About Emma…
Emma Thomas is an executive coach, consultant, facilitator, trainer and podcaster.
She is passionate about helping people unlock their potential through coaching whilst they navigate times of change and transition.
Emma’s coaching style is person-centred and integrates strengths-based, cognitive- behavioural, Gestalt, and systemic coaching, selecting the best approaches to support the client. She takes a ‘neuro-inclusive’ approach, and is actively upskilling in how best to support neurodivergent clients.
For 30 years Emma worked in academic publishing with many well-known brands with roles spanning business development, strategy, business process optimization, change and transformation, and internal communications.
In her last corporate role she also led an Employee Resource Group for gender equity, where her interest in DEIB, coaching, and mentoring really blossomed.
In January 2021 Emma launched the Middling Along podcast and has now interviewed dozens of midlife wellbeing and menopause experts, inspiring women who have undergone midlife reinventions, and tackled topics relating to multigenerational workforces and ageism in the workplace.
Emma is also the founder of Managing the Menopause, which works with companies to help them become menopause-supportive employers.
She trained with the prestigious Henley Business School and is accredited by the EMCC at Senior Practitioner level. Emma also holds a ProSci Change Management qualification and a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt.
Emma lives in Oxford with husband Stephen and their two children.
Why the name The Triple Shift? Scroll down to find out!
“Emma took an issue which was really complex for me to explain and helped simplify it into small chunks. She also enabled me to see this as an issue which is faced by many people in similar positions, even though it felt like an ‘only me’ issue which I am grateful for.”
What is the Triple Shift?
The ‘triple shift’ refers to the additional load on women juggling caregiving, spousal duties, and professional working life. The term was coined in 1995 by sociologists Duncombe and Marsden and 30 years on, working women in the UK spent an average of 57 minutes more than men each day on unpaid tasks, such as housework and caregiving…
Impacts of the ‘triple shift’ include:
Career Development: The triple shift divides a woman’s time and energy among multiple roles, leaving less time for career-enhancing activities like networking, skills training, mentorships, sponsorships, or taking on extra projects.
Higher Levels of Stress and Burnout: Balancing three sets of responsibilities increases physical and mental exhaustion, leading to higher burnout rates among women than men. In a 2023 report from Future Forum, 46% of women reported higher levels of burnout vs 37% of men.
Pay, Promotion, and Pension Gaps: Women are more likely to work part-time or in flexible roles. These often pay less and provide fewer chances for advancement. Even those who remain in full-time positions may find the triple shift can slow their advancement, contributing to pay gaps and reduced likelihood of reaching senior roles. The cumulative impact of slower career progression, pay gaps, and possible career breaks results in lower lifetime earnings, which then affects savings and financial security in retirement. Many women enter their later years with smaller pensions and fewer savings, potentially leading to poverty later in life. Women live longer than me, but typically spend more of their later years in ill-health.
Perception and Gender Bias: The juggle of balancing multiple roles may fuel perceptions that women are less committed to their careers, reinforcing biases that view men as more suitable for senior positions.
In 2024, I wrote a LinkedIn post on the “midlife collision” which clearly struck a nerve - with over 250,000 views, thousands of reactions and hundreds of comments.
In coaching terms, we will work together to help you shift limiting beliefs, shift your mindset, and shift blockers to taking action - whether you identify as female or not!
“I left with clear plans for how to move forward and a clear sense of what is ‘enough’. I was able to gain a new insight into the roles of those around me which I had never considered before.”
“Working with Emma has been a real pleasure. Emma's insight and ability to gently challenge my thinking have empowered me to make sharper decisions, inspire my team and facilitate change. If you're looking to unlock your full potential then Emma is the coach you need!”
Want to work with me?
Check out the info on our Services page and if you have any questions, I’m just an email away!