finding strength:Harvir Padda's Story
Balancing parenthood and a career is certainly a juggling act. But for Harvir Padda, her role as mum to her two children has taken her down a different path. Carer for her son and trustee and board member for a charity close to her heart, Harvir has had to overcome plenty of challenges outside of her career at Holcim.
welcome back
Harvir works in the people team at Holcim and is currently change lead for a major IT-based transformation project. She returned to work in 2023 after maternity leave but has been with the company for almost eight years, starting in the operational excellence team.
“My role at the beginning of my journey with Holcim was very different to what I do now,” Harvir said.
“It was site based and involved a lot of travelling, but after I gave birth to my youngest, Dhian, and came back from my second maternity leave in 2023, I wanted to try something different.”
Harvir’s first maternity leave was a difficult time for her and her family. Her first-born son, Dylan, was born with multiple severe health conditions that affect his eyesight and other vital organs and, understandably, made Harvir’s return to work a daunting prospect.
After welcoming her beautiful son into the world, Harvir knew his complex needs would make going back to work a challenge. But the team at Holcim made sure she knew support was there for her whenever she needed it.
“My team were so supportive,” Harvir continued. “They assured me I didn’t need to have all the answers right away and that I just needed to focus on Dylan and getting through this difficult time in our lives. I was petrified about the prospect of Dylan starting nursery and I remember thinking that nobody was going to give me an opportunity after this. I assumed they were going to look at me and all my commitments and hospital appointments and just dismiss me.
“When I did come back to work, my heart was aching that I wasn’t with Dylan. But at the same time, it was such an amazing environment to be in. I’d become both a mum and a carer to Dylan overnight, yet I also returned to work and was able to be my own person. Work was mine; it was my time to just be me.”
Rather than the challenging working environment Harvir had dreaded returning to, she found that Holcim encouraged her into roles she didn’t think she’d be able to do.
Harvir said: “Work was wonderful. They worked around mine and Dylan’s needs and, when the time was right, they offered me the opportunity to work on a new challenge – the IT project I now work on.
“That was really empowering. I’ve always wanted to stay at Holcim because of the people. They’re understanding and they genuinely care. If anything, I value the company now more because when my life hit rock bottom, it stepped up and was there for me and my family.”
Harvir juggles home life with her role at Holcim, but that doesn’t stop her getting involved in projects within the organisation and the wider community that give back to others.
uplifting others
Alongside her day-to-day tasks at Holcim, Harvir is also a member of the company’s ‘Women Empowered’ group. The team is dedicated to finding internal and external equal opportunities for women.
Harvir added: “It’s great to be part of the Women Empowered group because I get to give back to other women working at Holcim. I think for mothers especially, and I know from my own experience, it can be hard to find your identity after you have a child. For me, balancing motherhood with being a carer and an advocate for the charity that supports my son can be all consuming.
“This group allows me to work with like-minded women at Holcim and creates a real sense of belonging.”
Outside of work, Harvir is a board member and trustee of charity MACS, a small national charity supporting children and adults born without eyes or with underdeveloped eyes. When Dylan was born, his rare medical condition meant that Harvir and her family were transferred to Birmingham Children’s Hospital and Great Ormond Street Hospital to receive specialist care.
Harvir said: “Because Dylan’s condition is so rare, there isn’t a lot of information out there and so when he was born, I had to navigate and do my own research online and through social media. That’s when someone recommended I reach out to MACS.
“I started talking to some of the other parents and people within the charity, which is when the engagement officer reached out to me. She said the charity was looking to take on more board members and trustees, so I jumped at the chance.”
Now, Harvir works with the charity as a volunteer to help other parents navigate their children’s disabilities, in the same way the charity helped her.
foundations for the future
It’s been a tough year for Dylan. So far, he’s already had two surgeries and is due to start school this September. But Harvir couldn’t be prouder of the person he’s becoming in the face of adversity.
Harvir said: “Dylan is beautiful, smart, resilient and thriving. He’s brave, cheeky, funny, confident and so sociable. I think because of everything he’s been through, he’s been able to develop his empathy skills from a young age. He makes me the proudest mum.
“I’m so proud of my family and thankful I work for a company that doesn’t just say they care but show it.”
We are delighted to have Harvir on our team. She exudes kindness and goes the extra mile for her colleagues, despite the challenges she’s faced herself. And we can’t wait to see what Dylan gets up to at school this year!
To find out more about MACS charity, please click here.
