Plan ahead to thrive at working away

By the Mining Family Matters team

People tend to start fly-in, fly-out (FiFO) work with a very limited understanding of what FiFO is actually like and what the challenges will be. The benefits of FiFO work include extended time at home to spend with family or invest in hobbies. But common stressors can include:

• isolation and loneliness

• Lack of contact with loved ones and communication difficulties while on site

• stressors on site, like working in a harsh climate

• extra pressure on relationships with your partner, children, family, and friends • ‘Travel fatigue’ in terms of the logistics of travel requirements

Transitioning into FiFO work will be an adjustment for you as well as your spouse, children, and even your wider social circle. The first few months can be quite tough, and feelings of sadness, loss, and confusion can be common, especially if you haven’t experienced FiFO work before. These feelings tend to settle down once you get into a new routine and establish new ways of staying connected to your loved ones. This doesn’t just happen though, you will need to take an active role in getting your head around this new way of working. Workers and their families who don’t prepare for, and work on adjusting to FiFO tend to fare much worse and then have a negative FiFO experience.

Transitioning into FIFO work will be an adjustment for you as well as your spouse, children, and even your wider social circle.

hoW To adjusT To fifo

every new job involves some level of adjustment, but the extreme differences between FiFO and other styles of work mean that there is often a culture shock for first timers. There will be changes to your work tasks, rosters/shifts, sleep, and exercise patterns. Getting used to camp life will also mean getting your head around being with your workmates almost 24-7, and changing your accommodation and diet.

looking afTer yourself

• Have you ever experienced loneliness when you were away

from home, for example on holiday or away on a work trip? How do you tend to cope?

• Have you experienced periods of depression or anxiety in the past?

How did you manage this?

it’s also important to know what support and resources are available to you and your family in your new job that can help you in coping in tough times. These services are a benefit of your new job – you might as well use them.

Physically, you’ll need to make sure you have a healthy and varied diet, get enough exercise and that you work to adjust to the different sleeping patterns onsite and at home. Have a plan in place to help you adjust from work to home and back again to minimise the disruption to your sleep.

preparing your family

One of the biggest impacts that FiFO work will have on your lifestyle will be on your relationships with your partner, children, family and friends. The cycle of emotion involved in FiFO work (constant entry and exit from the household) can be difficult for couples. The couples who adjust best are able to focus on a shared goal (life or financial) during the difficult times. Think about:

• Why you chose the FiFO lifestyle in the first place. if your answer is financial, don’t stop there. Money in and of itself doesn’t mean much.

For most people it represents having choice, options, and security. Get specific about the financial and life goals that FiFO work will help you achieve.

• Missing key family events and milestones can be especially tough. Again, having strategies in place to manage this will be important to adjusting well to FiFO work.

• Who will be available to support your partner while you’re away?

• How will you manage missed birthdays, school/sporting events, and special occasions?

Make doubly sure that you and your partner have shared expectations about how the children will be disciplined while you’re away, how much contact and communication to expect, and how you can help each other ease into and out of R&R. Here are some more tips on how families can adjust to a new FiFO roster.

The most important element of adjusting to FiFO work is preparation and planning. Winging it just isn’t an option, unless you’re looking forward to being miserable at camp, and your partner and children being beside themselves! Take active control of the change and you’ll find that you can really reduce the impact that it will have on you and your family and you can get on with enjoying the FiFO lifestyle.

since 2010, Mining Family Matters has provided professional, practical advice to miners and their families around the world. in Canada, 32page printed guides helping mining families to survive and thrive are available for companies in english and French. For information and further expert advice on careers, mental health, relationships, and parenting, visit the Mining Family Matters website at www.miningfm.com.

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