I didn’t quite know what I wanted to do at school
My Mum was a police officer and sadly passed away when I was 14, and despite an interest in following in her footsteps, I didn’t have the guts to pursue it. So I opted for a sports studies course at college. Then I worked in retail, starting as a sales advisor and as my knowledge increased, I was promoted to management, later joining a call centre.
In 2012, I moved to Australia for 7 years
I went travelling with my partner and visited friends over there. I wasn’t ready to go home so I got a job in retail management. I made the decision to come back to the UK in 2019 as I was missing home and worked at a large call centre.
Work life balance became more important to me
It was around that time that my Dad passed away and a lot of things changed in my life. I believed I needed to give something back, especially during the pandemic. You see all the care and support provided through the NHS and Macmillan and it changed my priorities.
I wanted to make a difference to people’s lives
I saw the advert for Connect Health and it felt like a stepping stone to get into healthcare and to give a service to people who really need help and support.
So I joined Connect Health in July 2021
I had management experience however being a Patient Care Advisor PCA is a great starting block. I got a chance to floor walk for the new inductions, and my manager suggested I apply for a Team Leader post. I thought I had nothing to lose by going through the process, and while unsuccessful I was offered the opportunity to lead one of our temporary workforce teams which I accepted happily. It was a new position that had been created for me as a trial. And then in April 2022, a Team Leader role became available and I was approached to fill the position, a role that became permanent in June 2022.
I had proved my capability and it was a natural progression to Team Leader.
One of the biggest benefits at Connect is the work life balance
Being in retail management, I found it very hard to switch off, with unsocial hours. I could leave a store but still have urgent messages to deal with at home. With the role at Connect, I know I can protect my personal time.
There’s a family atmosphere
Everyone is just so nice and I’ve never felt so welcomed in other jobs. In call centres it can be quite cliquey. Whereas in Connect, they are always rooting for you to do your best. The other day it was the founder’s Birthday and we had a great chat. Everyone is so easy to talk to. There are no silos and we’re all part of one group.
Everyone in the PPC team is really supportive, we all work together to provide the best outcomes for patients.
I’ve always been highly driven to succeed and do well
I love coaching my team and making sure everybody is doing well. In turn, I want the business to do well. I’ve learnt that from my Dad who was a hardworking footballer, solicitor and engineer!
Connect Health is really flexible
The work life balance is Monday to Friday 50/50 in the office and working from home. I’ve got a puppy so it’s really helpful. I don’t need to worry about anything over the weekend. We all muck in with the other Team Leaders to help each other out.
The rewards are great
We’ve got performance-based pay rewards which I’ve not had in other companies. There is always recognition for what you do and they do everything to make it a great place to work. We’ve even got an events committee and are planning things for Halloween and Christmas. No one is left out.
I’m proud of how much I’ve progressed
I’m proud of coming in as a PCA and being where I am now. I’d like to get involved in other projects as well and I’m interested in the technology side. One of my services have a new patient portal so we’ve got a pilot running. Connect is an innovative company and I love their values – pioneering and dynamic.
My advice is to get stuck in
If you are just looking for a change, have worked in a call centre before and want to do something rewarding where you can go home each day and know you’ve made a difference, then Connect Health is for you. They put people at the centre of everything.
I’ve grown as a person, as well as in the business
It’s exceeded my expectations. I’ve definitely changed as a person and I’ve chilled out a lot. I’ve realised that not everything is as big a problem as you think it is. There are always people who are in worse positions. In the past, I’ve been stressed when not in control and have always struggled asking for help. In this role I’ve got all the support I need.
If you’d like to find out more about working at Connect Health, contact people@connecthealth.co.uk
Click here to download Ami Render’s Story
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