Mr John McAbney
Published: 1 November 2022
Combining a full-time job whilst still having a healthy work/life balance isn’t always easy so I feel fortunate that I am afforded the flexibility to achieve this.
Mr John McAbney - Technician
I have worked as a technician for the University for over 20 years, gaining experience in a variety of disciplines, from genetics to stem cell biology & now focusing on supporting vascular physiology and cardiology studies in the School of Cardiovascular & Metabolic Health, formerly ICAMS.
In 2017, following the birth of my daughter, I pursued the option of condensing my working week into 4 days, allowing me to spend more time with my family at an important stage in our lives. My line manager was highly supportive of this & we both found this change beneficial as the extended hours offered better support in the laboratory as experiments would often start early & finish late due to the nature of the work. The extra day away from work gave me dedicated time with my daughter, but also allowed my wife more flexibility in her return to work, as external child care wasn’t a consideration.
The friday's we enjoyed together were mostly spent outdoors and now my daughter (now age 5) enjoys a huge variety of outdoor activities, the time I was able to spend introducing her to cycling, paddleboarding etc. at an early stage has been hugely beneficial in her development and has helped build confidence & self-belief.
The flexible nature of my working arrangement continues even now I am in a new position & my daughter has started school – this allows me to spend more time with her during the school holidays & also means I can still help with the school run during term-time. Combining a full-time job whilst still having a healthy work/life balance isn’t always easy so I feel fortunate that I am afforded the flexibility to achieve this.
First published: 1 November 2022
