Event Overview:

Return to the office. Four days a week. Maybe more. Is this progress – or a step back for women in the workplace?

As companies double down on in-person working, the debate is heating up. Are we sacrificing flexibility in the name of productivity? What does this shift mean for leadership diversity? And how can businesses strike the right balance without losing talent?

Join us for a sharp, no-nonsense panel discussion that brings together all sides of the debate. Whether you're fully remote, hybrid, or back in the office full-time – this event is for anyone invested in the future of work and the protection of female leadership in uncertain times.

We’ll dive into:

The real impact of mandated return to office and the effects this has on company culture
Does flexibility = lower productivity – or is that a tired myth?
How hybrid models are affecting women on leadership pathways
The recruitment challenges no one’s talking about (but should be)
Strategies for retaining and attracting top talent in a changing market
What businesses must do now to avoid falling behind – in culture, capability, and credibility

This event is sponsored by Untapped Recruitment.

Who?

Hosted by Women in PR's Laura Perry, with panellists including:

Sharon Kemp, Thrive Communications Consulting - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharon-kemp-39559b3/

Sharon is a strategic communications and employee engagement specialist with over two decades of experience spanning internal comms, workplace strategy, and culture change. As founder of Thrive Communications Consulting, she partners with purpose-led organisations to build thriving teams where people feel part of something bigger.

Sharon brings both professional insight and lived experience - as a business owner and working mum - to every conversation. She draws on a career shaping flexible workplace strategies before and after the pandemic, with organisations including Bupa, Co-op, and most recently, a major bank. Her approach is human, practical, and always rooted in real-world impact.

Jacquelyn Whyte, Muckle Media - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacquelyn-whyte-b6169419/

Jac is a mum of three and a Director at Muckle Media based in Edinburgh.

With 17 years’ consumer PR experience working for big name brands across many sectors including retail, food and drink, charity and healthcare, Jac oversees agency creativity and new business development.

Jac started her career as a consumer researcher for the Good Housekeeping Institute, before switching to PR and working for London agencies including Good Relations, Grayling and Cow. A work opportunity for her husband saw her leave London to spend four years in Saudi Arabia, before finally settling back home in Scotland where she balances her job as a mum with her PR career thanks to Muckle’s flexible working practices.

Shaline Manhertz, Exceeding Your Potential - https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaline-manhertz/

Shaline is a multi-hyphenate founder, communications strategist and certified coach with over 25 years’ experience spanning marketing, leadership, and stakeholder engagement in both local and central government. She is the founder of three purpose-led ventures: Exceeding Your Potential, a communications and coaching consultancy; Black Girls Booked, a speakers’ agency amplifying marginalised voices; and By I Am Woman, a fashion brand empowering women through style.

A long-time advocate for inclusive and flexible work, Shaline worked a compressed working week for over a decade when employed and now she's self-employed has been delivering all her client work remotely since 2018. She is also a member of the Part-time Workspodcast steering group for Timewise, a social enterprise working to build stronger, more inclusive workplaces through flexible working innovation and policy influence.

Kate Clover, Untapped Recruitment - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-clover-1756621b/

Having begun her career working in PR and communications, Kate moved into recruitment for the sector in 2007 and since then has worked as an external recruitment provider and in-house. Her unique combination of experience as a candidate, recruitment consultant and internal talent lead in the PR and comms industry means she really understands the challenges and motivations faced by all in the search process.

As well as sourcing the best candidates and roles across the industry I provide insights into salary benchmarking, industry trends, D&I, benefits, the recruitment process, CV writing and interview techniques and tips.

How I... Navigate office life, flexibility & the future of female leaders