11 Apr 2025 3 min read coaching

Introducing Hurst Workplace Coaching

Why I have changed my blog to cover workplace coaching.

Leaving the hospital with baby number 2

Hello all!

As regular followers of my blog will recognise, I like to innovate and try new things. I've tried a number of different ways to update and change my personal corner of the internet over the years.

This time, however, I'm going bigger.

I'm setting up Hurst Workplace Coaching. It's a major departure from the writing theme of the last few years, so I wanted to share why. (Don't worry, though, writing is such a big part of my life, it will always feature on this website somewhere).

An abridged personal history

A major life event often prompts reflection. I've just welcomed my second child into the world, and because of that I've been working out what I can do to increase flexibility in my working week. My day job is great, and I couldn't wish for a better team, but there are a lot of restrictions enforced by the 'centre' on things like home-office working and use of time that, after a while, start to drag.

When my daughter was little, COVID happened. And work-from-home happened. This isn't something any of us want to repeat, but for a new Dad with a 12 month old baby, it was great situation to be in. All of a sudden, work was not dragging me into London with a 4 hour (there and back) commute every day. I had flexibility to work around my family and be a much larger part of their life than I had expected.

I was home when my daughter took her first steps, I was there when she said her first words (BUBBLE, for those interested). I was able to support my wife with nappy changes and lunchtimes and bedtimes. My work wasn't suffering and it was still high-profile. During COVID I was the single point of contact for three London borough's education teams with the UK government.

Now with baby number two, things are different. Hybrid working is now a thing. I can stay at home more and I can help more. Yet, I'm still expected to be in the office 60% of the time.

It's a challenge. I love going into the office. I love talking to people and helping work through their (and my) challenges. 40% of the working week at home will give me some flexibility to help with school, nursery and nappies.

But I want to focus on my kids

I want to be the Dad who can get to most after-school events. I want to be the Dad who is there for drop-offs and pickups. The Dad who cheers when my oldest daughter is in a school play, and my son learns to walk and talk.

I'm also the Dad who wants to provide for his family and give them the security of a good home and the benefits that being financially secure brings.

Traditional working patterns don't always allow for this.

So.

I need more flexibility

I needed to work out how to leverage my skills and my time to provide a service that others will find useful enough to pay for.

Helping people in work

When I look back over my career and my personal life it became clear that the times I've been most engaged in work have been when I've been helping people achieve their potential at work.

The list is massive. I've helped people who lacked confidence and helped them get that next promotion or career change. I've given people the confidence to challenge poor working practices and stand their ground in pay negotiations. Others have just needed help working out where to start on an overwhelming project, or how to balance their time better.

When talking to managers or owners of businesses, I've introduced initiatives to combat poor relationships and improve team dynamics. I've launched a website that went from zero income to sustaining two full-time editorial staff in less than twelve months. I've suggested areas of expansion that have led to SME's turnover tripling in a year.

And there's the presentations and workplace learning I've led on hybrid working, collaboration, policy development.

So some time with no work pressures on me has, paradoxically, led to me understanding one of the things I like to do at work most of all.

I like to help people overcome problems at work.

Because work shouldn't be so hard.

Ladies and gentlemen.

Introducing -