Finding a job you click with straight away isn’t an easy task. For me, it happened earlier this year, when I came across a Retail Sales Advisor position in my local Sky store in West Wales. Before this, I had struggled to find a job that I loved and often dealt with work-related stress, leading to frequently changing roles while struggling with mental health issues. I wasn’t getting to spend time with my three children and felt like I was always playing catch-up both at work and at home. That all changed when I joined Sky. Here, I’ve had the opportunity to rebuild myself, achieve a great work-life balance and, ultimately, change my life for the better.

Tackling the Stigma Surrounding Mental Health Through the Power of Social Media

In the workplace, a lot of people aren’t comfortable talking about mental health – perhaps because they fear they may be singled out by their employer. But not at Sky. Here, I am actively encouraged to speak out about my mental health experiences and share my story with others. Now, I’m committed to helping others on a wider scale.

Social media is an incredibly powerful platform for sharing stories – and that’s one medium I’ve started using to reach out. I recently shared another blog about tackling the stigma surrounding mental health, which was quickly recognised by Directors at Sky. Soon after, the Mental Health Awareness team put me in touch with other Sky employees who had similar stories to mine. They helped me to realise that I’m not alone – that there is always someone who is willing to listen, even if they haven’t had the same experiences. That’s what makes Sky different – everyone here truly cares about you. I’m appreciated for who I am and I’m encouraged to bring my true self to work.

It’s the Small Things that Count

There are a few tips that I’ve picked up along my journey with Sky so far that can really make a difference to looking after someone’s mental wellbeing.

• Monitor workload – It’s important to make sure people aren’t struggling because of their workload. Tight deadlines and increasing volumes of work can lead to mounting pressure, which in turn cause high-levels of stress and burnout. At Sky, my Team Lead constantly checks in to see how we are feeling and gives us support when we need it.
• Give recognition – Showing appreciation for hard work creates a positive environment – and goes a long way in making people feel good about themselves and appreciated for what they do. Sky always gives us recognitions and rewards when we hit our targets, motivating us even more to perform well.
• Provide support– If you have a support system in place to promote good mental health, then inform employees about it. Here, we have the Body&Mind@Sky employee network, which encourages open discussions about mental health and replaces stigma and silence with understanding and acceptance.

Recognition and Support is Key

A positive mindset and the right work environment can help you thrive. At Sky, we have Shine Awards, which are designed to recognise the great work being done by our colleagues across our customer service group. In my nine months here, I’ve been honoured to receive 10 shine nominations! Each and every time, it’s given me a great morale boost and has shown me how truly valued I am by my colleagues. For those who want to push themselves even further, Sky offers plenty of opportunities for employees wanting to drive their career forward. They are happy to help you develop, all while offering you the support you need to succeed and thrive.

Reaching for the Stars

Recently, I was given the honour of attending the Customer Experience (CX) Awards in London. 10 employees in total are selected from across Sky’s retail function, and I was so proud to receive an email from our Director, David Holmes, which stated that I was one of only two Retail Sales Advisors selected. Coming from a small town in West Wales, in just nine months, Sky has shown me what a truly fantastic company it is. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d get noticed at such a high-level for my hard work in my small, local Sky store. My job has given me a sense of purpose at one stage I thought I’d never experience again. Now, I want to jump out of bed as soon as my alarm rings and head straight to work. It’s a great feeling to work in such an open and supportive environment, and I’m so grateful to have found a job that I love.

If you’re interested in joining our Retail Team, search for roles now!