Sinead Hickey, account manager at The Recognition Group, is taking advantage of remote working to pursue an MBA
In 2020 The Recognition Group shifted to a permanent, remote-working model to let our team operate from whatever location suits them best. We call it freeworking, and our staff are now spread across Australia.
A key benefit for our team is the absence of their daily commute, something which, according to the Productivity Commission’s latest research, has been the main advantage for Australians working from home throughout the pandemic.
Sinead Hickey, account manager at The Recognition Group, has gained back three hours in her day, and is using the extra time to pursue a Master of Business Administration (MBA).
“I really enjoy learning and knew I wanted to go back to uni, but I always assumed it would be something I did later in life. Shifting to a remote-working model gave me 15 hours a week of unproductive time back. It seemed the perfect opportunity to jump in headfirst,” says Sinead.
“The additional time has enabled me to submit my best work. If I were juggling an MBA with working in the city, my marks would definitely drop, and I wouldn’t be getting as much out of the course as I am.”
For Sinead, this study has brought an extra level of confidence to her professional role.
“The course focuses on different areas of businesses such as innovation, strategy and financial analytics, which provides me with a deeper understanding of these business units. As a result, I’ve noticed an increase in confidence when speaking with clients.”
At The Recognition Group we love seeing our staff develop both professionally and personally, and actively encourage them to pursue interests outside of work.
“The support I’ve received from Adam and Liz throughout my MBA journey has been great. They provide regular check-ins, additional study days off each year and some financial support too. I couldn’t ask for better bosses supporting me!”
While working entirely from home can seem daunting for those who haven’t done it long-term before, Sinead has some positive feedback.
“Working from home gives you more time back in your life! Why spend time travelling to and from the office when you could use the time to study, spend it with family, exercise or whatever else makes you happy?
“People get concerned about the loss of collaboration and personal relationships with co-workers. However, I think if you work for an organisation that values these things, then they will find a way to stimulate these interactions. The Recognition Group has a fantastic culture which supports this, and our CEO also organises regular virtual drinks, lunch and learns and book clubs too.”
With freeworking here to stay, we look forward to seeing how the rest of our team members make the most of their flexible work schedule.
You can find out more about The Recognition Group’s remote-working model here.