Clara Wilcox at The Balance Collective

I help companies provide personalised return-to-work coaching support, enabling them to retain and support engaged, committed and balanced staff in a purposeful and enjoyable career.

Your staff are your greatest asset, so how do you support them through significant life transitions? Change hits hard, returning to a workplace whilst managing emotions like guilt, fear and uncertainty. Supporting a person through their return to work takes time; the reason for their leave may still exist – such as stress, illness, or grief – or they may be juggling new responsibilities, in the case of parental leave. Even the most well-meaning organisation may not have the tools and skills in place to support them.

That is where I come in. I’m Clara Wilcox, a Return to Work and Career Coach.

A doubly qualified coach (gained in 2017 and 2024), I work with small to medium-sized organisations and departments of larger organisations, providing coaching services. This supports mental health, morale, productivity and helps craft and maintain a wellbeing-focused culture. Providing maternity coaching also increases employee retention; I’m sure you understand the importance of gender balance in business! 

After we work together, employers have more engaged, attentive and committed people who believe in their skills and experience. Clients who work with me report that they are more confident in their career choices, more in control of their work-life balance, understand their skills better, feel more assertive and ambitious, and have reduced feelings of stress and anxiety. Businesses thrive when they have engaged and reflective staff. 

But don’t just take my word for it:

“Clara’s support and correctly placed challenges really helped my anxiety at returning to work after having children. She also provided tools that I can continue to use at future stages and key career milestones to help keep me on track. Clara asked poignant questions which really caused you to self-reflect. Her experience was invaluable and made me really at ease.”

“Working with Clara has been incredibly helpful to me in re-framing my mindset and approach to work following a period of sick leave. She is calm and approachable and is so perceptive in providing the appropriate level of challenge at the right time. I have learned so much from my time working with her.”

I founded The Balance Collective in 2015, recognising a gap for coaching parents returning to work. My approach is underpinned by neuroscience and positive psychology, educating through self-reflection, while fostering insight, resilience, and self-esteem. It’s a client-centric approach, acknowledging how unsettling career transitions are, whether through returning to work after paternity, maternity or adoption, bereavement, career breaks, ill health or sabbaticals.

With over 20 years of experience in career and skills development, I have a particular affinity for the commercial, professional services, and not-for-profit industries. For all organisations, I become your “in-house” coach, connecting with your team members at the point of their return, making your processes much more personal. I am as comfortable working with the first-ever maternity returner within a management consultancy as supporting a university in launching a general return-to-work coaching project. The coaching is delivered online, allowing flexibility for all organisations, especially those who work remotely, hybrid or have multiple sites across the UK. 

If you are an HR Manager, People Manager, Head of Department, or part of a Parent & Carer Group, looking to support staff wellbeing and DEI, then reach out to find out how I can create bespoke coaching and career wellbeing workshop packages to coach the parents and returners in your team.  

Isn’t it time for everyone to have a career they enjoy, not endure?