We all know that gaining new skills and additional work experience are the foundations of professional growth and key to moving up the career ladder, but there’s undoubtedly a recognition now that personal growth is becoming just as important if we are to get the very best out of our workforce. In recent years, many businesses have started to come on board with the notion of wellness and the importance of ensuring that employees are encouraged to ‘grow’ on a personal level…..but this hasn’t always been the case. If we look back to the 90s, the main focus in the workplace was undoubtedly solely on professional development, with the individual’s personal needs rarely considered.
Our COO Julie Philips remembers this only too well when she was starting out in her career….
“When I started out work was very much government led – focussed on achieving KPIs, gaining qualifications and with no real interest in the personal life of the individual – it just wasn’t talked about! As COO of CHS I see the shift towards a more holistic approach as such a positive move as it really does underpin our values here at CHS. In order for us to be successful and to grow our business, we need to understand the needs of our amazing team both in and out of the office. We know that if we take the time to really understand what is important to them and what makes them tick, this will come back to us tenfold as a healthy working culture is created – our team feel valued, they’re loyal and they’re given the space and support they need to grow both at work and in their personal lives.”
Whether it’s a post pandemic effect or whether the focus was always going to shift but has simply been accelerated by Covid; there’s no doubt that the importance of investing in our wellness and the desire to gain a better work/life balance has gained more prominence and we couldn’t be more delighted! Here at CHS, we understand that personal and professional development go hand in hand; it’s about supporting our team to meet their goals and understanding that in order for us to grow professionally, there also needs to be a focus on what is important to each team member personally. It’s also about understanding that not one size fits all – we are all individuals, with different interests, passions and goals, and that we can bring so much more to the table professionally if our personal needs are allowed to flourish.
With this in mind, we have been busy at CHS HQ developing a brand new digital lifestyle platform called ‘The Edit’ which offers curated content to help fellow professionals find that all important work/life balance. Featuring our new highly-acclaimed podcast ‘Love Life Live Well’ hosted by our very own CEO Emma Cartmell, the platform aims to engage, inspire and offer different perspectives on personal development and how that presents itself for different individuals. From decluttering and habit stacking to journaling and solo travel, Emma explores a wide range of themes with her guests in Season 1 who share their experiences, what’s important to them when it comes to loving life, living well and what they do on a regular basis to maintain that healthy work / life balance.
The platform also features exclusive leisure and lifestyle offers from our industry partners; from discounted hotel stays and MICE offers to VIP experiences, there’s a whole new world outside of the office and we are here to encourage you to pack your bags, experience something new and enjoy some well-deserved ‘you’ time! We are of the firm belief that everyone should try something new to help find that balance in their day to day lives and to make the most of time away from their place of work. In order to be the best version of ourselves, it makes sense that we should take the time to invest in ourselves both in and out of our working environment and we hope that ‘The Edit’ will inspire our readers to find that healthy balance.
To learn more, head to https://hello-chs.com/the-edit-by-chs/