Women, #WorkSchoolHours Can Transform Your Life
Release Date: 05/10/2025
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info_outlineImagine a ten-year-old girl in New Zealand watching an army commercial and declaring, "That's what I want to be". This simple declaration set Dr. Ellen Joan Ford on a transformative journey, a journey of leadership, service, and a new way of thinking about work. Her story is not just inspiring, it's a call to action for all of us. Women are asking for flexible work for working parents. Our businesses want the talented women to be able to focus on both their families and their workday. It is a time for changing how businesses treat women.
In this episode of On the Brink with Andi Simon, I had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Ellen Joan Ford—a leadership expert, military veteran, and the creator of the global #WorkSchoolHours movement. Ellen joins us from New Zealand with a deeply timely and universally relevant message: the structure of work must evolve to meet the real needs of modern families.
From the New Zealand Army to Leadership Thought Leader
Ellen's story begins with a decade of service in the New Zealand Army, where she worked as an engineer officer and led soldiers at home and abroad. Her military career taught her discipline, courage, and—most importantly—how to lead. As she transitioned out of the military, she pursued an MBA and later a PhD in leadership, driven not by ambition but by a personal challenge.
Her doctoral research focused on the leadership experiences of women in the military, surfacing both empowering stories and persistent gender-based inequities. Rather than stop with research, Ellen took action, advising the Chief of the New Zealand Army and presenting her findings to senior leadership. Her goal? To make the Army more inclusive—not just for women, but for everyone.
The Birth of #WorkSchoolHours
You will enjoy watching Ellen's podcast on YouTube here:
What began as academic research soon became a mission when Ellen was bombarded with personal stories from working parents. Over 500 parents shared their frustrations: being forced out of the workforce due to caregiving, missing irreplaceable moments in their children's lives, or being underpaid for the same responsibilities simply because they worked "part-time."
One night, while breastfeeding her youngest son, Ellen had a powerful realization: "I don't want this for me or anyone else." This was the birth of the #WorkSchoolHours movement, a movement that is not just a response to a problem, but a call to action for immediate change.
What Is the #WorkSchoolHours Movement?
#WorkSchoolHours is not about working less—it's about working smarter. It's a flexible work philosophy that allows employees, especially parents, to align their work schedules with family commitments without compromising performance or pay.
Ellen explains, "We live in a world where we're expected to parent like we don't have a job and work like we don't have children. That's not sustainable."
Through her model of Belonging, Autonomy, and Purpose (BAP), Ellen offers a new way to lead and manage teams. Inspired by both anthropology and leadership science, BAP emphasizes:
- Belonging: Creating a work culture that acknowledges employees as whole people.
- Autonomy: Giving individuals the flexibility to manage their time and deliver results.
- Purpose: Helping people connect their work to something meaningful.
Ellen argues that when leaders focus on these elements, they can reduce burnout, increase productivity, and retain top talent—especially working mothers and caregivers. This not only benefits the employees but also the businesses, as it leads to a more engaged workforce and better business outcomes.
Her Book: A Practical Guide to Revolutionizing Work
In her new book, #WorkSchoolHours: A Revolution for Parents, Workplaces, and the World, Ellen doesn't just talk about change, she provides a practical roadmap for it. With three powerful sections—what's Wrong, what's Possible, and How to Fix It—this book is more than a manifesto. It's a toolkit for those ready to revolutionize their workplaces.
The book includes real-world examples from industries ranging from logistics to healthcare to manufacturing and provides actionable strategies for leaders who want to focus on outcomes rather than hours.
Even more exciting? Ellen is giving away her e-book for free on her website, ellenjoanford.com, using the code today. This is just one small way she's walking the talk about accessible change.
Why This Matters Now
In the U.S., over 50% of the workforce is women, and over 40% of children are born to single mothers. Yet, most workplaces still operate on models developed over a century ago. As artificial intelligence and other technologies transform our professional landscape, isn't it time to rethink the outdated 9-to-5?
Dr. Ford's call to action is both compassionate and commercially wise. As she says, "Happy people deliver better results." Her message is clear: when we redesign work around the realities of human life, everyone wins—parents, companies, and communities.
Listen, Learn, and Lead Differently
If you're a business leader, HR professional, or just someone juggling the demands of work and home, this episode will leave you inspired—and equipped—to take action. As a corporate anthropologist, I believe change happens through small wins. Ellen Ford shows us how powerful those wins can be when rooted in purpose.
More to Enjoy
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430: How Does Dr. Chris Fuzie Create Great Leaders?
What Are You Doing to Adapt in Times of Uncomfortable Change
Additional resources for you:
- My two award-winning books: Rethink: Smashing The Myths of Women in Business and On the Brink: A Fresh Lens to Take Your Business to New Heights
- Our latest book, Women Mean Business: Over 500 Insights from Extraordinary Leaders to Spark Your Success, co-authored with Edie Fraser and Robyn Freedman Spizman
- All of our white papers, particularly those on Blue Ocean Strategy and Culture Change
- Our website: Simon Associates Management Consultants
Connect with me:
- Website: www.simonassociates.net
- Email: [email protected]
- Books: Learn more about these books here:
- Rethink: Smashing the Myths of Women in Business
- Women Mean Business: Over 500 Insights from Extraordinary Leaders to Spark Your Success
- On the Brink: A Fresh Lens to Take Your Business to New Heights
Listen + Subscribe:
Available wherever you get your podcasts—Apple, Spotify, Stitcher, YouTube, and more. If you enjoyed this episode, leave a review and share with someone navigating their own leadership journey.
Reach out and contact us if you want to see how a little anthropology can help your business grow. Let’s Talk!
From Observation to Innovation,
Andi Simon, PhD
CEO | Corporate Anthropologist | Author
Simonassociates.net
[email protected]
@simonandi
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