Efficient employee is happy employee. Having a good work-life balance has been proven to have a positive impact on mood which in turn broadens mindset, raises interest, and energizes employees at every level, enabling better work performance. You might have worked in a workplace that provides various of perks. Famous fruity Wednesdays or pizza Fridays are legendary... also in ANIXE. However, the most popular benefit ANIXE has are flexible working hours. And parents are the group, who highlight it the most. How do we support our employees with kids? We asked a few of our employees for their perspective.
Ewelina
What benefits have made your life as a mother easier?
Flexible working hours, for sure. Working and parenting is quite a challenging mix, working as a single parent is even more complex. But not here. One of the reasons many women come back to employment after childbirth is friendly environment with flexible approach to time at work. When I was to decide about having a baby it was clear to me ANIXE is the right place to be and raise a child without compromising career and family life. Since I became a mom, I never had to stress about whether I would be on time to pick up my kid from kindergarten or stay home with a little child having disease. A considerable advantage was the incredible empathy of my supervisors, who are also parents and understand that small children can get sick, or something may happen unexpectedly.
Another plus is that on days when schools are closed, there is no problem with taking time off, working from home or bringing a little one to the office.
My daughter likes the Santa Claus party, which is organized every year. It is a lovely moment when parents meet in our cozy office, children can take part in looking for gifts, together we decorate gingerbreads or greeting cards.
What do you think the employer gains by giving flexibility to parents?
The gains are that experienced employees, who usually already have families, feel more comfortable at work. If we, as a company, did not have flexible hours and a pro-parent approach, we would not be able to hire people from this group. Giving the employee free time to spend with their family is crucial. Flexible working hours enable us to employ senior level colleagues who can balance their precious time. It is a solution where everyone benefits. I am also proud to share, that in last 10 years all women who gave birth when employed at ANIXE came back to their duties after maternity. Some of us more than twice.
Michał
Do you think ANIXE is a parent-friendly workplace?
Yes, I have never had problems combining my role as a father with my job. I was in ANIXE before I became the father of two children, so I have a view of the work-life balance from every perspective. At no stage did ANIXE make it difficult for me to merge work with my private life. On the contrary - the company has always supported it.
How does ANIXE carry families?
I appreciate that ANIXE does not make it difficult for me to be a parent. It is important to me that I can leave work early to pick up my baby or take them to the doctor during the day. At ANIXE, that is not a problem at all. I cannot compare it with other companies because I have spent all my professional life with children at here. However, I have heard many different stories from my friends from other organizations. What I consider the norm (e.g., flexibility, finishing work at evenings, the possibility of going out during the day for family arrangements) in other companies seems unacceptable or barely possible. Therefore, the most significant advantage of ANIXE are elastic working hours and an empathetic attitude towards employee. I can safely come to work at 10:00 or finish at 14:00. We can arrange tasks inside the team in a friendly and timely manner.
Our office is child-friendly. Did your children visit us?
Yes, my daughter has many good memories from our office. She often asks when she can come to the office with me. For her, this is a adorable place. She can swing on a swing, lie in a hammock, watch fairytales, pour herself water, and eat candy. She is big enough that she can take care of herself, and I can work.
Mateusz
Does the company allow you to combine the role of a father with work?
Of course. When I need to leave work early or take time off, the company understands and supports me according to my needs. There are also various attractions for children, such as Santa Claus Day. The main benefit is the possibility of remote work when necessary to take care of my daughter. In such situations I can travel to my parents, who live in another country, focus on job-related tasks during the day and immediately care for the child after work. It saved my life many times :).
How do you think companies should assistance parents?
It is important to understand the parent may be more likely to be responsible for caring for the child, especially the newly born one.
Was there any situation where ANIXE made it easier for you to look after your children?
When my daughter recently started nursery, she was very ill at first. Of course, it is difficult to look after a small child and at the same time fulfil your professional responsibilities. Fortunately, at ANIXE, I was met with understanding and could reconcile these two things without any problems.
What is the most challenging part of combining working life with the role of a father?
A willingness to quickly develop, achieve as many goals as possible, and raise a child. These two things are at opposite poles because the former requires you to think about your needs, and the latter about another person's needs. Connecting these two worlds is not always the most straightforward task.
Stanisław
Have you ever come to the office with your daughter?
Yes, my daughter has spent several hours here with me. It was an emergency, and she had to be picked up faster from kindergarten.
Is the ANIXE office a child-friendly place?
Our office is a charming place for her. She visited all the nooks and crannies and used our swing - she is always happy when she can come to the office with me and stay here for a while. We do not realize it as adults, but our office is a fascinating and attractive place for a child. This place is safe for children, especially during St. Nicholas' Day parties when our kids were running around the office, and they could be found everywhere. The office is total "kids friendly" in terms of space and employees. Many of ANIXE’ans come to work with children.
Do you think ANIXE is a parent-friendly company?
I am convinced it is. We can work from home and have flexible working hours – the best possible benefit combo from a parent's perspective. You can start at 6 or 10. It is also possible to stop work, for example, to pick up the child from school and return to work. Nobody has a problem here in these situations. It is not a popular opinion in other institutions, which is a pity because it makes organizing the day easier. In addition, I can use various benefits that support families, such as multisport for families, private medical services, health insurance or “0% loan” from the social fund. It is also worth mentioning that there is never a problem with taking care of a child or "paternity" leave.
ANIXE is not only family-friendly employer, but we are also friendly at all. We highly respect each-other no matter beliefs or marital statuses we have. All-together we establish inclusive environment that encourages teamwork, creativity, trust, and loyalty. Respectful culture is built on fairness and tolerance. Everyone here is a valuable member of the team. Would you like to join one and balance your life? Apply!