of Our Industry

MANAGING FLEX TO GROW A CAREER ALONGSIDE A FAMILY

Returning to work as Multiplex’s first part-time Project Manager at first seemed a challenging prospect for Michaela Jones – but four years down the track, the positive outcome has set the precedent for managing flexibility in a senior construction role.

Following a period of parental leave, Michaela worked with her manager to design a part time role that enabled her to retain her chosen career path as a Project Manager, while accommodating her new responsibilities at home. “At the time it was fairly uncharted territory for us, but I was really supported by the business to explore different options and come up with a solution that worked for me and my team,” she said. “Having that support and flexibility was extremely empowering, and it’s great to see that thinking continue to manifest in all sorts of ways across our projects.” Four years on, Michaela has taken a second period of parental leave to welcome twin girls Cleo and Paloma to the family, and is fulfilling the role of Deputy Project Director at the New Footscray Hospital project. With her lived experience of managing a growing career and family, Michaela has a valuable perspective for mums and dads in the industry. “Getting the balance right is definitely a challenge but it comes down to giving things a go, communicating and being as transparent as possible with your team, clients and stakeholders. It’s also important to be aware and upfront with your non-negotiables.”

Michaela structures her working week to meet both personal and business needs and is currently working seven days in a fortnight. She explains that creating clear boundaries has been vital to making that structure work.

“My husband helps in the mornings so I’m able to be at work by 7am. But then it’s a non-negotiable that at 4pm I need to leave work to pick up the girls and the team understands that.”

“I’ll often clock on again at night once the kids are asleep, but it’s about managing that expectation with the team that just because I’m online and sending emails because it suits me, doesn’t mean it’s the expectation that it will suit them.”

Michaela admits it was a challenge resetting her own personal expectations. “I’m the kind of person who wants it all - I want to be a great mum and also want great things out of my career by doing the best I possibly can at work. This can be conflicting at times, especially when you are time poor, you often feel compromised. It comes back to knowing your values and priorities and accepting that not everything can be perfect all the time.” Multiplex has been rolling out its flexibility program for more than a decade, with the onus on empowering teams to develop flexible working solutions that work for them and their project. Its parental leave and support offerings are also geared towards continued career progression, with transition coaching and guaranteed superannuation paid during periods of parental leave.

“Multiplex are incredibly supportive - nothing is off limits in terms of what I need for my own wellbeing and career development,” says Michaela. “I’ve never felt that being a mum has hindered me at all. All my challenges are from a personal perspective of making sure I get the balance right and then being able to communicate and pivot if something’s not working. “I think for these working arrangements to be successful both the employee and the business need to be aligned and invested in making it work - which I am thankful has always been the case for me at Multiplex.”

Michaela’s experience has paved the way for more part time Project Managers at Multiplex and sets a precedent for women industry-wide. “One of the challenges of achieving gender equity in our industry in that women can feel like they need to sacrifice career development or move into more administrative roles once they start a family. It’s just not the case if you have the right support.

“I would say to anyone in my position, don’t put unnecessary limits on yourself in terms of career pathway or feeling like you can’t take parental leave until you’re at a certain point in your career. “It’s about trialling different strategies and finding what the right balance looks like for you, your team and your family so you can make the most out of the time you have at work and at home.”