The Heels in the Hierarchy Podcast

heelsinthehierarchy
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Join SJ and Pegsy as we discuss the experiences and challenges faced by aspiring women in the workplace.  We share insights to help you gain new perspectives, practical strategies and reassurance.  We also bring in occasional guests who share their stories and reveal that behind the polished exterior, even accomplished women face challenges just like yours. We hope you'll love, learn and enjoy different perspectives around women in work and leadership. So step inside an episode of Heels in the Hierarchy, empowering women without stepping on toes.

  1. 5d ago

    Walk the Talk — Why Your Next 1:1 Should Be Outside

    Some of the best management conversations don't happen in a meeting room. They happen on a walk. In this episode SJ and Pegsy explore the real evidence behind walking meetings — why movement boosts creativity, reduces fatigue, and quietly shifts the power dynamic in ways that make difficult conversations easier and honest ones more likely. Drawing on research-backed insights and their own expertise in wellbeing and HR, they get practical about when walking meetings genuinely work best — appraisals, onboarding new starters, early performance conversations — and when they don't. Crucially, they also tackle accessibility, because any wellbeing initiative that excludes people isn't really a wellbeing initiative at all. In this episode: Why walking boosts creative thinking and reduces cognitive fatigue How side-by-side movement softens power dynamics in management conversations The management moments where walking meetings work best Accessibility considerations every manager needs to think about How small, consistent actions model a genuine wellbeing culture Try it once this week — with one person, one conversation. See what comes up that wouldn't have at a desk. ☕ Support us on Buy Me a Coffee 🎧 Listen & subscribe: https://heelsinthehierarchy.podbean.com/ ▶️ Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HeelsintheHierarchy #HeelsInTheHierarchy #WalkingMeetings #WorkplaceWellbeing #ManagementSkills #PerformanceManagement #EmployeeEngagement #LeadershipDevelopment #PodcastForWomen #WellbeingAtWork #HRTips

  2. Jul 7

    From Failure to Success — Emmy's Honest Account of Starting Over

    She failed the exams that were meant to define her future. It turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to her career. In this episode SJ speak with Emmy, a payments product manager, about a journey that didn't start where she expected — or wanted — it to. Failing anatomy exams meant letting go of a lifelong plan to become a doctor, and facing a version of failure that felt deeply personal. What followed was a rebuild: new direction, new identity, and ultimately, a career and sense of fulfilment she couldn't have planned for. This is a story about what failure actually teaches us, if we let it — and how the lowest point can end up being the turning point. In this episode: Emmy's path from a failed medical ambition to a thriving FinTech career Reframing failure as a turning point, not an ending The role mentors played in helping her find a new direction Transferable skills — and learning to recognise your own value Redefining success on her own terms, beyond job titles Ever turned a failure into your biggest win? This episode will resonate. ☕ Support us on Buy Me a Coffee 🎧 Listen & subscribe: https://heelsinthehierarchy.podbean.com/ ▶️ Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HeelsintheHierarchy #HeelsInTheHierarchy #FromFailureToSuccess #CareerPivot #Resilience #FinTech #WomenInLeadership #CareerChange #Mentorship #PodcastForWomen #TurningPoints

  3. Jun 23

    The Relaunch, Not the Return — Rewriting the Story of Career Breaks

    A career break isn't a gap. It's a chapter — and it's time the workplace started reading it that way. In this episode SJ and Pegsy explore Carol Fishman Cohen's influential TED Talk on "relaunchers" — women returning to work after stepping away for caregiving, health, or simply a different season of life. Rather than treating that time as something to explain away, this episode reframes it as exactly what it is: an intentional restart, not an ending. They dig into why confidence often takes the biggest hit during a break, how outdated recruitment practices quietly penalise relaunchers, and the transferable skills — resilience, perspective, problem-solving — that so often go unrecognised on a CV. And crucially, they offer practical, actionable steps for both employers and candidates to make re-entry genuinely successful, not just survivable. In this episode: Carol Fishman Cohen's "relauncher" framework and why language matters Why confidence dips during a break — and how to rebuild it How recruitment processes can unintentionally exclude returners The transferable skills career breaks actually build Practical steps employers can take to support successful re-entry Know someone relaunching their career? This episode is for them — and for the manager hiring them. ☕ Support us on Buy Me a Coffee 🎧 Listen & subscribe: https://heelsinthehierarchy.podbean.com/ ▶️ Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HeelsintheHierarchy #HeelsInTheHierarchy #CareerBreak #Relauncher #ReturnToWork #CareerRestart #WomenInLeadership #RecruitmentBias #TransferableSkills #PodcastForWomen #WorkplaceCulture Links mentioned in this episode: Carol Fishman Cohen — "How to Get Back to Work After a Career Break" (TED Talk)

  4. Jun 9

    When Your Parents Need You: The Hidden Career Cost of Elder Care

    This episode explores the growing, often-hidden impact of elder care on women in the workforce — from 600 people quitting daily in the UK to the 1.4 million ‘sandwich carers’ balancing children, careers and aging relatives. Hosts SJ and Pegsy discuss the emotional toll, anticipatory grief, financial pressures, workplace stigma and practical resources, and offer compassionate advice for both carers and managers on how to navigate and support this major life transition. https://www.ageuk.org.uk/information-advice/care/ https://www.carersuk.org/help-and-advice/ https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/ https://www.nhs.uk/social-care-and-support/help-from-social-services-and-charities/getting-a-needs-assessment/ Download and share our podcast The Heels in the Hierarchy Podcast | heelsinthehierarchy Subscribe to our channel!  https://www.youtube.com/@HeelsintheHierachy #heelsinthehierarchy #authenticleadership #womeninleadership https://buymeacoffee.com/heels_in_the_hierarchy

  5. Jun 2

    Blooper Reel — One Year of Heels in the Hierarchy

    The difference between an ordeal and an adventure is your attitude. This episode is pure adventure. To celebrate one year of Heels in the Hierarchy, SJ and Pegsy are throwing open the outtakes reel — the bloopers, the behind-the-scenes moments, and the bits that didn't quite make the cut. But amid the laughter there's something genuinely valuable here too: honest conversation about vulnerability, neurodiversity, feedback, and the wonderfully messy human side of putting yourself out there. If you've ever wondered what goes on when the recording light is on and everything goes slightly sideways — this one's for you. Enjoyed the show? You can support us here: ☕ Buy Us a Coffee 🎧 Listen & subscribe: https://heelsinthehierarchy.podbean.com/ ▶️ Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HeelsintheHierarchy #HeelsInTheHierarchy #PodcastBloopers #OneYearAnniversary #Neurodiversity #Vulnerability #AuthenticLeadership #WomenInLeadership #BehindTheMic #PodcastForWomen #WomenSupportingWomen

  6. May 26

    One Year On — The Conversations That Matter Most

    A year in. What have we learned? More than we expected. SJ and Pegsy mark one year of Heels in the Hierarchy by revisiting the themes that have resonated most deeply with their listeners: women's health, late and missed diagnoses, neurodivergence, and the systemic barriers that too many women still face at work every single day. With personal stories, listener responses, and a call for workplaces to move beyond policy and into genuine action, this is a milestone episode that's as forward-looking as it is reflective. In this episode: The themes that defined Year One — and why they matter for leadership Personal stories and listener voices Why curious, trust-based management changes everything What it will actually take to make workplaces work for women Share this one. These conversations only grow when more people join them. 🎧 Listen & subscribe: https://heelsinthehierarchy.podbean.com/ ▶️ Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HeelsintheHierarchy #HeelsInTheHierarchy #OneYearAnniversary #WomensHealth #Neurodivergence #WomenInLeadership #WorkplaceEquality #AuthenticLeadership #MissedDiagnosis #PodcastForWomen #WomenAtWork

  7. May 11

    Employed and Struggling — The Hidden Crisis of In-Work Poverty

    Having a job is supposed to be the answer. For millions of people in the UK, it isn't enough. In this episode SJ and Pegsy tackle one of the most uncomfortable realities in modern working life — in-work poverty. Rising living costs, part-time contracts, and a persistent gender pay gap are leaving workers, and disproportionately women, financially vulnerable despite being in employment. But this isn't just a policy conversation. It's a leadership one. SJ and Pegsy explore what employers and managers can actually do right now — from flexible working and trust-based policies to discreet support programmes and smarter job design — to make a genuine difference to the people in their teams. In this episode: Why employment is no longer a guarantee of financial security How the gender pay gap and part-time work compound the problem Practical steps employers can take — beyond the employee assistance programme Why psychological safety is the foundation for any meaningful support If you find this podcast valuable, please share it — and consider supporting us: ☕ Buy Us a Coffee 🎧 Listen & subscribe: https://heelsinthehierarchy.podbean.com/ ▶️ Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HeelsintheHierarchy #HeelsInTheHierarchy #InWorkPoverty #GenderPayGap #WomenAndMoney #WorkplaceWellbeing #PodcastForWomen #UKPoverty #EmployeeWellbeing #WomenInLeadership #FairWork

  8. Apr 28

    Ten Years of Being Doubted — Charlotte's Chronic Illness Story

    A decade of severe pain. A senior job to hold down. A toddler to raise. And nobody believed her. In this episode SJ and Pegsy welcome Charlotte, an IT manager and mother, who shares her extraordinary ten-year journey through undiagnosed abdominal pain — navigating hospitals, referrals, sceptical employers, and a healthcare system that repeatedly failed her. This is a powerful, important listen — not just for anyone who has experienced chronic unexplained illness, but for every manager and colleague who has ever wondered how to support someone going through something they can't fully see or understand. In this episode: Charlotte's decade-long medical mystery and what it cost her Being passed between gynaecology and gastroenterology with no answers Gaslighting in healthcare — and in the workplace Practical guidance for managers supporting employees with long-term health challenges If this resonates, please share it. Someone you know probably needs to hear it. ☕ Support us on Buy Me a Coffee 🎧 Listen & subscribe: https://heelsinthehierarchy.podbean.com/ ▶️ Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HeelsintheHierarchy Links mentioned in this episode: Women's Health Mag UK — Women's Pain Being Dismissed #HeelsInTheHierarchy #WomensHealth #ChronicIllness #MedicalGaslighting #WomenInLeadership #WorkplaceSupport #MedicalMisogyny #InvisibleIllness #PodcastForWomen #WomenAtWork

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About

Join SJ and Pegsy as we discuss the experiences and challenges faced by aspiring women in the workplace.  We share insights to help you gain new perspectives, practical strategies and reassurance.  We also bring in occasional guests who share their stories and reveal that behind the polished exterior, even accomplished women face challenges just like yours. We hope you'll love, learn and enjoy different perspectives around women in work and leadership. So step inside an episode of Heels in the Hierarchy, empowering women without stepping on toes.

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