Flexible working at Full Fat
Around this time last year, I was sitting at the back of a “How to Grow your Business on LinkedIn” training session, optimistically attempting to apply myself to my entrepreneurial journey with an 11 month old in-tow. As anticipated, we lasted 40 minutes before he got bored and we had to make a swift exit!
Unsure of my career goals at the time, my focus was on maintaining a balance between motherhood and my career that felt fulfilling. When I became a mother, I had recently become a freelance social media manager, and while it was demanding, I really valued the flexibility in deciding my own workload and working times that freelancing gave. I began freelancing with Full Fat part time from Feb 2023, as general support for the social media team, evolving to focus on influencer management across PR and social, and I’m excited to have started this new year moving into a permanent role as Influencer Manager.
Striking a balance between professional ambitions and treasuring the experiences of motherhood is an ongoing challenge, one that I know is shared by many other parents. The allure of flexibility and autonomy that comes with freelance life is something I have been hesitant to step away from, and I feel lucky to have found myself working in a super exciting creative agency that fully supports hybrid and flexible working, making the shift feel like a no-brainer.
At Full Fat, it is truly believed that “a happy team breeds success”, not just a statement on a website, this is a core value that is ingrained in the culture. My colleague Clara has a similar arrangement in order to focus on her university degree and art on Fridays, while Sophie takes alternating Friday’s off to spend time with her son. Full Fat established FF+, which is an employee culture and wellbeing programme to promote positive culture and wellbeing, it’s continuously evolving to ensure the culture perpetuates.
Agencies that embrace flexibility understand the significance of staff wellbeing, and trust among colleagues, enabling employees to manage their workloads efficiently while attending to personal commitments. The landscape of flexible working has shifted a lot in recent years, and I’m delighted to see organisations acknowledging the importance of work-life balance, and the variation of what that actually means from person to person. This shift not only enables individuals to balance their professional and personal lives but also empowers them to be more committed, productive, and effective contributors to their teams, and that culture creates an environment where individuals feel valued, fostering commitment and loyalty. It just makes sense, doesn’t it?
On reflection, 2023 was a journey of learning to navigate career and family aspirations, having the ability to balance both areas of my life effectively has been made possible through flexible working. I’m looking forward to what can be achieved in 2024!