The Power of Women Working Together – IWD 2025

This International Women’s Day, we asked GoodPAYE’s COO, Alice, to share her story and reflect on the power of women supporting each other and driving change.

I love being a woman in business. I love working and always have – it is my way of processing all the noise in life, and I get a buzz from it. My entire life has been influenced by strong, independent women: being raised by my mum on her own, going to an all-girls secondary school, having best friends who are girls, and growing up with a strong-minded, determined sister. I think this has had a big impact on the way I interact with people and the way I work.

My career started in retail, a sector predominantly made up of brilliant women – fantastic communicators, super-efficient organisers, and multitaskers who somehow always make time to truly know and understand their colleagues. What I did notice, way back when, was that senior managers, large stores, regional roles, and beyond were mostly men. But I was young, and because of the environment I had grown up in, I had no qualms about going after those roles. I don’t think I even considered it would be a problem – youth makes you feel invincible.

I’ve found that the biggest challenges have come as I’ve gotten older. After having my two eldest children, I changed sectors and joined StC, which has always had a culture of putting family first – we encourage our staff to know and really feel this. However, in a senior role, having a surprise third baby was much more of a challenge. I felt like I had let the business down because I would be taking maternity leave, let my team down because I wouldn’t be with them as much, and on top of that, there was the disruption this third human was causing at home – financially and emotionally. Nobody caused these feelings but me and my own head. This is where the pressure we put on ourselves to be everything to everyone rears its ugly head.

However, third baby arrived, and I began the painful juggling act: one in nursery, one in primary school, and one in secondary school. But I was lucky – this all happened during Covid. Teams meetings and not having to attend a face-to-face meeting that was a three-hour drive away made a massive difference. Although I’m not a fan of working from home – it doesn’t work for me; I’m too easily distracted – I have to compartmentalise my life. When I’m at work, I’m “working Alice”; when I’m at home, I’m “mum.” That being said, I’m not against it – lots of our team love it, and I fully support them. I do worry that it adds more pressure on some women. Because you’ve worked from home all day, does that mean you’re also expected to be on top of the washing, home-cooked dinners, and the gardening as well as your job?

I’m a last-minute Susan. I try to stay organised with calendars, the kids’ appointments, and extracurricular activities, but I always end up forgetting something.

I’m super lucky to have a brilliant husband who steps in – and even reminded me about World Book Day this year! I don’t beat myself up about these things. I’m always honest with my kids and tell them if I’ve messed up or forgotten something, but they know I’m always there and always trying. Time will tell, but I think they’re okay with it!

With this year’s IWD theme being #AccelerateAction, I’ve been thinking about what that means to me. I’d love to see young women supported into more apprenticeship roles. Being able to work from a young age while learning means you get to know yourself and your strengths a lot sooner. Something also has to change with our childcare system – the cost is insane. Even with government schemes, it often equals a monthly mortgage or rent payment. Future generations won’t have grandparents available to help, as many of us will still be working into our 70s. The mythical village that helps you raise your children just isn’t there.

I want women to feel seen, heard, and safe. With a 15-year-old daughter, I worry about her future. With two sons, I hope I can raise them to be respectful, mindful, and in awe of women.

I’m so lucky to love my job. I love working with so many charities that are making a real difference for people who need their help and support. Each week, I stop to read an article from one of our charity partners to remind myself why I’ve just completed an audit, a budget, or a security review – because it’s easy to forget why we do what we do. It motivates me to draw on those stories in my next meeting and help others understand why Payroll Giving should be far more widely available than it currently is.

I’m also really lucky to love our team here at GoodPAYE. We have the most amazing staff. I’ve always led with the mindset that I’m a part of my team’s work, not just managing their every move. I love sitting with the team, listening to them, understanding their challenges, celebrating their successes, and hearing the ideas bubbling away. Encouragement, guidance, and respect – these are all qualities I believe so many female leaders naturally embody.

Alice x