Fulton Hogan - Lisa Jolly (employee)

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A supportive employer has enabled accountant Lisa Jolly to give her two young children the care they need while maintaining her career.

Lisa had been working in Fulton Hogan’s Dunedin office for five years when she had her first child, Harrison, who is now six. The company was restructuring at the time, with most of its Dunedin-based functions moving to Christchurch. Lisa’s manager, Company Secretary Kevin Soper, wanted to stay in Dunedin and gave Lisa the option of staying too.

“I would have quit if I had to work full-time as I want to be a mother more than I want to be anything else,” says Lisa. “I didn’t want to move from Dunedin so Kevin gave me the option of working part-time. I retained the bits of work that weren’t so time-reliant that I could fit around my babies.”

Lisa’s second child, Hunter, was born two years later.
 
Lisa normally works Tuesdays from 9 to 3, Thursdays from 9 to 5 and Friday mornings. “I get the kids ready and take them both down to school and pre-school,” she says. “Sometimes it takes a wee bit of time to settle the little one so I might not get to work till 20 past nine.”

“I don’t usually take a lunch break on Tuesday but usually manage one on Thursday. My husband picks up the children on Thursday afternoon. Both children are at pre-school or school on Monday so I get Monday morning to myself. Hunter has Wednesday off so we spend the day together and I’ve also been keeping him home on Fridays lately as he’s been getting tired.”

Kevin and Lisa review her working arrangement regularly to ensure it is working for her and the company.

Lisa’s childcare arrangements have changed as the boys have got older. She employed a nanny until this year when Hunter went to pre-school and says the school holidays can be challenging without a nanny to rely on. She sometimes works one day less during the school holidays, making up the time in subsequent weeks. This type of flexibility is available most of the year so Lisa can care for the boys if they are sick or attend school trips or other school functions.

As Lisa’s involved with preparing the year-end financials, her busiest periods are from July through to end of September when there is considerable pressure to meet a timetable for auditors and production of the annual report. She is committed to meeting Fulton Hogan’s needs during this period so calls on family to help with childcare. She’s prepared to go the extra mile when it is needed because of the support she has received from Futon Hogan.

“Fulton Hogan’s such a great company that I want to help them as much as I can,” says Lisa. “They’re extraordinarily flexible so it’s just a matter of doing what I need to get done when I can. Sometimes I’ll work at home at night and if there’s things on with the kids I can work different mornings or nights.”

Kevin Soper says the arrangement works well for him too. “It’s all based on trust. If Lisa has important deadlines she makes sure she meets them. I know that when she commits to it she’ll do it.”