Purpose has an important role at Diageo, the world’s leading premium drinks company, and their purpose of Celebrating life, every day, everywhere is broad and full of opportunity. They believe that when their people are fulfilled they deliver better performance. They believe in making the most of life, to be the best they can be at work, at home, with friends, in the community and for the community.
In line with this purpose, employees celebrated International Day of Families. They supported the theme that focuses on raising awareness of the role of families and family policies, through sharing what "family" means to them and how Diageo supports them in achieving a work-family balance.
Here’s what they had to say…
Sandra Caffrey, HR Business Partner, Commercial
“My life has been enriched by becoming a Mum. I love the perspective that having children gives you in terms of how positively they view the world, how open they are to learning and how fun is such an important part of their lives.”
“I love what I do and I think that it is really important. I tend not to focus on work/life balance assuch as I find there isn’t really clear separation between home and work. Rather than trying to force my work and home life into completely separate and distinct roles, I prioritise whatever it is that needs to be done. I am very privileged to work for an organisation that feels the same.”
James Ashall, Innovation Director for Futures
“Family is a core part of my life. It provides support and a grounding that brings me back to earth. No matter how things change in the world and our lives, family gives me stability, warmth, inspiration and love. Diageo has been great in supporting us in growing our young family. I took 8 months shared parental leave last year after our son was born. It was an amazing time to spend with both of our young children.”
Anita Robinson, Category Director for Vodka, Rum, Gin & Pimms
“I grew up in Belfast, with two sisters in a large Irish family. I no longer live in Ireland, but that support system and strength they give me is the same and that’s something I also try to create every day for my own husband and children."
"The key is I always got the job done – just by working differently and unusual hours, but that worked for me and allowed me to maintain a great career, without feeling like I was compromising at home. Diageo played a big role in that, making me feel valued throughout and supportive of my choices.”
Raquel Castillo, HR Director, Iberia
“Family is finding the true meaning to our existence and setting yourself aside in a truly generous manner, an act of unconditional love. I´m lucky to work in a company like Diageo, who actively seeks and promotes work/life balance. It's a company oriented to results that trusts their employees’ maturity rather than presentism.”
Andrew Porter, Head of Talent Engagement for Europe
“Family means everything! Whether it’s knowing that your family are always there to support you, whatever the situation and in the case of our new family addition, our Cockapoo puppy Cooper, they provide unequivocal love and affection.”
"I’m thankful for the flexibility we have at Diageo. The ability to work from home has played a part in our decision to get Cooper, given all the responsibilities and time commitment that comes with a puppy!”
James Henson, Commercial Finance Graduate
“I’ve moved abroad with Diageo as part of the graduate programme and there is inevitably a lot of change and uncertainty associated with the move, but having people you absolutely know you can rely on even when they’re thousands of miles away is an invaluable stabiliser in the whole process."
"The flexibility Diageo offers to work from other offices means I get to see my family more while on assignment. For example, over Christmas I spent week or so working from the London office, despite being based in Copenhagen, allowing me to catch up with my family and friends."
Elaine McTaggart, Talent Engagement Manager, Commercial
“My family are my pride and joy – they bring such a range of emotions to me every single day. It can be overwhelming and exhausting but it’s worth it!"
"Having a supportive manager has made achieving a work/family balance so easy for me. I am able to work my hours around childcare and I even have a Monday off to spend time with my two boys. It can be hard to squeeze all my work in to four days but I have to remember that there are only so many hours in the day, and things will get done!”
Onyinye Okpala, Early Careers Manager
“Family is everything to me. They form my anchor through life. I have learnt to lean-In into my support network and allocate time for both work and family. I’ve also become a bit better at multi-tasking and the amazing flexible working options that Diageo offers makes it easier to plan my work better and how best to deliver.”
Find out more about Diageo and their career opportunities by visiting them on LinkedIn, Diageo career website, @diageo Instagram, Twitter and Facebook (specifically for graduates).
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Disclosure: Where Women Work researches and publishes insightful evidence about how its paid member organizations support women's equality.