The importance of work-life balance
''I started working with Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care Trust in October 2020, my husband job means he is not often at home and able to help with the everyday childcare needs. The past 18 months has been a tough times for everyone, and highlighted the importance of a good work-life balance and the need for a flexible approach to working everywhere.
In the last year, my young family has seen our eldest, start school and youngest move into his final year in preschool. From Day one, the Trust's approach to flexibility has been fantastic, and the burden of work has been diminished, if not removed.
Throughout the pandemic, the Trust has maintained good communications, I always know where we stand, and they have very much put our safety first whilst also being flexible and empathetic to staff needs. Enabling us to work from home, making hours and business fit around home schooling and helping with other pressures of being a working mum. The Trust has also been supportive in making technology work for us, providing the tools I needed to work in a timely manner, like a work mobile when needed, and great IT support for my home computers (both Apple and Microsoft) to ensure I could do my job.
And finally, the Trust's commitment to team building and a positive ethos has been amazing. I have worked for five trusts throughout the last several years all over the country due to moving around with my husband’s work, and nowhere have I felt such a harmonious working environment, that enhances the team’s ability to produce work to its highest quality, but also just makes it a wonderful place to work, and even though most of my time with the trust has been working remotely, I really feel part of something bigger, and feel valued. I know that there are areas of improvement as with any trust, and I hear and see them trying to improve the lives for everyone.''