Juggle, an online skills market for flexible work announced $2.1 million (approx £ 1.6 million) from the investors in the UK and the US. The investors are San Francisco-based VC firms Social Capital and 7percent Ventures and London-based Oxford Capital.
Other angel investors including Andreas Mihalovits (a serial investor), Andrew Gault (backed Oculus), Andrew J Scott (backed Magic Pony), Charlie Kemper (backed Casper), Charlie Songhurst (investor in Google), Curtis Chambers (early Uber employee), Rajiv Kapoor (East coast investor) and Pip Wilson (a female Angel) also participated in the funding round.
Forward-thinking businesses with flexible professionals
Founded in 2017 by CEO Romanie Thomas, Juggle focuses on flexible working, matching forward-thinking firms with flexible mid and senior-level professionals.
As per the company claims, 62% of all placements made by Juggle have been female since its inception (2017). Notably, five out of 11 staff at Juggle work flexibly (part-time), and it is a remote-first company.
Romanie Thomas, Founder, and CEO of Juggle wants to see women in 50% of business leadership roles by 2027 and believes flexibility is key, “As a successful former headhunter I was placing senior executives, and I saw exceptional employees leaving work to have a baby and struggling to get back in. Firms passed on perfect candidates because they were uncomfortable with bespoke arrangements. I knew things had to change, and I wanted to be the driver of that change. Employees aren’t asking for anything revolutionary, just to be able to work in a way that’s most efficient and productive for them. Flexibility enables people to maximise their energy and skills, and that’s a huge benefit for employers once they realise it. The investment we’ve secured is a vote of confidence in something we already know is true.”
UK Employment Act of 1996
Flexibility at work can cover the time you work, the location, or the pattern, such as a job share. Under the UK Employment Act of 1996, there is a statutory right for any eligible employee to request flexible working, for any reason, if they have been with the company for at least 26 weeks.
According to a report from Aviva, one-fifth of UK employees won’t make the request because they are convinced it will be refused, and 35% aren’t comfortable asking their employer for more flexibility.
But more than a fifth of workers have changed companies or departments to find greater flexibility, and almost half would consider switching if the new role was more accommodating to their work/life needs.
Provides smart matching and paperwork
At present, Juggle works with various companies like Reallife Tech, Hopster, Hubble, and Whitehat. Professionals can sign up for the service where they are then guided through a thorough onboarding process. The platform also provides smart matching and paperwork. It’s worth mentioning that businesses working with Juggle are vetted in advance to ensure that they embrace flexibility.
Founding Partner at 7percent Ventures commented: “The current pandemic will have a lasting effect on the way we work. We were already on the brink of a serious shift, and Juggle was ahead of the curve. Now as more employers and workers look at flexible working arrangements, Juggle is perfectly poised to help match businesses with the right talent and provide its extensive knowledge to make a success of flexible work. Data shows that more flexibility is good for everyone, and could have a monumental impact on the gender gap, as more exceptionally talented women can be placed into senior roles. Juggle has an incredible mission and a platform to make that mission a reality.”
Founder Romanie Thomas’s core mission for Juggle is to see women in 50% of business leadership roles by 2027.
Tamsin Webster, Chief People Officer for N Family Club, added, “I’ve been placed into an exciting and flexible, senior position by Juggle previously and used them several times to find excellent people for my teams. They focus exclusively on flexible, including part-time or remote, and experienced hires for long term engagements, which works perfectly if you don’t have the luxury of time and money, but you also can’t afford to compromise on quality talent.”