An Employee for a Year: My First Work Anniversary

I can officially say I have been an employee for a year! Although, for many working for a year will not seem a great achievement, just the part and parcel of life. For me it is. It is something that didn’t seem possible for so long.

How Has Working Been?

I have really enjoyed it. I feel I am an employee; I am contributing to society.

Before I started working, I felt a bit like people were saying how good it is to work, as they wanted me to work and not be on benefits. I was sceptical, thinking they were just saying that. Would it really have this amazing impact on my life? However, I was wrong. Surprisingly, it does feel good, I feel I have a purpose, am an employee and have value.

Working Part Time

Working part time is a challenge. Let’s face it most people don’t expect an average 31-year-old to work 10 hours a week. Even as a Mum with children, people would still probably expect 2-5 days a week. So, trying to fit everything in can be very difficult, especially when you have all the standard meetings, training etc of a full-time employee but actually need to do some work too! 

The Balancing Act of Working and Health

My mind is willing to work or study more but my body is not. I have to be careful not to overdo it and then pay for it for a few days of not being able to do anything. Exasperating pain and exhaustion. I want to progress my career, but have to be realistic.

Working From Home

Over the last year I have worked from home. I have yet to spend my ‘first day’ in the office as an employee.

Working from home, although slightly tricky in the beginning, trying to learn my role has been greatly benefitual to me. I can be a bit more independent at home- having someone with me and around but not next to me in the office. I can change chairs, stand or move and have a short lay down in my chair, meaning that I can work more hours than if I was in the office. I can’t sit in my powerchair all day. Combined with the extra time of sitting travelling to and from work, unless I arrive like I am staying for the week with an extra wheelchair, splints, walker etc then it would not be possible to do as many hours. Plus I am not sure I can just randomly lay down in the office!

I am pleased to have achieved starting at 4 hours a week a year ago and now worked up to 10 hours a week split over several days.

Hopefully, in the near future I will make an occasional trip into the office for the social element, to see collegues etc.

An Inclusive Employer and the Power of Zoom

I am lucky I have a wonderful inclusive employer and colleagues. The people you work with, make such a difference.

Generally, I have found that although I am disabled, people treat me equally. Which is amazing as it isn’t how it is in the real world. Nevertheless, meeting people on zoom for the first time has been an interesting experience. People don’t know I am a wheelchair user. They see Hannah the Finance Administrator first. This is not something I have experienced before; people have always seen Hannah the girl in the wheelchair. (I can’t really hide it!) Hopefully, then they get to know me as a person first, before it is made know to them, I am a wheelchair user. My hope is then, I become known as Hannah the Finance Administrator who happens to also use a wheelchair. The wheelchair is a secondary or additional element but not the whole of me.

Hannah x

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