey. How did you get to where you are today?

L'Oreal is part of my life, but I had a life before. I joined L'Oreal when I was 40, 10 years ago now. I actually studied law, and I was working in different NGOs - I was an activist and have worked in the NGO sector and public authority. Then I thought, I’ll see what the corporate world looks like and if I can make a change there. That's the way I came to L'Oreal and it's been a journey in the last 10 years to make a lot of changes and to really contribute to its long history. It was a change of perspective, but it's always been my motive to bring positive change in society, wherever I can.

How have attitudes to sustainability changed over the past ten years?

Well, there is more greenwashing out there, but also much more commitment. But for me, greenwashing is not the biggest problem we have in society. The most significant issues in my opinion are climate change, biodiversity loss, poverty, inequality, and discrimination, so a lot of really huge problems. When I go back to 20 years ago, I started to work on that issue that is now years later, corporate responsibility. 25 years ago, I remember being asked who is ever going to pay you for doing that. What company is going to be interested in doing good for society? There has been a transformation, but it isn't enough, and there are still a lot of things that have to be done. There are still certainly a lot of companies that are not doing anything, but there are also a lot of companies who have really changed and who are really trying, not to be perfect because we are not perfect, but trying to become better organisations - better for themselves, better for society and better for the environment. It also brings hope to those who see the world as a dangerous place for future generations. It's not enough yet, but it exists, and we should find hope in that.

What pushes you?

I am passionate about human rights. Climate change is the biggest threat to rights - women's rights, children's rights, and human rights. And that suffering that is happening to people is something that I would like to end. I want to end injustice and suffering - that's exactly what keeps me going. I had this very profound intuition that this issue would become important. And actually, it did. I made a career out of it, so I can't complain. We see there is hope - there is hope in different spaces. And we should acknowledge that hope.

Can you talk me through some of the initiatives that you're most proud of? I know that you are a particular champion of women in science…

You know, I don't get proud - that’s not the way I function. But there are things that are really important to me. The women in science programme, but particularly that we have contributed to shed light on the issue of women and climate. This is, of course, related to women and science, but it is also independently an important issue because women are disproportionately impacted by climate change. And drawing attention to this issue is something that was really important and is still really important. I think the fact that all L'Oreal employees today feel empowered on sustainability, and want to contribute and are often able to contribute, is really a great achievement. It has really become part of our values. 

What is the bravest thing you've done in business?

People think I'm courageous because I always speak up, even if it's uncomfortable. That kind of bravery is something that I muster daily. But I know many more courageous people than me - women refugees, women who succeed in bringing up their children in challenging urban areas and making kind people out of them. So there are many more courageous people in this world than than I am.

How do you find the courage to speak up about things that are important to you?

I keep perspective on what is important, what is not important, who is important, who is not important. I'm very happy in my family, so I do not have the feeling that I need to be loved by everybody. I'm quite independent of what other people think of me. I know that the only way I will be able to look back at my life and think I have been successful is by staying true to my values. And so it's out of pure egoism that I’m courageous, because I want to be able to look back at my life and say, I have done what I needed to do.

What has been your greatest challenge?

My greatest challenge, I think, is to try to be a good mother and educate children, and adults. And to do this while being an activist and staying committed to my work. So I think the most important thing is to stay human, and keep the sense of humanity against all odds. That is the challenge, but that's also the leitmotif. So, when I see what other people - other women - go through and overcome, I do not feel that my challenges are worth discussing. We work a lot with women in challenging situations through our Women's Fund, and I always go on the ground and meet these women. So there are hundreds of millions, probably billions, of women outside there, who have real challenges to overcome. I think we should all be aware of our privilege every day and try to be responsible for that privilege. So I can't even tell you my challenges. A less philosophical, more down to the earth challenge I think is probably to make more people understand the importance of sustainability. 

Do you have any advice on how women can ask for more? Whether that's a pay rise or a promotion…

The problem is that all women have that kind of imposter syndrome. The idea that we are lucky to be where we are, and then people remind us of that all the time. When we succeed in our lives, we are either lucky or we should be grateful. And so I think there really is something about the intrinsic value of ourselves that women still have to work on. More my generation, perhaps, than the younger ones. What I found really helpful was having a network - discussing with other women who I found extremely brilliant and interesting, and who had the same experience as me. So I think the idea of sorority or sisterhood is essential because when you see a brilliant woman on the other side of the table telling you about feeling not in her right, not feeling legitimate, not feeling competent enough yet, then you understand. I had a kind of Oracle moment once because all my life men had always told me that I'm too much - too dominant, too ambitious, too aggressive or too tough. I always kept going home thinking, I have to change, I have to work on that, that's probably a problem. And then at one point I discussed it with other women, and I found all the women who succeed are constantly told that they are too much, you know - that was my Oracle moment. And from then on, every time a man has told me that I am too much of something - I'm sorry, but that is not my problem. You know, I understood the difference between my problem, his problem and society's problem. So my problem is about improving, becoming a better person and a better professional. But when a guy tells me I'm too much then I know that he has a problem, and that's his story. And then there is inequality in society. So I think I would advise women to really learn to analyse what is my problem, his problem, and society's problem.

Have you ever felt discriminated against as a woman in business?

I probably have been discriminated against - I wouldn't say it like that, but to systemic inequalities? Yes. But my husband is Black, so I know what discrimination looks like when it's open and direct, and so I have suffered less from that. I would say it's more systemic - saying something in meetings and having nobody listen, then a guy afterwards saying the same thing and everything going, oh what a great idea - that kind of thing. So yes, I have experienced that as all women do. But direct tough discrimination - I don't think that is still accepted in the business world anymore.

How can you achieve the right balance between work and your personal life?

That is a mammoth challenge, because I'm always doing the two at the same time - working and being with my children. The only thing that is really important for me is that my children know that even though I have worked a lot when they were small, that they have no doubt that they are the most important thing in my life.

Do you have a mantra?

It's a phrase from a French religious person who created a big NGO - "wanting to see and daring to say". So I want to see things. Now I want to see justice and incoherence from discrimination and inequality, and I have the courage to say. But wanting to see it is as important as daring to say.

How do you celebrate success?

I don't really, because it's not my success. I bring positive things to society, it makes society a little bit better perhaps and then there is still a lot of work. It's my team's success because I have all these wonderful and very competent people around me, and they do the work. So I don't celebrate my successes anymore, I celebrate their success.

What would you want to change for women?

Probably to be free of violence.

What could we all achieve if we supported each other?

Not feeling alone and knowing that it is a shared experience. That it is not an experience that just happens to you because it's your fault - that it is a shared experience of being a woman, and a woman in our society. This can come from talking, from being open and transparent. Our experience is the same. It's worse of course when you suffer from other factors of inequality, but we all have some elements that we share, exposure to violence, and so on. So that sisterhood is really necessary. 

Have you considered securing a job that offers you the opportunity to have a meaningful impact while setting flexible hours? Cyber security is a hugely exciting career that helps connect people through technology while keeping businesses safe.

This highly rewarding and flexible industry is perfect for people of all career backgrounds looking to change careers and make a difference every day. From banking to transport, and energy to the public sector, cyber security professionals help protect information and systems across a variety of industries, against online threats. With technology like the internet and mobile phones a fundamental part of modern life and developing all the time, cyber security is more important than ever before.    

HM Government has partnered with SANS to deliver the Upskill in Cyber programme, which provides participants with the skills to start a career in cyber security. This free initiative is in its second phase, with graduates using their in-demand skill sets to build a well-balanced and flexible career around what matters to them.

Isabel from Broadstairs joined the programme last year. She retrained and started a new career in cyber security at a leading UK university in just three months. Isabel had worked in a managerial role within the hospitality sector but was unemployed when she decided to apply to the programme. She had always had a keen interest in computers and IT but lack of time and finances had prevented her from retraining in the past. The free Upskill in Cyber programme, which provided the opportunity for rapid reskilling, came at an opportune time for Isabel.

“I was having a bit of a career crisis and had been wanting to get into IT for a while, but didn’t know how. The Upskill in Cyber programme came along at the perfect time, opening the door to a career in cyber security. It’s a rapidly growing field and I find my job hugely rewarding because I feel I’m helping make a real difference in people’s lives.” 

Isabel completed the Upskill in Cyber programme, securing two globally recognised certifications while on the scheme and now works as a service desk analyst at a UK university.  

Similarly, Karly-Jade from Swindon was also looking for a career change and wanted to do something that made a difference. Having studied International Development at university, with her dissertation on gender inequality, she wanted to inspire other women to help with the current cyber skills shortage. Karly-Jade also enjoyed the flexibility offered while working in a constantly evolving sector. 

“There’s a huge range of jobs in cyber security with more and more companies needing help to get cyber secure…The training was really interesting, and the variety of study methods available on the SANS platform meant I could study while travelling – I listened to the audio clips in the car and read or watched the content on my laptop or phone on the go.”  

During the programme, Karly-Jade had the opportunity to meet with hiring organisations and receive support to improve her CV and prepare for interviews. “This led to me being successful in a three-stage practical interview process and I received a job offer after only a few weeks of being on the programme…Making the career change to work in cyber security is the best thing I have ever done, and I love my role. I enjoy investigating security alerts and giving our customers advice to prevent and resolve cyber security breaches.”

Minister for Science, Innovation, and Technology, Viscount Camrose, said, “The UK is rapidly establishing itself as a world leader in cyber security, and ensuring people have the skills they need to access jobs in the industry is key to cementing and expanding that reputation.” 

“The Upskill in Cyber programme lets us do exactly that – removing knowledge and skills barriers for aspiring cyber security professionals, and supporting them into the exciting new careers which fuel innovation, drive growth and protect our economy.” 

Building a career in cyber security can be a fulfilling journey, and aspiring professionals do not have to go through it alone. Applications for Upskill in Cyber are open until 26 June 2023. 

If you’re interested in jump-starting your career in cyber security and want to learn more about the Upskill in Cyber programme

Imagine if everyone with brown hair in the UK was worried about buying an electric vehicle because they hadn’t seen any advice articles, didn’t know that after 2030 there are no more new petrol or diesel cars on sale, and were generally lacking in confidence about going electric because they didn’t feel informed enough. Wouldn’t that be mad? 

Yet, the majority of the 19 million female drivers in the UK feel that way about making the switch, because so little information has reached them, according to a new report, “No Driver Left Behind: Women and the Journey to Electric”, launched by Auto Trader with Hive by British Gas, last week.

The report surveyed 4,000 women and focus groups, and the results found that women are more disenfranchised from the car-buying process than at any point in the last 100 years, at just the time when you’d naturally assume the gender gap among consumers was closing. 

Electric cars are a lifestyle choice. Choosing to buy one means choosing to invest in sustainable materials, futuristic technology, cleaner living and lowering your carbon footprint, not to mention deciding that the extra cost is worth it and that you have the sort of lifestyle that will suit it. 

These are all consumer choices where women traditionally take the lead, yet when it comes to cars, that behaviour is reversed, with 62 per cent of women saying they don’t know enough about electric cars to feel confident about buying one, compared with 47 per cent of men. Women are three times more likely than men to say they haven’t heard of the 2030 cut-off date for the sale of cars with an engine. There are far fewer female electric-car drivers than male. Only 28 per cent of women aged 55 or over would think about an electric car for their next purchase, as Marie Claire UK wrote about here.

So, why are women being left out of the car buying process?

None of this makes sense. We know women are pre-disposed towards sustainable products, and we know electric cars are particularly great for older women who are more likely to live in houses with off-street parking for charging, more likely to have the money to spend on one, and less likely to be doing long motorway commutes every day so not so affected by range anxiety. And yet the data shows the reverse of all this is happening. Why? 

Primarily, because car brands don’t employ enough women to understand what female consumers want - from how and where they want to be targeted with ads, to what language they empathise with, to what features in a a car matter to them, to who they want to see representing them in the car-buying journey. 

Only 20 per cent of the automotive workforce is female, a figure that drops to 10 per cent at executive level. Car brands struggle to decide what is patronising and what is practical when it comes to the design and features of a car, and those decisions can only be made by consulting women - all the data in the world won’t give you empathy with your consumers.

Secondly, women are distanced from electric cars because very few women’s magazines (shout out to Marie Claire UK), TV, radio programmes or social media channels think women care about cars or want to read, see or listen to stories about them. This is a stance I would strongly disagree with, seeing as 47 per cent of driving licences and 41 per cent of cars in the UK are owned by women. It’s like saying women aren’t interested in finance content, despite the fact we all have bank accounts and a mixture of savings and debt.

We may not want to read car reviews, watch petrolheads throwing a car around a track on YouTube, or bore ourselves watching three middle-aged men present Top Gear and talk about horsepower, but it doesn’t mean we don’t want to engage with the topic: we just want content that’s relevant to us, created by women.

We want car brands to recognise the fact that the majority of caring in this country, whether it’s for children, partners or relatives, is carried out by women, and therefore we are hugely concerned about charging times, how and where to charge, how far we can travel on one charge and what happens if we run out.

We want car brands to recognise that, according to Cenex, the majority of tenants in social housing are women, and that we are therefore more disadvantaged when it comes to EVs than men, because social housing doesn’t install charging points. How will car brands tackle that? Do they know or care?

The upside in all this, is that the women who have been brave and bought an electric car, love their electric car. An overwhelming 80 per cent of them say they’d choose electric for their next car and even more would recommend going electric to friends and family. I reckon that’s because their fears don’t materialise - very few female EV owners have ever experienced charging issues, battery issues, or have ever run out of charge (the percentages are all under 20 per cent).

There’s a lot of myth-busting to do and consumer confidence to instil, but it starts with empowering women through knowledge. And it starts now.

Will you consider investing in an electric vehicle, or at least reading up on the pros and cons of doing so? Our guides to the best electric cars, best new cars for parents, and the best family SUV's might help. 

From rent and bills to birthdays, brunches, and, of course, weddings, the demands on our wallets—daily, weekly, and monthly—can feel relentless. The rising cost of living means more of us are reassessing how we spend, save, and budget, often under the weight of financial anxiety. But an often overlooked aspect of managing our finances is about understanding our unique relationship with money. It’s time to meet the 7 Money Personality Types.

Whether you’re a meticulous budgeter, a spontaneous spender, a generous gifter, or somewhere in between, your approach to money is often shaped by your personality and deeper psychological patterns. To help you get to the bottom of where you sit, we sat down with financial expert Rebecca Roberton, performance coach Polly Bateman, and psychologist Barbara Santini who are diving into the most common money personalities to help you reflect on your habits and discover practical tools for financial wellbeing.

With recent stats showing that millions across the UK are cutting back on essentials like food and energy—and even baby formula—it’s never been more important to take a mindful look at how we manage our finances. As Roberton explains, “Many are having to make large cutbacks and reduce their outgoings; even paying for essentials can cause anxiety… We’re rethinking what we need to prioritise when it comes to money.”

Understanding your money mindset can lead to better-informed decisions—whether that’s cutting back on impulse buys, building a smarter budget, or simply reducing financial stress. “A person’s money is a direct reflection of how they feel about themselves,” says Bateman. “The good news? Your money mindset can change.”

It’s one thing to examine your financial behaviours, but who among us has ever really took the time to understand the emotions behind them? Perhaps doing so might unlock the answer to taking better control of your financial future with confidence.

Ready to meet your money personality? Scroll on to find out...

7 common money personality types

1. The compulsive moneymaker

Compulsive moneymakers prioritise making money above all else, often to their detriment. While drive and ambition are positive traits, if the work/life balance is off this can lead to personal problems. “Moneymakers will often focus on making money at the expense of everything else - then sadly use it to buy in what they think they want,” Bateman explains. “I have seen many wealthy clients who flash their cash about to make themselves feel better but their homelife and relationships are a mess. 

“They bury their heads in the sand and go out partying hard to impress people with their financial power - like ordering tables in clubs, fancy dinners, cars and clothes. This is exactly the same issue a big spender has - they look externally to validate themselves.”

Be mindful of: The compulsive moneymaker associates money with financial freedom, security and happiness, but this can come at a price when it comes to overall wellbeing. “For a compulsive moneymaker, almost all their effort goes into making money, but they may not realise how dangerous it can be when looking to achieve financial freedom,” psychologist Barbara Santini explains. 

”I always tell my clients to learn that life has more meaningful things than money.” It’s important to find a balance between work and play - consulting our wellness tips or investing in a wellness planner will help you prioritise rest and downtime. 

2. The sensible saver

The sensible saver likes to play it safe. “They tend to save their money in their normal bank accounts very well, but won’t take the next step to invest money, for example in the stock market. They won’t cover commit themselves and want to create security around them. 

“A big saver would tend to hoard money, prefer low risk and will want to take the safest option, always.” These people also tend to be meticulous planners, with very clear boundaries. 

Be mindful of: Someone that’s always saving is unlikely to take many risks, like investing. While saving is undoubtedly a good thing, it’s worth attributing a small amount of those savings to investments that could multiply your money. 

“Always being in the place of 'save, save, save' can sometimes create tax issues - and there’s also the challenge of keeping that money secure. Saving is a great place to be, but have a plan to make the most out of your money,” Roberton advises. 

Santini also argues that saving to the extreme can take the joy out of earning money. “Big savers may keep money, even when there is no goal to it. I usually advise people to spend in moderation because there’s no point in working hard and not finding happiness in your earnings, especially those who skip recreational activities or hobbies in the name of saving.

3. The giver

People pleasers, this one’s for you! A giver is a generous person who is always paying for drinks, picking up the dinner bill and bestowing lavish gifts on friends - but it’s important to be wary of the motivation behind this. 

“Givers are generous at heart, but could be using gift giving to replace genuine affection,” Roberton explains. “This type of money personality is also someone who often puts other people’s needs above their own.”

Be mindful of: While it’s a wonderful thing to spoil the ones you love, ask yourself, ‘am I doing this to make myself feel better? “Financial indulgence cannot replace love and affection, Roberton continues. “You must remember that your financial needs are equally important.”

4. The flashy spender

Another financial type who’s preoccupied with what other people think and feel, the flashy spender wants to appear affluent to others. “A flashy spender tends to like status objects like gadgets, clothes, shoes and fast cars. They will buy everyone a drink because they care what people think of them. But they can get into debt easier due to these traits,” Roberton tells us. 

“Spenders are unlikely to check their bank statements; they buy stuff they don’t really need and obsess about having something they think is cool. This is all a reflection of needed outside validation and a fear of looking too closely at themselves in case they see something they don’t like or can’t change,” explains Bateman.  

Be mindful of: Living beyond your means can quickly escalate into debt. “Remember, no matter how many objects or objects you own it cannot bring you deep happiness. Often the joy of buying is short-lived, but the repercussions of debt will endure. 

“Keep a close eye on your spending habits and think about what else your money could be spent on, or invested in, to achieve a deeper level of happiness or wealth.”

5. The experience seeker

The experience seeker is unlikely to use their money to buy material things, like clothes, gadgets or the latest designer handbag, but instead prioritises experiences like trips, expensive dinners, or perhaps massage treatments and spa days as a way to unwind. The problem is, these things can be costly on a regular basis, and with often sky-high wedding and hen ‘do costs, the bill for experiences can soon add up to a lot. 

“The experience seeker has a bohemian mentality as a  free-spirited individual who will use their money to break free from life and day-to-day constraints,” Roberton explains. “They will not really have a plan or be worried about how they spend their money as long as it gives them a feeling of joy and independence.

Be mindful of: The experience seeker tends to live in the moment, without much plan for the future, but this could mean that their future happiness is compromised. “Life is for living and enjoying as much as you can, but there is a reality that needs to be considered: old age,” Roberton continues. “It’s important to address: what does the future look like and can you have the best of both worlds?”

6. The avoidant

Avoidant personality types can often find themselves in difficult situations with their finances due to not staying on top of admin. This is a person who rarely checks their bank account as they may find it anxiety-inducing, and doesn’t have a clear view on when direct debits are leaving the account, or when money might be coming in. In short, their finances are chaotic. 

This type of person is often disorganised, but it can also stem from general avoidance and anxiety. Getting a handle on finances will actually cause so much less anxiety in the long term, as there won’t be the shock of a large bill coming out without warning or that embarrassing card-decline moment. Budgeting apps like Emma or Money Manager can really help with allocating money to different pots for more effective budgeting. 

7. The financial worrier

The worrier is the opposite of the avoidant; they compulsively check their bank account, agonising over every last detail and like to always feel in control when it comes to their finances. “The worrier is usually overthinking and very aware of what money they have. Stress levels are often high and there will be lots of stories about what could go wrong in their heads,” Bateman explains. 

“Classic overthinking like this only creates tension and stress. It comes down to a lack of self-confidence and trust in themselves and this eats away at the ability to live life.” In short, it’s important to get a handle on money worry before it takes over.

Be mindful of: Becoming obsessed with your finances is a fast track to anxiety and compulsive checking only adds fuel to the fire. Instead, try setting aside a designated weekly time to check through your bank account and handle any admin. 

“Using a money management app is a good way to combat worry. Learning about good money management is good practice and will increase their confidence in themselves. I also always advise that where there is a lack of self-confidence or worth that’s leading to money worries, getting a coach, or joining a club or community will always be an investment in yourself as well that can help overcome this.”

But while money apps can help, be wary of defaulting to your banking app too often. With apps so easily accessible at our fingertips, it can be tempting to be constantly flicking through. But just like scrolling for hours on Instagram, engaging too much can cause our mental health to dip. Be wary of screen time in general, and try and reduce time spent on banking apps. 

5 ways to gain control of your finances

1. Download an app that can help with budgeting: “ Starling Bank is a great app-based bank account which allows you to have ‘spaces’ to save and assist with money management,” Roberton advises.
2. Look at your outgoings: Work out if there’s anywhere you can trim. “Manage the money you have – reduce your outgoing and give every penny a job,” says Roberton.
3. Draw up a money plan: "Without a clear plan, there’s a lot of room for error,” Bateman says.
4. Try investing: “Investing is a great way to multiply what you already have,” Roberton advises. Apps like Plum make investing more accessible if you’re new to it.
5. Talk it through: “Talk to someone if you are worried - don’t feel alone as everyone feels the same on some level,” Bateman suggests.

Emily in Paris season three landed on Netflix earlier this year, with the show's third instalment reinvigorating our love of croissants, berets and all things styled by Patricia Field. 

But while the buzz mainly centres around the fan favourite characters (Lucien Laviscount, we're looking at you), it has also affected the world of work, going on to actually spike a career trend that is still very much a thing today.

Yes, really. It seems viewers were so captivated by Emily's Champagne, macaron and Manolo lifestyle, that searches around her glamorous job in digital marketing have soared.

According to some digging by the Movchan PR team, searches for 'digital marketing for beginners’ have risen by 24,536% in the UK. 

They also found that searches for ‘marketing jobs online’ have risen by 806%, with ‘online marketing courses for beginners’ and ‘marketing for beginners’ up by +1,500% and +369% respectively. 

Quelle surprise! We would retrain in digital marketing too if it meant wearing head to toe Giambattista Valli and Giuseppe Di Morabito.

It has been revealed recently however, by Nadya Movchan, Founder and PR Lead at Movchan PR, that Emily would never have been able to afford her luxury French lifestyle on a mid-level marketing salary.

"Emily would never be able to afford those outfits living solely off of her salary," explains Nadya Movchan. "According to Glassdoor, an average marketer’s pay in London is £44,371/yr, climbing to £65,031/yr for a leadership position. In Paris, the average marketer can expect to make €45,233/yr base pay. Sure, it’s comfortable, but it’s not a salary that would dress you head to toe in Prada."

In fact, research from New Casinos revealed how much Emily's lifestyle would actually cost - she apparently spends a whopping £60,719.07 over her annual income to maintain her lavish lifestyle.

Not magnifique news for those considering an Emily in Paris inspired career change, but still a fantastic job opportunity for those who have other reasons for making the pivot.

Bonne chance!

Our Women Who Win interview series celebrates strong and inspirational female trailblazers, shaping the future for us all, and Catherine Powell is one of them. 

She has often been one of the few women leaders in the room and hasn’t been afraid to take on challenges. President of Disneyland Paris, she is now the Global Head of Hosting at Airbnb, having successfully steered the travel company through one of its most challenging crisis during the pandemic.

Penny Goldstone sat down with Catherine to discuss taking risks, owning your voice and finding the perfect balance while working from home.

How did you get where you are now?

I was raised in the UK and Hong Kong so travel, curiosity and an appreciation for global cultures shaped my path. After working across the Middle East, Europe and the U.K. with BBC Worldwide, I arrived at the Walt Disney Company, where I spent 15 years in a number of roles, most recently leading a 120,000 cast members who created magical memories for park visitors at Disneyland, Disney World and Disneyland Paris. After 15 years at Disney, I was drawn to Airbnb’s mission to create connection and belonging among people all over the world.

I joined Airbnb in January 2020 to run the company’s Experiences business - in- person activities that immerse guests in a host’s unique world, like making pasta with an Italian nonna in her home kitchen. Two months later, the pandemic shut down the world and we suspended those activities. Our Experience Hosts were suddenly without a way to earn income and I wondered if my job would even exist. We decided to hold listening sessions for our Hosts, and they made it clear they wanted to continue to connect with guests virtually. Within 14 working days, we began offering Online Experiences, like meditating with a Buddhist monk, over Zoom.

It was a difficult time for the entire travel industry, and we decided the best way for Airbnb to navigate the future was to go back to the company’s roots and focus on Hosts and great hosting. We created the role of Global Head of Hosting to oversee our entire global Host community, including both Stays and Experiences. I was honoured and excited when Brian asked me to step into the role. In the three years since, I’ve worked consistently on strengthening our relationship with existing Hosts, helping our Hosts adapt to the post-pandemic travel landscape and growing our Host community.

Have you ever faced any challenges being one of the few women bosses in the industry? And do you have any wisdom to impart for women facing similar journeys?

Get comfortable with vulnerability. Every professional move I’ve made has been a leap into something new and challenging.

I went from managing one line of business to managing eight when I became Disney’s Managing Director for Australia and New Zealand and most of my team knew a great deal more about their businesses than I did. When I became President of Disneyland Paris, I had never managed a theme park before. And when I joined Airbnb I had no background in technology.

Each time, I had to be willing to listen, acknowledge when I needed to learn and ask for help. Women, in particular, often feel we need to have an answer for everything to be taken seriously. The opposite is true. Being comfortable with vulnerability is a superpower. It takes courage to admit you need to learn. It takes courage to pursue something risky. I’ve found this courage has given me the confidence to try new things in my career.

I have often been one the few women leaders in the room. I encourage women at every level to recognize themselves as a leader. Own it. Embrace it. You can make important changes happen by voicing your unique, valuable perspective in professional conversations. Remind yourself you’re qualified, and people want your opinion. That is why you are in the room in the first place!

What does a typical day look like for you?

I get up at 7:00 a.m. and push our dog Ozzy, a huge half Pyrenees - half Saint Bernard, off the bed (I know! A terrible habit now unbreakable!). Even though I work from home, I put on professional clothes, which helps me distinguish between the time I’m “at work” and when I’m not.

I start the day with hot water with lemon. At 8:00 a.m. my husband brings me coffee. I am not a breakfast person but my favourite brunch or lunch is avocado toast, which I only really discovered while living in Australia.

I usually work remotely from my home in California or from an Airbnb listing if I am travelling and most of my day is spent in virtual meetings. Depending on the day, I may focus on our business in Europe or Latin America, review product priorities, or meet with the team at Airbnb.org, our independent non-profit. I still hold virtual listening sessions with Hosts every week to gather suggestions and feedback and when I travel, I meet with Hosts for in-person sessions. I try to use my walking treadmill throughout the day to stay active. I was an early adopter of the treadmill desk and now most of my team are on one - we get very competitive on the step count! If possible, I will squeeze in a few breaks to step outside and say hello to Ozzy (and my husband).

After a full day, around 7:00 p.m., I eat dinner with my husband. He learned to cook during the pandemic which is great as I have no time to cook in the week. The only downside is his repertoire is pretty limited - but I’m not allowed to complain! After dinner, I catch up on emails or I may have calls with our team in Asia before signing off from work for the night.

In your tenure you've navigated the pandemic and achieved the highest number of listings Airbnb has ever had. How did you make that happen?

My team and I relentlessly focus on our 4+ million Hosts. We’ve created a number of channels to increase our partnership and communication, including a Host Advisory Board, and supporting local Host clubs on Facebook. We hold Host workshops once or twice a week, listening to their requests, suggestions and concerns. We don’t just listen - we put that feedback into action. It informs our company priorities, product development and policies. Happy Hosts make happy guests. When both groups feel safe, supported and satisfied, the entire Airbnb community benefits.

I recently became a first-time Airbnb Host. We booted out our eldest son and listed our guesthouse on Airbnb. (Not to worry. My son is 27 and already had a place to live.) Becoming a Host immediately deepened my appreciation for the effort our Hosts put in to offer great hospitality and my understanding of Host concerns about managing guest expectations and reviews. For example, I send messages to guests so they understand the drive to our home is a steep, windy road and 20 minutes from the nearest coffee, but the stunning views of the valley in the evening are well worth it!

My husband is my co-host and we’re having fun welcoming guests and introducing them to the Santa Monica mountains. And I’m proud to say we have received incredible reviews!

What are your next goals for Airbnb? Are there any challenges you face (e.g. the cost of living crisis)?

We want hosting on Airbnb to be as popular and easy as staying on Airbnb. We have simplified the process of becoming a Host and added new support. In November, we introduced Airbnb Setup, a simplified sign up process that includes a mentorship program that pairs new Hosts with experienced Superhosts. New Hosts receive free one-to-one guidance during signup all the way through to their first reservation.

In the current cost of living crisis, we also want to raise awareness about hosting as a path to meaningful income. Airbnb’s founding story goes back to the Great Recession in 2008, when our founders rented out three airbeds in their San Francisco apartment to cover their rent. Airbnb is helping Hosts pay their bills, with the typical host in the UK earning over £6,000 last year - approximately two months of pay for the median UK household. Women are a vibrant part of our Host community - nearly two-thirds of our Hosts in the UK are women. I’d love to see more women turn to hosting. It offers flexibility many women seek.

Another way we’re helping our Hosts address rising costs is through our energy- efficiency programs. We launched our first programmes in the UK and France last year and we’re expanding to other countries this year. These programmes help Hosts understand how to make their homes more energy efficient, thus save money on their energy costs and reduce their carbon footprint.

What trends can we look out for in the next couple of years?

The pandemic made all of us realise the importance of connecting with our family and friends. We believe travel on Airbnb is helping people meet that need. Globally, family travel on our platform is up 60 percent in 2022 compared to before the pandemic in 2019 - and in the UK, it’s up over 50 percent.

Guests have become more flexible with when and where they were travelling, in part, thanks to remote work. Since the start of the pandemic, more than 10,000 cities and towns received their first Airbnb booking. To inspire guests and help them to discover new destinations, we introduced Airbnb Categories last year. Rather than look for a specific (often familiar) location and date, you can search based on what inspires you - like homes with amazing pools or near national parks. One Category dear to my heart is Adapted, which features 1,000+ homes adapted for wheelchair access, with verified step-free paths into the home, bedroom and bathroom. I also love our Historic Homes category which features around 45,000 heritage properties like castles and manors throughout Europe.

How do you unwind from work? Is it tricky to get that work/life balance right?

There are seasons in life where a true work-life balance is difficult to achieve. We make choices to suit specific times in our lives and it can feel like you’re sacrificing your career or your personal life. When my children were young, I chose to work part-time. I did worry about missing out at work but felt it was important to be with my kids at that age. Whatever you decide - try not to second-guess yourself. Be confident in your choices and make the most of them.

In this chapter of my life, I love living on the top of a mountain, relaxing with incredible sunsets in the evening and enjoying the flexibility of remote work. Airbnb has a flexible work policy, allowing me to work remotely and visit my parents in the U.K. or my son at college without having to take “time off” to do so.

To unwind, I take very hot yoga or barre classes, hike in California’s Santa Monica mountains with my husband and dog and watch a good television program. (I spent much of my early career persuading other people to buy television shows.) One of my favourite recent shows was Slow Horses.

Career, family, friendships… the pressure to make every aspect of our lives appear flawless has never been greater. But when recovering perfectionist Charlotte Philby decided to fold her successful start-up and walk away from "having it all", she realised that quitting is a game-changer

Two days before I folded the digital business I’d spent two years slogging my guts out to build, I hosted an event on women and work. A sparkling panel of guests spoke passionately about jobs, start-ups, and the highs and lows of growing a meaningful career at a time when security is a thing of the past and salaries are at a standstill. The event was part of a series we’d announced in the national press, and we had big brands clamouring to be part of it. With offers flooding in for collaborations and sponsorships, you could say business was booming. So when I announced the closure of my online magazine, Motherland, via social media on the Monday, the response was one of horrified bemusement. Was this a joke? Was I OK? Was I really quitting? What in God’s name had gone wrong? But the truth was, I had never felt so relieved. Quitting felt good.

As with all stories, there are two versions: one long, one short. The short version of mine is that after a near miss with a potential investor who tried to drastically change the terms of our partnership at the eleventh hour, I was forced, without warning, to let go of the staff I’d recently appointed on the basis of the investment. Even now, this still makes me feel physically sick. But on reflection, it also feels like a narrow escape. Because while there is sadness and a stinging loss of face in admitting defeat, the truth is my life just wasn’t sustainable. In a bid to forge a career while earning enough to keep a roof over my family’s head, I – like so many of us – had found myself on a treadmill of long days and sleepless nights. Quitting wasn't an option, and it was making me miserable. Two years after I had left my full-time job in a corporate environment to set up on my own (in the belief that I was taking more control of my life), I had to walk away. After all, 90 per cent of start-ups "fail", according to Forbes magazine. The reality of running a business was a real shocker.

So there I was, one concerned husband, three kids under five, no proper childcare and utterly burned out. Often, I was so tired and anxious that I wept at regular intervals, snapped at the sound of my kids’ voices and dreaded texts from friends. On a base level, I knew something had to give. Yet every time I heard my doubts, they were swiftly drowned out – in part by my own fear that if I ever said no, all further opportunities would vanish, or I was giving in. I have to admit I was also motivated by the cries of ‘superwoman!’ from the sidelines, as well-meaning friends and clients saw me juggling wildly (with apparent success) and asked, "How do you do it?" The real question, I think, should have been "Why?"

Yes, there was a sense of panic about our financial future, which remains today. But the liberation I felt when I finally had the courage to ask myself what I really wanted from life (answer: to work, spend time with my friends and husband and enjoy my kids, and be able to pay bills without crying all the time) was transformative. It’s a question that’s increasingly on the lips of a generation of over-stressed millennial women, in response to the pressure to be constantly ‘digitally on’ while the gender pay-gap refuses to shrink, expectations from employers and clients rise, and rents soar. "Working hard used to be the norm – boastable, even," says chartered clinical psychologist Dr Jessamy Hibberd. "But I’ve noticed a shift. Women are starting to recognise that killing yourself for the sake of it simply isn’t a good enough reason." In her book Drop The Ball: Achieving More By Doing Less, Tiffany Dufu makes the case for quitting – not as a sign of defeat, but as a step towards greater fulfilment in every aspect of your life. Once a poster child for the do-it-all generation, Dufu is a launch team member of Lean In and chief leadership officer at Levo, the fastest-growing millennial professional network. After realising she could no longer do everything she needed to do, she says she’s learned to embrace imperfection, re-evaluate her expectations of herself and shrink her to-do list to achieve a rich, rewarding life.

Similarly, Aliya Young, now 40, walked away from a lucrative role as head of business affairs for a company that finances films and TV shows five years ago. After training as a lawyer, it was a job she had strived for. "But in reality, it was too many hours, too much stress and constant pressure," she says. "I couldn’t switch off and didn’t have enough time for myself and those I was close to. I became more interested in the idea of working for myself. I wanted to change how I lived before I had children and became dependent on a high salary." Now working as a freelance consultant, Young says she doesn’t have the same financial security, but has much less stress and works far fewer hours, and feels more fulfilled as a result.

Quitting or "letting go doesn’t mean giving up completely," explains Phanella Mayall Fine, an executive coach, development consultant, and co-founder of the Step Up Club, which helps women move ahead in their careers. Rather, it’s about redefining our approach. "We know women have more complex career trajectories and a broader, more nuanced definition of success than most men," she explains. "We place value on achievement, pursuing a passion, receiving respect and making a difference. Burnout, anxiety and lack of a personal life used to be accepted by-products of a successful career, but that’s changing. We’re under more pressure than ever, and lots of us are saying, 'I can’t do this any more'."

And burnout isn’t reserved for those at the top of their game. When this feature was originally written in 2017, Lara Denton had moved from Doncaster to London two years before to build a career in marketing. At 27, she found herself stuck in a rut, working as a nanny by day and in a bar at night to cover the rent. She never had enough time, or energy, to forge a path to where she wanted to be. "I don’t want to admit defeat and move back home, where there isn’t much work anyway," she said. "But I’m in a catch-22 situation. Some days I want to cry. I don’t know how to get out of the cycle."

While holistic self-appraisals might seem indulgent when you’re struggling to pay bills, Dr Hibberd says you can’t afford not to prioritise a balanced life. "Working in the wrong way can cause chronic stress," she explains. "This can lead to anxiety and depression, and chip away at self-esteem." Signs something needs to give include dreading work, increased sensitivity, feeling on high alert, irritability, low mood, or feeling unable to cope. Having less energy and motivation, and not feeling able to engage in the other parts of your life (such as seeing friends), are also warning signs.

To move forward, Dr Hibberd advises: "Take a step back to gain perspective. Perhaps you just need to have a day off and give yourself time to think. Talk things through with someone you trust. Look at all the demands on your life, both external and internal, and ask 'Can any of these change?' Often, it’s the pressure we put on ourselves that creates the stress." Work out what’s important to you – do your values match up with how you’re living your life? Finally, give yourself a time limit: if things haven’t changed by X, you will do Y.

For me, the moment came when I decided not to look for a new investor. I wasn’t in a position to continue the magazine as a passion project. Yet in order for it to be financially viable at the scale it had grown to, I would have had to make it so PR-driven that it would have been unrecognisable from the free-thinking, smartly designed, honest platform I’d set out to create. I drew up a simple list of pros and cons – just like I had when I decided to quit my "dream career" on a national newspaper to launch Motherland in the first place.

In the end, it wasn’t the fact that making money from a new venture is tough that made quitting OK. When I compared my reasons for starting my own company (a more flexible working schedule, better work-life balance, job satisfaction, the potential to make a lot of money) with the reality (an endless workload, no divide between work and family life, building something that wasn’t fulfilling me professionally when I could be making a good living doing something else), it was a no-brainer. But I’d been so caught up in the "quitting is bad" narrative that I couldn’t let go.

Six months down the line, I can confirm that this wasn’t about achieving the perfect work-life balance. Juggling the daily realities of existence with a new writing job is still a constant challenge, but it’s one I relish, because I love it. Quitting isn’t about giving up, and it isn’t weak. It’s about being brave enough to accept that something in your life isn’t working, and saying, "OK, let’s try something else."

Quitting: is it time to let go?

Executive coach and co-founder of Step Up Club Phanella Mayall Fine reveals how to tell if you should drop the ball – and how to go about quitting

1. You feel disengaged from work, lacking the motivation you once had and performing your job less well. 
2. A general feeling of exhaustion – either physical or mental – on most days. 
3. Difficulty concentrating or trouble recalling things you’d normally remember. 
4. More arguments or less communication, both with your partner and in other relationships at home and work.
5. Trouble falling asleep, or waking up at night and feeling unable to switch off. 
6. Turning to unhealthy coping strategies, such as alcohol, on a daily basis. 

The action plan

1. Take control of your work-life balance. 
2. Where possible, leave the office on time and aim to switch off most evenings. If you’re finding it difficult to get away from your desk, try scheduling a "meeting" in your calendar for 6pm to prompt you to head home for some much-needed rest. 
3. Make time for exercise. Leaving your desk and getting out in the fresh air at lunchtime or mid-afternoon has been shown to reduce stress. Be strict about going to buy lunch or stretch your legs – just 20 minutes will make a big difference. Find a nearby park or open space and notice the trees and greenery, or go with a friend and talk about anything except work. 
4. Find a non-work focus. It might sound counter-intuitive when you’re exhausted and pressed for time, but taking up a hobby can be a huge stress-reliever. You’ll gain perspective on your career, your mind will get a break from job worries and you’ll be forced to leave the office on time or skip weekend calls. Meeting others outside your industry is an added bonus. 
5. See your doctor. Left unchecked, burnout can be serious and lead to a host of other physical and mental problems. If you’re struggling to shake symptoms, see a professional. 
6. Speak to your manager. We know communication with the boss is one of the biggest influences on happiness at work. Try talking about how you feel. Your boss might be under pressure too and unaware of how bad things are for you. Re-jigging the allocation of tasks, or the way your team interacts, might be all that’s needed. 
7. If you have an unsympathetic boss, talk to HR.

Financial confidence may not be a term you use regularly, or have even heard before, but that needs to change.

Simply put, it means being in control of your finances - having the confidence to make decisions about your money, invest sensibly and most crucially, being comfortable talking about it.

Not there yet? You're not alone, with experts reporting a lack of financial confidence amongst women amid the current cost of living crisis. 

But despite the clear financial confidence gap, statistics show that women are more engaged with their money than ever. MoneyMarketing reports that 51% of women have taken more of an interest in their finances since the pandemic. 

Women investors are up 50%, female-funded projects are on the rise and the internet has seen a surge of female financial role models. So if there's a time to bolster financial confidence amongst women, it's now. 

"Financial confidence isn’t taught in school so it is a challenge for everyone," says financial advisor Rebecca Robertson. "However women weren’t allowed to consider their own financial position prior to 1975, when they could open their own bank account without their husband's permission. Added now with female empowerment, women want to not just hold the purse strings but be strong and confident with their money. A right we haven’t always had."

This week, as we launch our Confidence Issue fronted by the iconic Salma Hayek, we will be encouraging confidence in all forms, and where better to start than with our finances.

We sat down with Vivi Friedgut, founder of fintech for education, Blackbullion, for her insights and top tips for boosting your financial confidence.

Financial confidence: your step-by-step guide

What is financial confidence, in its most basic form?

According to Friedgut, financial confidence - a bit like financial wellness - is about taking control of your own financial situation and knowing you have the ability to fulfil the goals that matter to you.

"In its crudest form, it’s knowing that you can pay for anything you have to pay for," she explains.

For women, it can be the ultimate empowerment, too, she adds. "There’s so much guilt and anxiety attached to money and how we spend it. Financial confidence is knowing you have control over your money, rather than your money controlling you."

Why do women suffer from a lack of financial confidence more than men?

Financial wellbeing isn’t a women’s issue, but the data points to real implications on issues like gender equality, "especially if we think about longer-term financial decisions like investment, pension plans and savings," says Friedgut.

This too has been exacerbated by the cost of living crisis and its disproportionate impact on women, leading to spiralling living costs and insecure work - in the UK women are almost twice as likely to be in insecure work than men, according to recent research by the Work Foundation at Lancaster University.

Not to mention lower income, with women in the UK taking home on average £575 less per month than men in 2022.

"Women also make a disproportionate number of decisions in families," Friedgut explains. "Poor financial wellbeing gets you trapped in a cycle of low levels of confidence which affects women’s life chances, opportunities and standards of living, especially given our longer life expectancies."

"We see so many toxic behaviours like debt-shaming and judgement, which in themselves prevent women from seeking support and financial education," she shares.

De-stigmatising money issues is like breaking the last taboo. "If we can shake off that shame and confusion, we give each other permission to open up the conversation too, which removes that sense of isolation. Imagine how freeing it would be to decline an expensive hen weekend invitation because you want to put the money towards paying off your credit card debt?"

Think what Sex and the City did for sex, but for money - making it a brunch conversation and putting the choice back in your hands.

What changes could be made to boost financial confidence amongst women?

In short, a huge levelling up that needs to happen. "Issues like equal pay, completely reimagining childcare and revising pension ages have had a major setback in the last couple of years so they need to be brought back to the top of the agenda, given the economic fall-out for women," she stresses.

There’s lots the industry can do, too. So much financial advertising is skewed between the genders and there’s a thread that runs through financial marketing that women can’t make brave choices with their money. "At the same time, there’s a wider need for more clarity and transparency around finance product messaging, to make them inclusive and easily understood by everyone," she goes on.

Finally, prioritising financial education is also key. "Not as a PSHE add-on in year ten, but starting as young as possible and doing it consistently," she adds. "We’d argue it should be built into the curriculum in a meaningful way. It starts here – money skills can be, and should be, available to everyone."

5 tips for boosting your financial confidence as a woman

Achieving financial confidence is a process and it won't happen overnight - the most important thing is getting started. There are a number of simple but powerful steps to take to grow your financial confidence. Here, Vivi Friedgut shares her top five:

1. Build your money skills

Connect with the many trusted resources out there, she recommends.

"From My Frugal Year, to Vestpod, to Rainchq, to Go Fund Yourself – there are incredible free tips and tools out there helping you build your financial confidence." 

Top tip: Many high street banks offer money mentors, too, to help you build a roadmap for your financial future, so be sure to take advantage of them.

2. Reclaim your financial identity

Aka, start distancing yourself from the "I’m rubbish with money" persona - it is not serving you.

"By taking small steps to owning your financial life, you can take control of the stories you’ve been telling yourself," she explains.

Top tip: A simple budgeting chart – balancing income and outgoings each month - is a great place to start.

3. Set a financial goal

Whether it’s reducing your credit card bill or starting an emergency fund, even saving £10 pounds a month helps.

"Seeing your money skills and financial position grow will be a huge confidence boost," Friedgut shares.

Top tip: Start small and build up gradually - you're not going to raise your financial confidence by setting unattainable goals on day one.

4. Know the value of your money

Think about the purpose of what you’re spending money on. Does it get you closer to where you want to be?

"A monthly brunch out with a friend that inspires you, brings you connection and joy, could be a great way to spend £15, for example," Friedgut explains. The bored Sunday night Deliveroo or the casual Wednesday night impulse-buy, not so much.

Top tip: Make a list of your worthwhile expenses and use the Marie Kondo approach to determine what makes the cut - only the things that truly serve you.

5. Take good care of your money

Finally, financial admin is something we all tend to avoid. Our advice - don't.

"As an unknown, it becomes unnecessarily harder than it is," she explains. "Some basic steps are checking you’re using your full ISA allowance and making sure you have adequate protection on insurance. Even taking fifteen minutes to move your credit card to a 0% provider can save the average consumer over £600 a year in interest."

Top tip: Carve out some time each week or month for your financial admin - it is much less intimidating in bite-sized chunks. 

Marie Claire UK is proud to be supporting WeAreTheCity's Rising Star Awards for a second year. The ninth iteration of the awards, their aim is simple: to champion up-and-coming female talent in the UK.

The Rising Star Awards recognises 100 women who they think are the leaders and role models of tomorrow, while also encouraging organisations to recognise the power of female talent in the workplace in over 20 different industries. At Marie Claire UK, we've long been proactive in empowering women in all areas of life, whether that's via their career trajectory, wellness, or daily habits.

More on the awards. WeAreTheCity concentrates on female talent below director level, and last year's award winners were seriously notable. 

So, you've got a hard-working role model that's already sprung to mind? Nominations for this year's WeAreTheCity awards are officially open so now is your chance to nominate the exceptional women in your life.  

"Empowering women, championing female talent, and spotlighting pioneers paving the way for others is what we’ve always stood for at Marie Claire UK. I’m looking forward to showcasing their inspiring stories," she continues. 

Employers can nominate their star employees and enter themselves for an award too, acknowledging their own work in furthering the careers of women.

There are over 20 categories and a diverse group of industries and professions, with a focus on industries that have traditionally been predominantly male-focused. Categories include everything from banking, to the energy sector, and more.

Ten women from each industry category will be shortlisted by an expert panel of judges. Once published in April, a public vote will take place, followed by an awards celebration in July.

“Rising Stars looks to celebrate incredible women whose talents and work go from the front to the back of our society,” says Vanessa Vallely OBE, founder of WeAreTheCity. “We don’t just shine a light on their success so far: we also champion their progress going forwards through business training, networking and mentoring. In this way, we help women rise higher and achieve their full potential. Years later we see many of our Rising Stars winners in the public eye encouraging the next generation to follow their example.” 

Nominations for the Rising Star Awards are open now: WeAreTheCity. 

Best of luck!

The cost of living is difficult to keep track of - taxes are inflating, everyday food item prices are soaring and house prices are in flux.

While this may be true of all cities across the United Kingdom, some are definitely better to live in on the basis of cost of living than others.

Budget Direct launched an extensive survey in 2022 to identify which cities were best to live in based on the average cost of living across different cities in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The study looked at basic costs, including transport, utilities and rent, and measured them against the average salaries in the areas to determine an average cost of living.

Oxford was identified as the best major city to live in the United Kingdom, closely followed by Glasgow and Reading. This was reportedly due to a combination of good salary prospects and low living costs.

Also featured in the top 10 were Bristol, Derby, Coventry, Southampton, Birmingham, Edinburgh and Manchester.

Best UK cities for cost of living

1. Oxford England

Average salary monthly (after tax): 3,566.67 Rent (1 bed inner-city): £1,300.00 Utilities (electric, heat, water for 85m2 apartment): £143.51 Monthly pass transport: £60.00 Cost of living (basic costs added): £1,503.51 Cost of living (-) salary: £2,063.16

2. Glasgow, Scotland

Average salary monthly (after tax): £2,805.67 Rent (1 bed inner-city): £776.92 Utilities (electric, heat, water for 85m2 apartment): £141.90 Monthly pass transport: £65.00 Cost of living (basic costs added): £983.82 Cost of living (-) salary: £1,821.85

3. Reading, England

Average salary monthly (after tax): £3,010.76 Rent (1 bed inner-city): £996.51 Utilities (electric, heat, water for 85m2 apartment): £172.72 Monthly pass transport: £60.00 Cost of living (basic costs added): £1,229.23 Cost of living (-) salary: £1,781.53

4. Bristol, England

Average salary monthly (after tax): £2,874.21 Rent (1 bed inner-city): £998.33 Utilities (electric, heat, water for 85m2 apartment): £174.53 Monthly pass transport: £73.91 Cost of living (basic costs added): £1,246.77 Cost of living (-) salary: £1,627.44

5. Coventry, England

Average salary monthly (after tax): £2,250.00 Rent (1 bed inner-city): £550.00 Utilities (electric, heat, water for 85m2 apartment): £180.04 Monthly pass transport: £50.90 Cost of living (basic costs added): £780.94 Cost of living (-) salary: £1,469.06

6. Derby, England

Average salary monthly (after tax): £2,225.00 Rent (1 bed inner-city): £500.00 Utilities (electric, heat, water for 85m2 apartment): £209.95 Monthly pass transport: £56.00 Cost of living (basic costs added): £765.95 Cost of living (-) salary: £1,459.05

7. Southampton, England

Average salary monthly (after tax): £2,350.00 Rent (1 bed inner-city): £729.00 Utilities (electric, heat, water for 85m2 apartment): £137.16 Monthly pass transport: £55.00 Cost of living (basic costs added): £921.16 Cost of living (-) salary: £1,428.84

8. Birmingham, England

Average salary monthly (after tax): £2,285.83 Rent (1 bed inner-city): £709.46 Utilities (electric, heat, water for 85m2 apartment): £159.41 Monthly pass transport: £65.00 Cost of living (basic costs added): £933.87 Cost of living (-) salary: £1,351.96

9. Edinburgh, Scotland

Average salary monthly (after tax): £2,312.50 Rent (1 bed inner-city): £869.58 Utilities (electric, heat, water for 85m2 apartment): £146.84 Monthly pass transport: £60.00 Cost of living (basic costs added): £1,076.42 Cost of Living (-) salary: £1,236.08

10. Manchester, England

Average salary monthly (after tax): £2,324.11 Rent (1 bed inner-city): £916.36 Utilities (electric, heat, water for 85m2 apartment):£162.30 Monthly pass transport: £71.74 Cost of living (basic costs added): £1,150.40 Cost of Living (-) salary: £1,173.71

Anyone else considering a relocation?

Visit Budget Direct for more information on the cost of living survey. 

You may be ready to resign, but have you ‘money-mapped’ your next move? 

A New Year means a fresh start and a time for change - especially when it comes to your career.

2023 has just started and already people are searching resignation letters, career changes and hatching plans to start new businesses. But financial consultant and Young Money Blog founder Iona Bain asks, are you economically ready for change?

Change can be rocky and will undoubtedly have an effect on your finances, so before you take the leap you need to future-proof yourself and your money.

Here, Iona Bain shares her key tips for how we can all financially prepare for change.

1. Pay off existing debt

"In the months leading up to your move, pay off existing, non-essential debt. Start with credit cards, store cards or payday loans. Then move your credit-card debts on to a 0 per cent balance transfer card with a long interest-free period."

2. Do a financial deep dive

"Sit down with your most recent bank statement and list all your outgoings last month. Now divide them into essential and non-essential categories with different coloured markers. Compare these with your new projected monthly income – whether it’s taking that lower-paid job, going freelance or setting up your new business. Do you have enough savings or a loan in place to cover these expenses while you set yourself up? This exercise should show you exactly what needs to be cut, and forces you to ask yourself if you’re really ready to make this sacrifice."

3. Let HMRC know

"Going self-employed? Let HMRC know. You must also register to pay Class 2 National Insurance Contributions. Keep all receipts for business expenses, as they are tax deductible, and remember that your self-assessment form is due yearly."

4. Save three months wages

"Hold off quitting if you can until you have saved at least three months wages. Put this into an easy access ISA and you’ll also benefit from tax-free interest."

5. Look into mortgages

"Shop around for a low-interest, fixed-rate, five-year mortgage. This will keep your payments steady while you get your new career set up."

6. Wait to secure your mortgage

If you want to buy a house, don’t give in your notice until you’ve secured your first mortgage. If you do, getting approval in future may be hard. Save as much as possible for the deposit and work out if you can afford the payments once you make the leap.

Iona Bain is the author of Spare Change, A Beautiful Guide to Bossing Your Finances.

Updated since its original publication.

A third of employers reject candidates because of their social media profile, says Rubbi Bhogal-Wood. Which is why she's sharing her fast-working expert tips on cleaning up your digital act

Updated since its 2020 publication.

Social media when used smartly can help you land your next job, pivot into a new industry, or spread your wings in starting your own business. As a social media specialist and founder of Wild & Form Digital, I've empowered people to feel confident and knowledgeable about doing this vital work.

Most recruiters and employers (almost 94%) use social media to search for talent. Fair enough you may think, but the scary part is that a third of employers reject candidates based on something they’ve seen in their social media profiles. Lesson 1 in my 'Is your social media sabotaging your career' masterclass - don’t think just because you haven't listed your handles on your CV that they won’t check them out anyway. The photos you post, the captions you create, even the grammar you use, will be all considered. 

It's time to get ahead and stand out for all the right reasons. 

How to take control and give yourself a social media promotion

1. Check yourself out

Get ahead of any disasters and Google yourself to see what comes up. Clear your browser history before you do this as results are sometimes influenced by what you’ve already searched for. Put your name, education, and current employer into the search bar and see what the results show. 

Chances are even if you’ve been mindful of what you have been posting on social, there’s probably some editing you can do to make a better impression and it is also worth checking, or tweaking, some of your privacy settings too. 

2. Avoid losing touch

Keeping in touch with the latest developments, opinions, and trends is vital especially if you’re currently out of work. You don’t want to come across as being ‘out of touch’ in an interview, nor do you want to start questioning your skillset and knowledge while waiting for that next opportunity to appear. 

Look out for discussions that you can add value and insight to. Three ways to find opportunities to do this are through LinkedIn groups, Twitter chats, and searching for key industry terms as hashtags on LinkedIn (yes, they are now a thing over there too). 

3. Don’t shrink yourself

Once you’ve found a social media channel that best showcases you and your career, embrace it! Why not write or film an opinion piece of your own? You’ll be surprised at the impact a short, informative, piece on social media can have on your visibility. There’s plenty of creative scope to demonstrate your knowledge - perhaps a mini IGTV series, weekly LinkedIn knowledge videos, daily Facebook group tips, or behind-the-scenes footage in Stories. 

4. Don’t isolate yourself

Community spirit has never been more vibrant and supportive than is it now on social media. Regardless of whether you’re looking for a new job, thinking about pivoting into a new industry, or not knowing what your next career step is going to be, there’s a wonderful group of people out there waiting to help you. Instagram is brimming with accounts that are ready to serve you up daily support, share free and super-helpful knowledge, and connect with people who can help get you that bit closer to a stable income. The social media search bar will be your best friend if you’re willing to step out of your bubble. 

5. Brand You

Creating a brand for yourself might sound icky to some, but the job market isn’t going to get less busy over the next few months. Take the time to think about how you can curate all the best bits of your professional self in a relatable way that you can share on social so that a future employer or collaborator would be curious to know more about you. A great, free and slick tool to help you create brand templates is Canva. And don’t shy away from sharing a few details about you as a person either - employers are looking to hire not just for skill but also for someone with a personality that will best fit with their current team structure.  

* Rubbi Bhogal-Wood is a social media educator and founder of Wild & Form Digital.

It's impossible to get through the Christmas period without talking money, but that doesn't have to be a bad or stressful thing. Alice Tapper, Go Fund Yourself founder and author, is here to tell you that financial heart to hearts are as essential to any long-lasting relationship as a box-set binge...

So you’re compatible, but are you financially compatible? It doesn’t matter what stage you are in your relationship, it’s never too late to do the money chat because more often than not when we’re thinking of potentially spending our lives with one person, too many of us ignore the cash factor. Do you want to buy a house, have kids, retire early? These take a huge amount of planning, and if you’re not on the same page or don’t share the same financial values, it’s no surprise money is one of the main causes of relationship breakdown. So it’s time to future-proof your relationship by having these seven conversations....

Chat 1. Let’s get financially naked

This is not about disclosing what you have early on in a relationship, this is about understanding your partner’s financial psychology. It’s vital you both get to know each other’s money baggage with questions such as: are you a spender, a saver, what are your financial weaknesses or vices. Interestingly, how a person grew up around money and what their parents were like about money has a big impact. So often we inherit beliefs and management skills about money from our parents. It’s getting to understand where your partner is coming from, so you have more empathy.

Chat 2. How will we manage our money?

According to research from Netwealth, women are increasingly choosing not to share their money with their partner. But that’s not right for everyone so I think it’s good to lay out the options:

• Separate accounts and splitting all bills straight down the middle.
• A joint account- where you both pile in everything and share all the expenditure
• The hybrid option - having a joint account for certain expenditure and within that account split responsibilities 50-50 or according to proportion of earnings.
• An allowance model- this may sound old-fashioned but it can be a good way of managing your money in certain circumstances such as, one of you is not working (on mat leave or raising kids full-time or returning to education).

To be clear, there’s no right answer to this conversation and it may depend on who earns what, what feels fair and doesn’t create an unhealthy power imbalance. Remember you can switch up any time between these options.

Chat 3. What happens if we split up?

No one wants to think about this one but as your relationship grows and you have with shared responsibilities, such as kids, a house, the cost of separation only increases.

Consider a pre-nup: Marriages are on the decrease, so think about protecting yourself and your partner. A pre-nuptial agreement sounds pretty terrifying and they aren’t for everyone but they are flexible and can be set up to suit your relationship, such as only protecting the assets you had before marriage. Entering into a pre-nup can be a hard thing to do but could be worth it if you have significant assets.

Unmarried couples beware: the law doesn’t protect cohabiting couples in the same way it does married couples and it’s often women who feel this most following a relationship breakdown. You can look at a cohabitation agreement and declaration of trust (used for property) to set out who owns what and in what proportion as well as laying out how you’ll split shared assets if the relationship were to breakdown.

If you’re considering a pre-nup, cohabitation agreement or declaration of trust, your first stepis to take advice from a family law solicitor. To maximise your chances of it being upheld in a court of law, both of you should seek independent legal advice. You can contact your nearest Citizens Advicefor help to find a solicitor.

Chat 4. OK, we need to talk about debt

This is a difficult and emotional topic, as so much shame surrounds it but it’s a hugely important one. It massively impacts any shared life decisions you make for the future and any shared money goals. Once you’re financially linked to somebody whether it’s a joint bank account with an overdraft facility, a mortgage, a credit card, their credit rating will affect yours. This means any debt accrued by one can seriously affect the other person’s credit score. You can look at who you are financially linked to by looking at your credit report which is free to access.There are three main credit reference agencies: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.

Chat 5. How we’ll spend it - or not

Even if you don’t have a joint account it’s still essential to agree on budgeting, working out how much you want to spend on shared experiences and how much is too much for you. Plus what are your financial priorities? What do you want to spend on a date night, for birthdays and so on. Have a budget and stick to that agreement. This is all about compromise, trust and what you’re happy spending money on together.

6. Who’s doing the boring bill stuff?

This is financial admin andwho is responsible for paying the utility bills. There are apps, such as Splitwise which let you record and split joint expenditure. Plug in the details and let it do the maths for you. Or you may decide to have a joint account strictly for bills only. Standing orders are great for this, and for reimbursing on time. Inevitably there is always someone in the relationship who ends up taking care of more of this stuff, which is why it is vitally important and it’s usually a gender issue, do not be left ignorant to all your joint financial details.

Have a financial check-in on a monthly basis: It’s empowering and also really important that the other person knows what the passwords are and where all the financial assets are. Be responsible and keep on top on things.

7. What does our financial future look like?

What is it that you really want from your life? A great way of doing this is to break down your financial goals into: short-term (0-2 years), medium (2-5 years) and long-term is 5 years plus. These goals will include, do you want to buy a house, is saving for a deposit your big priority or do you want to spend years travelling the world? It’s all about asking each other should we be saving together for long, medium or short-term goals and how are we going to do that.

So, what about mortgages: are you saving together, looking at shared ownership schemes, or save to buy schemes? There are ways you can both benefit if you’re saving for a deposit. If you were to both open a Lifetime ISA , you could each benefit from a 25% government bonus each year. You can each put in up to£4,000 a year meaning you’d both receive a 1k bonus from the government. You can then use this towards your first home (so long as it’s £450,000 or less). Even if your partner isn’t a first-time buyer but you are, you can still open one and use your savings & bonus towards your new home.

And finally, pensions: are you both saving enough for your old age? Are you making the most of your employer’s contributions? Everyone has a pension unless you opt out of it or you are self-employed. If you are self-employed make sure you have one! It’s about contributing what you can. But the stark fact is no one is saving enough.

* For more financial inspiration you can find Alice on Instagram @go_fund_yourself_, www.gofundyourself.com and read her book Go Fund Yourself, £10.49, available on Amazon

Micromanagement is nothing new, but the rise of remote working has led to an unfortunate new workplace buzzword - helicopter bosses. 

Hybrid working has many plusses - less time wasted commuting, more time to spend with family and pets, and lower travel costs (all the more important with the continuing cost-of-living crisis) - but there are some drawbacks, such as the rise of helicopter bosses trying to exert more control over their employees. With constant Zoom meetings and a lack of trust due to employees being out of sight, the amount of surveillance can feel overwhelming.   

A 2020 study from the Harvard Review found that a fifth of remote workers felt their supervisor was constantly evaluating their work, while one-third agreed that their managers, “expressed a lack of confidence in their work skills". 

Helicopter bosses can heighten workplace anxiety and make it harder to reach your full potential. We delve into how to spot the signs and what to do if your boss is micromanaging you, with the help of a psychotherapist turned workplace coach. 

What is a helicopter boss?

The term 'helicopter boss' derives from 'helicopter parenting,' where parents effectively hover over their children constantly, not giving them any space to make their own decisions.

"The term 'helicopter boss' is used to describe a type of manager who is overly involved in the work of their subordinates," explains psychotherapist-turned-executive-coach Desirée Silverstone, director of Head Honchos. "They are often referred to as micromanagers, as they pay close attention to every detail and take a hands-on approach to overseeing their employees' workloads. Helicopter bosses will typically make all the decisions for their employees.

"Helicopter bosses' relates to the concept of helicopter parenting, which refers to the practice of parents being overly involved in every aspect of their child's life. This involves controlling and managing every detail and decision that affects the child, from their academic and social lives to extracurricular activities.

"When children are parented in this way, they often develop what is known as 'learned helplessness,' in which they submit to the parental will to feel loved and safe. This is a form of survival because the alternative would mean abandonment on an unconscious level. These children often have poor self-regulation and tend to suffer more from anxiety and depression."

Why can micromanaging be harmful in the workplace?

The problem with micromanaging is that it takes away the employee's ability to learn through learning from their mistakes and decisions. "Micromanaging does not fulfil the role of a good leader because a good leader encourages their team to take initiative and grow in their roles," Silverstone explains. "A good leader is a mentor and coach, someone who offers guidance and support while also allowing their team to flourish through self-motivation and exploration."

So what's the root of a controlling management style? According to Silverstone, perfectionism is often at the root of their behaviour. "Managers might also have difficulty delegating tasks due to their own sense of perfectionism," she explains. "They may feel that if they don't take complete control over projects, then the outcome will not be up to their standards and quality. Additionally, they may be unwilling to relinquish control due to a fear that mistakes will be made by others and reflect badly on them.

"Another possible reason why managers micromanage could be an inherent lack of trust in the team members assigned to a task. The manager may view their subordinates as unable or inexperienced and therefore feel that they need more direction than usual. This lack of confidence in their team's capabilities could lead the manager to become overly involved in order to ensure that tasks are completed satisfactorily and efficiently."

How to deal with a helicopter boss

While it may be difficult to deal with micromanaging in the workplace, but there are a few pointers that can help ease the pressure. Silverstone suggests:

• Set boundaries: "The best way to deal with a helicopter boss is to set clear boundaries so that the expectations and roles are well-defined." 
• Strive for an open dialogue: "It's also important to ensure there is an open dialogue which helps foster trust and understanding."
• Ask your boss to focus on collaboration: "Communication should focus on collaboration rather than control, which will allow for better problem-solving capabilities among team members."
• Ask for independent work to be a priority: "It's essential for employees to have time and space for independent work in order to feel like their contributions are valued."

2022 has been a year of great challenge, but it has also been one of incredible action, innovation and positive change. And across the world, it is women who have been at the forefront. 

From the Ukrainian women retraining as soldiers and taking to the frontline to defend their country, to those in Iran bravely removing their hijabs in defiance of the regime that killed Mahsa Amini. From England’s Lionesses bringing football home in a landmark victory at the Euros this summer - changing the women’s game forever, to those testifying right now in Los Angeles against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein in his second trial.

Women across the world and spanning all industries have become true agents of change in 2022. And this December, we are proud to celebrate them as we launch our annual Future Shapers List.

Each year, Marie Claire scours the country to find 10 trailblazing women who are changing the game across all industries, while giving back and shaping the future for others.  

With 2022 being such a defining year, there were thousands of worthy names to choose from and the selection process took weeks of deliberating from our powerhouse judging panel - Laura Whitmore, MP Zarah Sultana, Nishma Robb, Claire Barnett, Eshita Kabra-Davies and MC's own Andrea Thompson.

This week, we are delighted to officially release our 2022 Future Shapers List and accompanying issue, led by the face of our campaign and ultimate agent of change, Lashana Lynch.

Lynch's name has become synonymous with changing perceptions, particularly this year for her portrayal of characters who are frequently firsts for Black women in mainstream cinema - the first Black female 007 to name but one.

“When I was younger I didn’t want to take on the responsibility of the role model or the one speaking up because it’s terrifying standing alone and having your voice echo around white spaces that don’t get it," the British actress explained in her cover interview. "But then I remember that women before me had to do it in even heavier spaces and all I really have to do is continue that work ’cause the foundation is there for me.”

She continued: ”I look at young people coming up after or alongside me and see it as imperative for us to just speak up together... I’ve gained more experience, so I’m now able to have more courage in speaking up and having agency for myself and others.”

It is powerful voices of change like Lynch's that we are celebrating and spotlighting with MC Future Shapers 2022.

Over the next week, we will be profiling the game changing women who we have named our Future Shapers, with our list this year spanning all industries. From our 'Groundbreaking Musician' Self Esteem and our 'Sports Champion' Leah Williamson, to our 'Eco Warrior' Tori Tsui and our 'Inclusivity Advocate' Ellie Simmonds OBE.

But we're not just honouring these agents of change, we're also learning from them - sharing their inspiration, motivation and invaluable advice.

Expect empowering economic lessons from our 'Financial Gamechanger' Simran Kaur and advice on taking action from our 'Freedom Fighter' Nazanin Boniadi. Clotilde Abe and Atinuke Awe, our 'Equality Campaigners' will inspire you to lobby the government like they did. Not to mention, you will be inspired to make positive change by 'Media Trailblazer' Serlina Boyd, 'LGBTQ+ Activist' Hannah Graf MBE and our 'Humanitarian Hero' Olia Hercules.

Throughout the week, we will be sharing practical career advice and empowering life lessons from powerhouse business women. Plus, we will also be shining a light on men who are shaping the future this year, recognising those who are redefining masculinity and practicing male allyship.

We will also be advising on how you can make change in your own industries, equipping you with everything you need to know to improve your workplace, negotiate your rights, take a stand against inequality and use your voice for progress.

Everyone is welcome at Future Shapers 2022, so join us to celebrate, elevate and support the women around us, and make collective change. 

Stay tuned to our Marie Claire UK platforms for an inspiring Future Shapers week!

You need to start telling your colleagues what you earn, ASAP...

Talking money is without doubt a major taboo. It’s rude to ask a new acquaintance over dinner what their salary is, so you’d never dream of it, right? 

In that scenario, it’s completely fair enough. Most people probably don’t want to offer up the ins and outs of their monthly pay cheque. But there are some circumstances where pay transparency would benefit us all - especially women. And that’s within the workplace.

Ultimately, the culture we live in - the one that shrouds salaries in secrecy - is fuelling the gender pay gap. It actively enables companies to exercise disparity in wages. Because as long as it’s frowned upon to tell people what you earn, there’s no accountability.

When Georgia, a 23-year-old PR Director, told her former manager in a one-to-one meeting that she knew she was underpaid in comparison to her colleagues, she was surprised at the conversation that ensued. Instead of addressing the concerns head-on, reassuring her that she was valued by the company and promising to rectify the imbalance, Georgia’s boss... told her off. 

“I was told directly that I shouldn’t be discussing salaries with other members of the team,” recalls Georgia. “Knowing I had made me feel like I’d done something wrong.” Worrying she'd overstepped the mark, Georgia began second guessing her decision to talk to her co-workers about pay. “I immediately tried to justify to my manager that it had only come up in casual conversation,” she tells Marie Claire.

Slumped back at her desk, feeling disheartened about the uncomfortable conversation, Georgia began to ruminate on it. “I realised that her abruptness could have actually been from a place of fear.” After a quick Google, which confirmed that pay is actually something staff should be encouraged to discuss with colleagues (especially women), Georgia wondered whether her manager’s reaction was indicative of a company-wide salary discrepancy issue. She decided to look into it further. 

“I discovered that some people had worked at the company for almost 10 years on minimum wage and without a single pay rise,” she explains. “Women were managing teams of 5+ people and earning thousands of pounds less than men at the same level who didn’t manage anyone, and juniors were even being brought in on higher salaries than experienced existing employees because ‘that was just the hiring market’.” Georgia also uncovered that members of staff had been asked by their manager to actively lie about their higher salaries to colleagues who were being paid less.

Needless to say, Georgia swiftly left the organisation. But she’s not the only one who’s experienced such shadiness around pay. When she worked at a technology retail store, 25-year-old Danni Scott, now a journalist, was shocked to receive a company-wide email discouraging employees from discussing pay. The email stated that workers should “never discuss pay with other members of staff, as it is a private matter.”

“Nobody challenged the email formally but it did make us all feel annoyed,” Danni tells Marie Claire of her colleagues' reaction. “Surely it’s our choice to discuss our financial situations, not something to be mandated by a company? I believe Head Office was concerned that any discussions would have a knock-on effect on the entire payroll and were scared for their pockets.”

20 November is Equal Pay Day in the UK - a day identified annually by gender equality charity The Fawcett Society as the point in the year where women effectively stop earning, thanks to the gender pay gap. The average gender pay gap for full-time workers in the UK is currently calculated to be 8.3%. In real terms, it means that for every £1 a man earns, a woman doing the exact same job would earn, on average, just shy of 92p. When you think about it like that, it’s painfully frustrating.

But the more we keep quiet about what we earn, the more this culture is able to thrive. 

Company review site Glassdoor conducted some research last year that reveals some very uncomfortable findings about pay transparency. Only one in four workers feel strongly that their employer is transparent about pay, despite 70% of those quizzed believing that pay transparency is vital for employee satisfaction.

“The current culture of secrecy around salaries is reducing awareness of the real and urgent problems of the gender pay gap,” says Professor Emma Parry, an expert in HR from Cranfield School of Management. “If conversation is stifled, it becomes harder to identify where such problems exist,” she adds. “If we truly want to eradicate the gender pay gap, transparency in pay scales and encouraging discussion provides an open and honest space for employees, who will understandably have a view on any discrepancies within their organisation.” 

Glassdoor’s research also uncovered how much less likely women are to demand their worth from an employer. 67% of female workers did not ask for a pay rise in 2020, which is a staggering 30% more than men. But television producer Siobhan is a shining example of how talking openly about pay can lead to fairer remuneration.

As she approached the end of a six-month fixed contract at a production company, Siobhan was offered a six-month extension. Around that time, she happened to be discussing with a male colleague whether she should stay, or go somewhere new. “To help me decide what to do, he asked me outright how much I was getting paid,” recalls Siobhan.

“In the moment, I was shocked. It felt like a 'rude' thing to ask, but I swallowed my feelings of discomfort and told him my weekly rate,” she tells Marie Claire. “Without flinching, he then told me that he was getting paid £200 more than me per week. He had the same job title, and less experience than me.”

Unsurprisingly, Siobhan was furious. “I felt angry at the company I was working for, and grateful to him.” Her colleague encouraged her to use the information to leverage a pay rise, and said he was happy to tell their boss that he'd shared the information himself.

Her confidence boosted, Siobhan arranged a meeting with her boss to discuss her contract, and said she’d stay for an increased rate of £200 extra a week. “She said no, adding that it was more than their ceiling rate for my job title,” says Siobhan. “I held back every instinct I had to say, 'ok, no problem, sorry I asked,' and instead told her that I knew what my colleague was getting paid.”

Siobhan’s boss looked “embarrassed” at being challenged, and while she initially denied it, she followed up the next day to confirm they would pay what she had asked. Siobhan accepted, and earned herself an extra £5,200 in total over the following six months.

“I was obviously delighted with the pay rise but annoyed that I had been knowingly underpaid for the last six months,” says Siobhan. “My experience shows that it's so important to discuss pay among colleagues - particularly between men and women. Transparency is one way of closing gender pay gaps, and leading to a more equal workplace,” she tells Marie Claire. 

Ilona Alcock, Co-Founder and Director at business development consultancy Elevate, also believes we’re holding ourselves back by keeping quiet. “Not talking about money takes our sense of control away from us. It is often proven that organisations with transparent pay structures are less likely to have a gender pay gap," she says, adding that a “lack of discussion around this only serves to benefit certain demographics such as white men.”

“Salary secrecy often means that people of colour are more likely to earn less than their colleagues,” Ilona tells Marie Claire. “Active discouragement of discussing pay raises a huge red flag for me. Although leaving is not an option open to everyone and many factors should be considered, lack of transparency on pay can be a sign of a toxic workplace and not one that you should invest your time into.”

The obvious answer is to start having open conversations about what you earn, but a deep-rooted stigma around money means this is usually easier said than done. “It’s always easier to offer information, than to ask for it,” suggests Ilona as a way in. “Tell people what you earn, but be mindful that it may provoke an emotional reaction, particularly if a colleague is being underpaid and had not realised.”

As for broaching the topic of unfair pay with your boss, Georgia recommends knowing your rights. “Employees have a legal right to discuss salaries and you should feel empowered to speak up if you notice that something is wrong, especially when it comes to issues such as discrimination.”

Ilona agrees. “Arming yourself with research and resources about market rate is a good place to start. For example, it has been found that turnover is lower in companies with transparent pay policies and adverts with salaries attract stronger candidates. By explaining these benefits, you are removing the emotion from the issue and ensuring that your suggestions are taken seriously,” she says.

“Ultimately, we all go to work to be paid a salary,” the business expert points out. “So it’s bizarre that we don’t talk about it.”

Feeling inspired to fight for your worth? Go and start some conversations about salaries, and ask for that pay rise.

Pivots are the new career norm. Entrepreneur Nicole Bremner is on career pivot No.4 and is well versed in how to change career. Here, she reveals how to do it successfully...

Words by Marina Gask

Gone are the days when we all had the same career for life - nowadays portfolio careers and pivots are the norm. In fact, now a career change at 30 is as common as a career change at 50. Entrepreneur Nicole Bremner, is a property developer with a side hustle in personal branding, and what she doesn't know about successful career pivoting isn't worth knowing.

Before hitting forty, Bremner had worked in investment banking, ran her own online fashion company, worked in the financial sector and then started a property development company. She's now branched out into the world of personal branding. Here she reveals the best ways to achieve a successful career pivot. 

How to achieve a successful career pivot

Start before you leave your current job

Add a side hustle to your career or business in order to future-proof your career. If you lose your job, as many of us are unfortunately likely to at some point, you will hopefully be ready to pivot over to your new venture full-time. Prior to lockdown, the Henley Business School estimated that 37% of 25-34-year olds run a sideline of some kind.

Fit it to your circumstances

Will working remotely be a necessity for you? Do you prefer to be networking and travelling for your work? Make sure your career pivot fits your circumstances and priorities. For me, becoming a mother changed me - I couldn’t go to fashion shows in Milan and work ridiculous hours with three young children at home, so I started my property company. Then when my marriage crumbled I thought, "What’s important for me now?" and that’s when I moved to the country, so I had to look at what I could do remotely - which is personal brand mentoring, still with a property focus.

Futureproof yourself with a solid online offering

Notice the types of companies that are really winning right now. The one thing powerful brands like Joe Wicks and Shaa Wasmund MBE have in common is solid online offerings that they’ve built up over years. We all need to offer an online service, no matter what we do. It’s not enough to have a profession - say, be an accountant - you also need a side business, such as an accountancy tuition online. What are you an expert in? Even TikTokers who teach people how to do a dance step for free charge them for the longer version.

Maximise your transferable skills

What else could you be doing with the expertise you’ve built up? Knowing what you’re really good at will mean that if you do lose your job you’ll have something to move onto. As performance coach Jamil Qureshi said, "We must learn to dance on a shifting carpet, not see the rug as being pulled from under our feet."

So if you’re in retail fashion you’ve got relationship building skills and sales skills that are transferable across every industry. Look at new areas of interest and how you can use the skills you have and broaden them out so you have more. Seeing your potential in terms of skills not careers helps you to spot the opportunities open to you.

Face facts that some careers are dying out

The world is constantly changing in terms of in-demand careers and we have to be nimble and keep an eye on what the world needs and how to apply our skills to it. Popular pivots right now include subscription or sponsored podcasts, membership sites, public speaking in different areas of expertise and subscription services for niche insights and courses. All of these would take time to build up to the extent that they make an income, but they can ultimately be both rewarding and lucrative.

Build your personal brand

When you Google your name what pops up? Is the information you share about yourself across all platforms consistent and is it serving your overall goals? Do you know what you stand for and is it part of the DNA of your brand?

I started building my personal brand on social media in 2015. As I developed my property business, more and more people became interested in the personal branding side of it, through which I was able to attract investment.

While property is still my day job I'm now asked to do speaking engagements all over the world on the subject of personal branding. A strong and consistent personal brand will mean you will thrive professionally regardless of how many job and career pivots you go through.