As part of National Work Life Week, we’ve asked our team about their experiences.
Today, we asked Managing Director and Founder of The Space Program (and Container Team, our parent company), Hazel, about finding a work/life balance:
“The whole basis for setting up the company originally was to enable Tim (my husband and co-director) and I to develop more of a work/life balance. We wanted to be available for our children in a way that wasn’t possible in our previous careers. We wanted to be able to attend school sports days and nativity plays. To spend quality time together as a family.
“Obviously, setting up a brand new business involved a significant amount of hard work and long hours, but it also gave us more flexibility and control. I’ve always tried to avoid taking on project work during the school holidays. I still do the day-to-day work that is needed, but I can make sure I also have time for the family.
“As a family-run company, our whole ethos is built around finding a suitable balance of work and life. Family is placed firmly at the heart of our company values. We want a workplace where people want to be, where they feel valued and supported. Our motto ‘We listen, we care, we serve’ applies to our staff every bit as much as to our customers.
“As the company has grown, we’ve been able to build a team of people that we can rely on to look after the business in our absence. This means we can take holidays when we need them and have a break. I’ve always encouraged our staff to take their holidays. Everyone needs downtime. It’s very important that people take that time to refresh their batteries and spend time with the people they love. We all work better that way.”