Lizzie Penny on Workstyle, menopause after breast cancer, and why the world of work needs a radical shake up

My guest this time is Lizzie Penny - an entrepreneur and a campaigner for ‘workstyle’ - the freedom to choose when and where you work. She is fascinated by how new working practices can fundamentally redefine inclusion at work, whilst also improving wellbeing and step-changing productivity. She has co-authored a book on Workstyle with business partner Alex Hirst, published October 2022. Having undergone treatment for breast cancer herself at the height of the pandemic, she is now supporting her husband through his own cancer diagnosis, whilst also coming to terms with her own early menopause brought on by cancer treatment - oh and she’s also mum to three young children.  So much to unpack in this episode - we talk in detail about what ‘workstyle’ is (and why it is different from flexible or hybrid working) - and why it is is so important for levelling the playing field for groups who might be structurally excluded from the workplace: older workers, carers, those with chronic illness or disabilities, those with mental health challenges, parents, and neurodivergent people.  By 2050 21% of the UK population will be over 60 - and with many of us needing (or wanting!) to work for longer, and with many industries struggling to attract skilled workers, organizations must get to grips with adapting current working practices and appealing to a range of ‘workstyles’. We talk about how creating a trust-based culture underpins the success of remote-first, autonomous teams, and how we need to make technology work for us (not the other way around) to build in healthy work-life boundaries.  We discuss Lizzie’s own experience of going into early menopause as a result of her cancer treatment - and hear how connecting virtually with others has been a tremendous source of support. Lizzie eloquently puts forward the case for workstyle as a key component of allowing those going through perimenopause, or who are post-menopausal, to stay engaged with, or return to work, in a way that suits them.   You can find Lizzie and Alex’s book ‘Workstyle: A revolution for wellbeing, productivity and society’ here https://www.hachette.co.uk/titles/lizzie-penny/workstyle/9781399802949/ and you can find out more about Hoxby at  https://hoxby.com/    Don't forget to follow us over on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/middlingalong_podcast/ or find out more/listen to past episodes/subscribe to the newsletter at https://middlingalong.com   It would mean so much if you’d subscribe, rate, and review us on Apple Podcasts to share the love! You can also find me at www.managingthemenopause.com where we offer coaching and workplace training.