Australia 
Brazil 
Canada 
Chile 
China 
Columbia 
Denmark 
France 
India 
Indonesia 
Italy 
Malaysia 
New Zealand 
Norway 
Panama 
Peru 
Poland 
Portugal 
Saudi Arabia 
Singapore 
South Korea 
Spain 
Sweden 
Taiwan 
Thailand 
United Kingdom 
United States 
Vietnam 
SYSTRA currently supports a range of flexible working arrangements. The case studies below are examples of how flexible working has been implemented for colleagues in a variety of roles throughout the business, and how it has had a positive impact on them.
Throughout our connected teams, we recognise that flexible working can bring benefits to the company and the colleague. Our approach will allow flexible working wherever it is possible for working arrangements to be adapted to suit both personal and organisational circumstances.
Charlotte Woodhall-Jones, Discipline Lead (Ground Engineering), currently has a flexible working pattern and works 24 hours-per-week (60% full time equivalent). This is typically fixed to three full days, working two days in the office to collaborate with, and support, her team.
She initially requested flexible working for childcare purposes but as her children grew older and transitioned to school, she retained a flexible working arrangement to enable a focus on self-care and mental wellbeing.
“With time I have realised that flexible working brings an additional benefit of developing skills to become more effective and collaborative,” Charlotte added.
“You cannot work in isolation when working flexibly, you need support from others to ensure work progresses in your absence.”
“SYSTRA have embraced and supported my flexible working needs. In addition, I have been overwhelmingly supported in developing a career progression pathway at SYSTRA irrespective of my working pattern; flexible working is not seen as a limitation.”
Charlotte said anyone considering a move to a flexible working pattern should be clear on their underpinning reason for the change and establish soft and hard boundaries.
“This ensures clear and consistent communication for everyone involved; flexible working requires knowledge of what is flexible and what is not.”
Flexible working offers such potential for health and wellbeing; I hope that seeing a case study like mine, showing progression to a senior leadership role, helps to demonstrate that with the right mindset and right support your career can flourish whilst working flexibly.
Charlotte Woodhall-Jones, Discipline Lead (Ground Engineering), SYSTRA Ltd
Read more about Charlotte’s journey here.
Associate Director (Consultancy) Pete Kidd, has followed a flexible working arrangement for over 20 years.
For Pete, flexible working has been imperative after being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, a life-long progressive degenerative autoimmune illness that will impact his ability to work throughout the rest of his career.
He said: “Having flexibility to work reduced hours, as well as regularly working from home, has, and will continue to be, critical in me delivering optimum performance in my work.”
“SYSTRA recognise that there might be some ongoing variability and work with me to accommodate these specific needs.”
At various times, I have used my reduced hours to allow me to undertake voluntary work, explore other hobbies, look after my young daughter, and to mitigate the impacts of ill health.
Pete Kidd, Associate Director (Consultancy), SYSTRA Ltd
Read more about Pete’s journey here.
Jenny Taylor, Associate Director (Consultancy), has worked flexibly for 12 years, varying her days and hours as her non-working requirements have changed.
The arrangements have helped her balance a career with childcare responsibilities, while the option to work from home has provided peace of mind when it comes to supporting her family.
“My line managers have always been very supportive of any requests I have made for flexible working, as have colleagues I have worked with, who have been happy to rearrange meetings to fit in with my working hours,” said Jenny.
Although finding opportunities for progression as I’m working flexibly can be more challenging, my career has continued to develop.
Jenny Taylor, Associate Director (Consultancy), SYSTRA Ltd
“Whilst managing intense projects, I’ve required more support from Project Directors to oversee projects on days I’m not working, but for the rest of my work, including proposal management, project direction and staff development, I’ve been able to fit the work within my working hours by planning ahead.”
And Jenny has one simple rule when it comes to managing her flexible hours: “It is very easy to get sucked into working on your days off,” she said.
“So be very strict about not checking emails or Teams when you are working, as five minutes can quickly turn into an hour.”
Read more about Jenny’s journey here.