When we ask our people how we are doing as a company to work for, they consistently score diversity and inclusion at the top. The benefits of this are felt across Iress, not just in helping us create balance and diversity in the workplace, but balance and quality of people's lives outside of work too.
We have more goals and strategies to improve representation. But as we celebrate this International Women’s Day, and its theme ‘Balance for Better’, here’s what our people have to say about working for us and how they are creating balance in their lives.
Justine Krishna, Client Relationship Manager, South Africa
"I started my Iress journey four and a half years ago on the Support Desk, young and eager to be effective in an organisation I valued. Opportunities exist if you are motivated to pursue them, and this is why I am still here. I feel like I am being developed and encouraged to progress at Iress. Plus I can see we are continually looking at where we can refine our policies to look after our people. I feel my future goals, both personally and professionally, are achievable with the company."
Cindy Blay, Head of Project Portfolio, Australia
"Iress recently introduced enhanced leave benefits, which extends to parents of children starting school, giving them extra time to be there for their child. When my son recently started, being able to take him to and from school, as well as have the time and space for those special first-week conversations — about his classroom, teacher and new friends — was absolutely fantastic.
It makes me feel that I am able to balance giving him the best start to his education, supported by my employer both at work and at home."
Kassandra Hernandez, Project Assistant, Australia
"Being able to express myself creatively has always been an intrinsic part of my life. With a full-time role at Iress I also had a creative 'side hustle' outside work and it became unsustainable. But it was something I could not let go of. With Iress' support, I was able to take a special opportunity of sabbatical leave. Giving me six months to focus on my creative business and come back to the existing role.
This has given me bandwidth and mental focus to pursue my passion, and has lead to significant personal growth and appreciation of resilience. Coming to the end of my sabbatical, Iress has graciously supported me further by creating a part-time role, so I can pursue Crossing Threads on a part-time basis. Over my seven years at Iress, I have never heard of any other organisation being this supportive of their employees during life transitions."
Jacqui Durbin, Head of Product, UK
"Iress has always enabled me to achieve a healthy work life balance in a number of ways. In addition to the policies which help me meet the demands of a job and my family, I’m also empowered to volunteer time to causes that matter to me through our Iress Foundation, the company’s charity initiative.
Each and every member of our team can take up to three volunteering leave days a year to offer their unique skills towards making a difference to our chosen charity partners or causes close to their own hearts. This time to give back is personally rewarding, and makes a real difference to people's lives. I’m exceptionally proud of the work we’ve been able to do with our local charity Cobalt Health to support a local Dementia patients and their families."
Kelli Willmer, Manager, Practice Solutions, Australia
"Iress has always encouraged health & well being in the workplace and the flexibility of hours and the agile working environment ensures that I can easily accommodate work commitments with the long hours spent training for my next marathon. I plan out each week to get the balance of training and work right, listening to my health and approaching both aspects of my life appropriately.
Running and work are both so important to me and I’m so grateful Iress enables me to not have to compromise either."
Kelly Bretherton, Head of Product, UK
"When I had my daughter, we were heavily dependent on my income at the time. So the enhanced parental leave benefits offered by Iress, really gave me precious time to spend with her. (Iress awards up to six months paid leave for the primary carer and four weeks paid for the secondary carer.)
Now I’m back to work full time, I feel I'm able to continue to work in a job I love, supported by an employer I feel has my best interests at heart. It’s an environment that I can continue to develop in, and continue to achieve that balance in, without having to compromise career progression because I’m a mum."
Emily Dickson, Business Management Executive, Canada
"Balance is not about perfection. For me, it's determining what’s most important in any given time period and spending my time and energy accordingly. At Iress I’m emboldened to innovate and to challenge the status quo at work, and at the same time I have flexibility to study part-time, to develop my brain, harden my skills and feed my curiosities."
