It goes without saying that everyone wants to be happy at work. Happiness at work could mean anything from getting the best out of wellbeing programmes, to being part of a great organisational culture, or simply just feeling secure in your job.
Legend has it that being content at work improves productivity and when you strike the right balance, it even has its benefits outside of your professional life.
Earlier this year, Olivia Addy from the Communications team switched roles from being a Voice of Customer (VOC) Coordinator to a Corporate Communications Assistant. To mark International Week of Happiness at Work she has put together a few words to share what makes her happy at work.
Deciding what’s right for you
Being happy at work has a different meaning to everyone. To me, it means taking on new challenges and having the freedom to be creative whilst contributing to the bigger picture. Speaking of challenges, this year I embarked on a new adventure at work that came in the form of a career change.
I originally started my journey at Abri last summer as a VOC Coordinator, my role varied from recording VOC panel meeting minutes to supporting the panels to achieve their goals. Naturally, after a while, I was ready for a new challenge. I wanted to contribute to the colleague experience at work, so I took a leap of faith and applied to become a Corporate Communications Assistant.
I decided to apply for an internal role rather than an external one. This felt like the right choice for me as I love working for an organisation that has a positive influence on society – our impact as an organisation keeps me optimistic.
Feeling right at home
When I initially joined the Communications team, I felt a little overwhelmed as the team was a lot bigger than my previous one – and the very first Comms meeting I joined on Teams had over sixteen colleagues on the call. It was a little daunting in the beginning, but before I knew it, I got used it and felt right at home. I’m settling in well and there is still plenty to learn but many of my skills were transferable – I also think having background knowledge of the business was very useful in my move. All in all, I’d say my role transition was smooth with great support from my previous and current team.
A day in the life of a Corporate Communications Assistant
My typical working day is quite flexible, this means that I can get my work done when my energy levels are at their highest throughout the day. To top this, I’m also given the choice to work from wherever I feel the most productive, this is great as it gives me autonomy and freedom in my daily routine.
Since joining the Communications team, it’s been all systems go. I’m always encouraged to use my imagination and creativity which has empowered me to master the Abri tone of voice, the planning of campaigns and writing news stories for our colleagues and customers to read.
Don’t be afraid to reflect on how far you’ve come
My confidence grows day by day in this role, providing me with exciting opportunities like supporting the team with planning the all-colleague event taking place this autumn. Event planning has been really fun, and it’s been eye-opening to see what it takes to put together a big event.
Looking back to the start of my journey, not only have I had a change in career, but I’ve learnt a lot in a short space of time which has been a huge achievement for me. It’s given me a real boost and I feel like I have great prospects ahead of me. I’m excited to see what the future holds.
- Olivia Addy, Corporate Communications Assistant
