Rhonda Doyle
Snr. Director Field Services Operations UK&I, Schneider Electric
Shifting from a male-dominated landscape is no easy feat, but more women are taking the lead across industries and showing they can stay on top of things — both at work and home.
Juggling a career with family is never easy, but with an increasing focus on helping women to achieve their goals has never been so important. With the industry suffering a skills shortage, support and opportunities have never been more abundant.
Maximising skills
Rhonda Doyle has learned how important it is to take advantage of the support available to her and, out of necessity, become a master of her own time.
The mother of two children aged ten and 4 was promoted to Schneider Electric’s Senior Director of Field Service Operations UK&I last November.
She joined the company over two years ago after realising her operational management, people leadership and customer focus skills could be honed inon and challenged in a new environment.
I want to work hard and make a difference, but I want to do it in such a way that I still have a life.
Saying no
It was after coming back from maternity leave after her first child in a new, more demanding role that Rhonda knew she had to stop saying yes to everything.
“It was a very hard time for me,” she says. “I had limited hours and became extremely focused on what I had to deliver today, tomorrow, this week, this month.”
“In my personal life, open communication with my husband became a priority. To this day, we have a practical calendar on the fridge and as soon as one of us gets a travel commitment, it goes on there. Logistics is the biggest challenge for us but working together — along with family support and flexibility at work — helps us manage.”
Balancing work and life
Rhonda also had to accept letting go of some things, delegate tasks wherever possible and ensure she always gets a good night’s sleep. She realised how important it is to re-examine her priorities and share when she’s struggling — something she prides herself on — even amongst peers. Over time, Rhonda recognises the importance of transparency in both personal and professional environments and accepts that it’s okay to ask for help.
“When I’m not working, I am spending time with my children,” she says. “I want to work hard and make a difference, whilst still fulfilling my career aspirations.”
Rhonda finds comfort in the fact that she has freedom and control over her career path as Schneider Electric offers a Global Family Policy, flexibility at work, female communities, and numerous leadership development programmes with mentorship opportunities.
Schneider Electric regularly works with STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) organisations and offers a range of opportunities for young talents such as graduate and internship programmes, with a commitment to promote gender diversity and inclusion across all levels of the organisation.