3 minute read
Cleankill
Cleankill MD Paul Bates suggests ways to relax way from work. If it’s good for you, it will be good for everyone around you
TAKE SOME TIME TO RECHARGE
Life in the 21st century is not always easy, and the last three years have been very difficult for many people in many different ways such as financial concerns, mental and physical health worries, family issues, work-related problems etc, and on occasion it is difficult to know who we can talk to or where we can turn to.
To help staff, Cleankill Pest Control has set up an Employee Assistance Programme with Health Assured. This is a confidential employee benefit that provides a complete support network of trained counsellors offering expert advice and compassionate guidance 24/7 on a wide range of issues for employees, their partners and any children (aged 16-24 in full-time education) living in the same house. There is also as a mobile health app that allows people to keep track of your own health.
I am the Managing Director of an SME which has become successful due to the incredibly hard work of every member of the Cleankill team but I stand firmly by the saying – ‘work to live, not live to work’. By this I mean no one should let their work become all consuming however much they love their job. We all need down time to rest and refuel our brains and bodies. We weren’t designed to sit at a desk and look at a screen all day. And, let’s face it, most of us have the best ideas for work when we are away from the office doing something completely different and not thinking about work.
I’m not saying people should fill every spare hour they have, but everyone should try and have at least one outside interest. Personally, my regular interests include tennis, being a scout leader and singing in the local church choir. I also try to support my football team (Crystal Palace) as often as I can. All of this means my schedule is pretty packed but these activities give me huge satisfaction. I get to mix with a variety of people – young and old – from outside my work and still manage to squeeze in some allimportant family time.
My fellow Cleankill directors have a wide range of outside work interests too. Ian Miller is an avid guitarist and also plays hockey in the England veterans team which involves lots of practise and travelling to matches. Clive Bury is the drummer in a band and enjoys beekeeping. Jon Whitehead takes part in walking rugby, the local Round Table and 41 Club and is interested in model railways.
Interests outside work are not only good for mental health but they give you something interesting to talk about at work and to your customers. You might even find you have a common interest or know the same people which strengthens your relationship when you want to do business with them.
Pest control is a people business. We are not selling widgets to faceless customers, we are providing trained people who have to physically visit a premises to carry out a service. Without my staff, I can’t operate my business. That’s why taking care of them and helping them to stay fit and healthy is a priority.
