It goes without saying that the last 18 months has been tough on everyone (except maybe Jeff Bezos!) and at Alexander Steele, it has, more than ever, opened our eyes to the value of our team. As a business, we take the mental and physical wellbeing of our staff seriously and creating a culture where our consultants look forward to coming to work and feel supported in both their personal and professional lives is at the core of of our company philosphy.

As lockdowns eased and the office buzz picked up again, we asked ourselves what small things we could do to give everybody a little extra joy in their week! We discovered a popular benefit in the US called, 'Summer Fridays' where staff are welcome to leave the office early on a Friday to make the most of the light nights and weekend!

One of the major benefits of Summer Fridays is that it can help prevent burnout. Though it might seem like cutting working hours short would limit productivity, we have found that the opposite is true.

Simply put, when our team are able to spend more time with people they love or doing things they enjoy outside of the office, they’re more likely to feel recharged when the work week starts up again. We implemented Summer Fridays straight away and have had such great feedback, we have decided to keep an early Friday finish all year round!

When asked what difference they felt this new policy had made to their lives, our team said;

"My Friday afternoons are often spent walking my dog, Archie. It gives me time to relax and unwind and I have more time to get ready if we are heading out for some food or drinks.  It’s a nice incentive because my brain is usually pretty fried by that time on a Friday." Greg

"I get to drive out to see my Niece and Nephew and feel like we get to spend quality time together." Liam

"I can go and play a round of golf!" Tinashe

"I'm not stressed or rushed going to pick up the kids and I even have time for a wee wander around the shops." Tracey

"I have more time to spend with my kids and I can squeeze in a gym session on the way home!" Iain

"If I'm having people round for dinner on a Friday night, I have plenty of time to get things prepared... and if not, there's time for the pub!" Clarke

We are always looking for new ways to make life at Alexander Steele even better and we believe that this is what makes us stand out as an employer. If you are considering a new role in recruitment in either Edinburgh or Manchester, click here to find out more about what we do and to share your details with us.

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