One of the great benefits of working at Rest is our flexible working arrangement. It supports employees to balance their work, family and personal responsibilities by offering a range of flexible work options.
We also know our people are motivated to make a difference, and encourage them to donate their time to the community by offering community service leave. One of our employees, Gabriella, has utilised both these benefits to pursue her passion for helping abandoned dogs find new homes.
We asked her a few questions about what flexible working meant to her…
Question: What does your flexible working arrangement involve?
I’m passionate about helping rescue dogs find new homes. For a long time, I’ve volunteered my weekends to the local dog shelter – a fast paced and physically demanding environment. Working from home one day each week means I can spend an hour training some of the more challenging rescue dogs. It is something that wouldn’t be possible after work or during busy weekends at the shelter.
Question: What does work flexibility mean to you?
It means I can proudly say that my employer cares about my physical and emotional wellbeing by encouraging me to pursue the things that bring me joy! Let’s face it, a happy, healthy employee equals loyalty, commitment and increased productivity!
Question: How have you made it work for yourself and the company?
For a flexible work arrangement to work, I believe there needs to be mutual trust and commitment. There are many benefits for being a Rest employee, but having the support from my team to pursue something that’s very meaningful to me has tripled my loyalty and commitment in return. I never hesitate to go that extra mile where possible to help my team or work towards our joint objectives. Plus, Rest has given me all the tools I need to connect with my colleagues and access my work from anywhere.
Question: Would you take a job that didn’t offer flexible working?
The short answer is no. If there are no negative impacts on my team or my work, I see no reason why flexible working shouldn’t be an option. I believe in a can-do attitude and the need of addressing any challenges or concerns in an open, trusting environment.