Within the Travis Perkins Group, family values are very important to us, so we endeavour to accommodate our colleagues needs. The Covid-19 pandemic has forced us all to work in different ways, and for us, if our colleagues are safe, happy, and able to do their job, we are proud to facilitate hybrid ways of working.
Hybrid working might mean working from home if necessary, or flexible hours to accommodate family needs. We’ve found that the best way to ensure hybrid working is effective and ensuring colleagues feel part of a team is to communicate regularly. By supporting this flexibility, colleagues like Donna are able to do their jobs well whilst fulfilling career prospects and balancing their personal lives.
Below are some insights from colleagues at CCF who are enjoying the benefits of hybrid ways of working within our Group.
Successfully balancing work and motherhood
Rachel is a Category Manager and has been with CCF for five years, but in total her time within the Group spans across seven. Pre-Covid, a typical day for Rachel looked very different to what it does now.
‘I always had the mad morning dash to avoid the M1 rush hour traffic and get a head start on the day's work. My role is typically quite fast paced and demanding, and with the busy drive in the mornings my mind always felt quite manic before I began the working day.
A busy day of meetings in the office also gave me little down time to actually complete proper work. As a result, I would grab a quick sandwich at lunch time but that was normally eaten at my desk so I could maximise my working time and I was often guilty of thinking “just 5 more minutes…” at the end of the working day which meant I was often home later than I wanted to be.’
Rachel says that our new hybrid ways of working have significantly improved her work/life balance, which is just what we wanted to achieve. ‘I’ve also recently returned to the business from maternity leave and was very fortunate to have approved part-time working hours. When working from home, I’m able to be involved in our family routine both before and after the working day. I try to take a quick break at lunch time to get some fresh air away from my desk which has also helped my mental wellbeing. As a working mum, I’ve had to be disciplined with switching off at the end of the day as there isn’t a physical commute to distance yourself from the office/working environment, however I’ve found myself to be more focused in my working hours.’
The ability to be more present with her family is one of Rachel’s favourite things about our new flexible working style; ‘Being available to do nursery pick up at the end of the day is also a huge perk to see my little girl's smiling face!’
Whilst there are huge advantages to this flexibility, Rachel admits it can sometimes present challenges that come with working part-time. ‘Juggling lots of different business priorities in less time whilst wanting my output to be as high as my peers that work full-time is a personal battle every week, but I also feel fully trusted and empowered to manage my workload which makes me feel motivated and a valued member of the team.’ Great news!
Saving time and money by working from home three days a week
Feargal joined the business during the pandemic as a Marketing Assistant at CCF. Coming from a labouring background on a construction site, he had no real experience in an office environment before Covid hit. However, he found that his onboarding process was still very helpful.
Unfortunately, due to restrictions in place at the time of joining, Feargal could not be in the office full time. However, he was still able to come in two days a week for his first month to get face to face communication with his team. ‘Though I would have preferred to be in the office more at the beginning, the hybrid model really helped. It meant that as a new starter I wasn’t totally isolated and was able to interact with colleagues, which is vital during inductions and for building relationships.’
We asked how our new hybrid ways of working have helped his work/life balance, and Feargal said: ‘I think the most beneficial thing I have taken from it is reduced travel time. In my previous job, my day started much earlier and I had to pay more in travel expenses. When I finish the day working from home, what would have been my commute time is now added to my leisure time outside of work, in addition to benefiting from a reduction in travel expenses each month.’
We know there are countless benefits that come from hybrid ways of working, but Feargal says his favourite aspect is the balance of working both independently and as part of a team. ‘I am able to come into the office for a couple of days in the week, which is helpful as it allows me to ask key questions to my managers in person. Another reason I enjoy flexible working is that it not only allows me to communicate with colleagues directly about work, but it allows me to meet people I wouldn’t usually communicate with i.e., colleagues who fall outside my work team.’
Enjoy hybrid ways of working within the Travis Perkins Group
It’s great to hear our colleagues accounts of how they’ve benefited from hybrid ways of working during difficult Covid times within our Group. If you’re looking for a new role with flexibility, or are considering a career change, we may have an opportunity for you.
Read more about our benefits, or browse our current Head Office & Central Services roles today.
