Q3 2018 Core Value Award - Make Time For Fun & Family
Work-life balance is a pursuit for most adults. This is a particular struggle for the United States, which ranks 30 out of 38 countries studied for work-life balance. Within this context, Clickstop is an abnormality. How is it that Clickstop employees feel their work-life balance to be appropriately measured?
Finding Balance
At Clickstop, there is a heightened awareness around the physical and emotional effects of working without limits. The risk to the family, involvement in the community, participation in activities and time for entertainment are all contributing factors to lowered morale and increased stress. We work hard to produce great results while making time for fun and family.
There are days, weeks and months that require more time invested into the duties of your job at Clickstop. However, we work as a team to support each other to provide relief amid those seasons. Our desire is to create a sustainable, enjoyable business that provides opportunity for those who are seeking it. A key part of this sustainability is our commitment to making time for fun and family. After all, it’s all life and each part affects the other.
Creating Separation
Leslie Lowdermilk resides in North Carolina and is one a few team members who works primarily from a remote location. The challenge in creating work-life balance can be difficult when your primary work-space is located within your primary resting space. Leslie, however, has navigated these waters with great success.
Through a structured approach to her day, and great support from her teammates, she has excelled in her areas of responsibility and found time to travel and enjoy quality time with her husband and family members. Leslie is making time for fun and family through a commitment to helping Clickstop grow and maintaining her commitments to her family. Well done, Leslie!
The Interview
What is your role at Clickstop?
I am one of the Senior Buyers on the Purchasing Team.
How long have you worked here?
I have been at Clickstop for just over 8 years.
What is your Clickstop story? If it were a book, what would the title be and why?
I very much lucked in to my role with Clickstop. When Clickstop bought Space Savers, they asked me to stay on board. I never dreamed it would work so seamlessly. My book title – “So Close Yet So Far”. I feel so close to the Clickstop team even though I am 1200 miles away. I have made so many great relationships for which I am grateful. I feel like I am right there in the office with everyone every day which explains why you can sometimes catch me talking out loud to myself!
How do you relate to this core value?
Working from home can be distracting to separate work time from family time since my office is in my house. It is easy to blur the lines. I make a conscious effort to have a separate space and time for work. As I get older, time is the most valuable thing I have and making sure I spend it wisely between work and home is a priority.
What advice would you give to others who want to embrace this core value?
My advice is to set priorities for both work and home. And then, be diligent in being the best you can be at both. Allen DeHeck is a great coach for this. Having a new wife and baby makes him an expert!
What are you most excited for or proud of on your team?
I am proud because our team is truly a team. We bind together and use our strengths to get impactful work done. I say at home a lot that sticks in a bundle can’t be broken and this is true of our team. When we bind together like sticks in a bundle, we are strong group.
What was the best compliment you’ve ever received at work?
My best compliment at work – probably when Tim tells me I am the best part of his Space Savers purchase.
What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned so far?
You can’t make everyone happy all the time. And, this is a hard lesson for a girl who has a #1 strength of Harmony!
What can we find you doing when you’re not at work?
Matt and I love to travel. We love to spoil our 7 nieces and nephews. And we love college basketball. Go Deacs and Heels!
Last movie or book you watched/read?
I am embarrassed to say that Matt and I have been married almost 23 years and we have NEVER gone to the movies (while dating or married). Reader’s Digest is my choice for reading. I always have a good joke to share from the current edition.
Dogs or Cats?
I don’t have a cat or dog but like them equally.
What brought you to Clickstop and why is it such a good fit for you?
Clickstop offers me the flexibility that works so well with the way I want to live my life. What a HUGE benefit.
When do you feel truly “alive” at work?
I feel alive at work when I am working on a project that I know will make a difference.
What small gesture from a coworker has made a big impact on you?
Whitney Meyer sent me a hand-written note with a small gift card inside thanking me for a quick response to something she was working on. That really did make my day! I still have that note on my board in front of me to remind me that little things and quick responses make a difference in the work we do.