Before joining Whyfield, I worked as a manager at a supermarket doing shift work. This could be anything from a 6 am start, to a 12 pm finish. The timings were non-negotiable due to the nature of my role, which brought many challenges where childcare was concerned.
Upon making the decision to leave, I decided to look for other jobs as a package, making sure the priority wasn’t just the career opportunities and salaries, but also the work life balance – something money certainly can’t buy!
Joining Whyfield and the 11-month conversation
When joining Whyfield, after a few chats about my personal life and what is important to me, the Directors quickly came back with the idea of an 11-month working year.
This meant that I would have all of August off without it affecting my holiday balance, or salary.
As a working mum, the looming summer holidays filled me with dread. The stress of having to juggle work, while trying to spend quality time with my daughter, find childcare (all the time hoping that nobody cancelled), plus the worry of having to take time off unpaid… It’s a minefield.
Whyfield’s offer of the 11-month working year not only alleviated all of these worries and stresses, but also gave me precious time with my daughter, which I certainly will never get back.
They recognised that they would much rather have me being productive until 31st July, coming back feeling refreshed on September 1st, than spending all of August rushing around, stressed and potentially not being able to give my 100%.
How to make it work for both employer and employees
Allowing employees to have a month off may feel daunting and unreachable, however if this is clearly communicated with clients and the workload is broken down, a massive list of responsibilities can feel more achievable.
Pre-planning the ‘need to dos’ in July and picking up the ‘nice to do’s’ in September is a great way of prioritising tasks.
Flexible working is never a one size fits all and it can look different depending on each employee’s personal situation.
Whyfield have listened to me and given me the precious gift of time, which I will be eternally grateful for. Not only have I managed to deliver 100% through my 11-month working year, I have also had two promotions, and continue to thrive in my new workplace and in my career. And what’s more, I have done all of this while being a fully present mum at home to my beautiful daughter.
If you’d like to find out more about implementing an 11-month working year for an employee, email us contact@whyfield.co.uk