FWDay2018 How Medibank FlexBetter allows me to be the present husband and father my family deserves

FWDay2018 How Medibank FlexBetter allows me to be the present husband and father my family deserves Achieving work-life balance is not an easy feat. However for Mitchell Hickman, as  a brand new dad, finding that happy medium allows him to be the best parent and employee he can be. Mitchell Hickman works in Digital Sales at ahm. He  first began his career with ahm  five  years ago when he felt the company  he was previously working for, no longer suited what he was looking for in a career. Luckily for him, his other job as a videographer brought him in contact with his colleague’s wife, who works for ahm  and had nothing but praise to pass on. “She just loved it and even during my interview, I could understand why. I saw employees relaxed and not afraid to have a laugh with customers. I could see that it was a happy place to work. I just I wanted to be a part of it.” Mitchell’s side passion as a videographer. Mitchell started off on the phones in the sales team before dipping his toes into doing procative, outbound calls to customers. After trying something new, he made the decision to return to sales, as this is where he felt more passionate and motivated. Returning to the sales team, he split his time between phone and web chat, eventually focusing solely on web chat. Having transitioned completely to this role means that Mitchell is able to work from home full-time and this is something that, he says, helps him achieve work-life balance. Medibank and ahm’s  FlexBetter  offers employees a variety of flexible working options, which employees can use to their advantage depending on their individual needs. “FlexBetter acknowledges that although we have jobs to do, we are still people who also have lives to live. For instance, the fact that I have the opportunity to work from home means I can also support my wife Camelia with our new baby. That’s why I love working with ahm, as employees, the company really does look after us.” Mitchell with his family. Mitchell says that since the introduction of FlexBetter, he has noticed a huge difference not only in his life but also in the way his colleagues are. “Everyone just seems a whole lot happier in their work-life situation. Although FlexBetter is on offer to everyone and not just those with children, it’s proving to be very beneficial to those who do have kids. We can still be the best parents we can be without necessarily giving less to our jobs.” The offering of the FlexBetter suite shows the significant focus that Medibank and ahm have on health and wellbeing, for both customers and employees. This is something that Mitchell says he has noticed more and more. “On television, for example, I see a lot of health fund ads that focus on costs and prices, which is fine and informative but when Medibank and ahm ads come on, it’s a different story. Our ads show the significance of health and wellbeing and our focus on our customers’ health journeys. We’re not just here to be insurance providers, we’re here to effectively help people with their wellbeing.” Mitchell makes time to focus on his own wellbeing â€" such as visiting the farm with friends. FlexBetter not only allows Mitchell to balance his family life with his professional life, but it also allows him to step back and give himself the time he needs for his own wellbeing. “I have the chance to take  rostered  breaks,  which allows me to  go for walks and take a breath, which helps me to stay mindful of my health and wellbeing. It’s the best type of balance.” #ahm  #flexBetter ABOUT MEDIBANK