Are you looking for a workplace that values your professional development and personal needs? Look no further than Saint-Gobain! In a recent interview with two of their employees, Katie Anderson and Mwansa Mibenge, we learned about how Saint-Gobain supports employees and promotes work-life balance. Here are five examples:
- Management Development Programmes: Saint-Gobain offers monthly coaching sessions and leadership and management apprenticeships to help its employees grow and develop their skills.
- Support during Pregnancy: Katie shared her positive experience of being pregnant while working at Saint-Gobain. The company supported her by assessing the tasks she could and couldn’t do while pregnant and by offering flexibility to work from home when required.
- Phased Return after Maternity Leave: Katie also discussed her experience returning to work after maternity leave. She had a phased return, starting with three days a week, gradually working back up to five days. Her managers understood the challenges of being a new parent and kept in touch with her throughout her maternity leave.
- Flexibility: Mwansa shared that Saint-Gobain was supportive and understanding of her need for flexibility. She can take time off to care for her sick father, and her manager regularly checks in on her workload to ensure she is not overwhelmed.
- Extracurricular Activities and Inclusivity: Saint-Gobain offers an annual cycle ride, a women’s network, quarterly away days, a walking steps competition, discounted gym memberships, and more! It also promotes inclusivity through vlogs showcasing the variety of tasks and roles available at the company.
If you’re interested in working at Saint-Gobain, visit their careers page and search for open positions by location and desired role. Katie and Mwansa are also open to messages on LinkedIn for anyone with questions about their workplace or roles. Remember, a workplace that values your professional development and personal needs is essential for your overall well-being. Check out Saint-Gobain today!
Timestamps
Overview of Saint-Gobain [00:01:03] Katie Anderson gives an overview of Saint-Gobain, a company that manufactures construction products, and specifically talks about the British Gypsum area where she works.
Roles and departments in Saint-Gobain [00:05:26] Katie Anderson explains the different departments and roles available in Saint-Gobain, including technical, marketing, supply chain, finance, and operations.
Why Katie Anderson chose to work for Saint-Gobain [00:08:06] Katie Anderson talks about her interest in material science and working with construction products, which drew her to Saint-Gobain.
Visiting Saint-Gobain factories [00:09:04] Katie discusses her experience visiting the five Saint-Gobain factories in the UK and observing their manufacturing processes.
Training and development at Saint-Gobain [00:11:16] Mwansa discusses the training programmes and career progression opportunities at Saint-Gobain, highlighting the company’s investment in employee development.
Working in a male-dominated industry [00:14:28] Both Katie and Mwansa share their experiences working in a male-dominated industry and how they’ve learned to manage differences and challenges in the workplace.
Phased return to work [00:17:55]Â Katie talks about her experience of returning to work after maternity leave, including a phased return and nursing risk assessment.
Work-life balance at Saint-Gobain [00:19:44] Mwansa discusses how Saint-Gobain supports work-life balance, including flexibility and understanding that life must go on.
Flexibility and openness at work [00:22:32] Mwansa and Katie discuss how they feel comfortable being open with their managers about personal commitments, such as graduations and sports days, and how Saint-Gobain supports this.
Inclusivity Activities [00:26:38] Katie and Mwansa discuss the extracurricular activities offered by their company, including an annual cycle ride, reward-and-recognition events, and a competition for walking steps.
Vlogs [00:29:04] Katie talks about her vlogs, which showcase what it’s like to work in a factory environment as a woman and the variety of tasks a process engineer or performance manager can take on.
Finding Information [00:30:52] Katie shares where people can find more information about Saint-Gobain and the types of roles available, including the Saint-Gobain careers page.