Rebecca

Before joining Bellrock I worked with a property management firm for eight years. While I was there, I studied for my masters degree in real estate while working full-time, and also completed my APC with them – the qualification to become a member of the RICS. A defining moment was that I ended up sitting my APC final interview when I was eight months pregnant. I remember thinking “if I don’t get it done in this session, it’s not going to happen”. It was during my second maternity leave that I heard about the opportunity at Bellrock. It was a bit of a rollercoaster. I started my career in occupier services, detoured through property management to get qualified, worked for the landlords, and now I’m back working for the occupiers.

As far as surveyor roles go, property management has always felt like a good fit for me. I enjoy the relationship building that’s involved with our clients and the occupiers, seeing it from both sides. Now, in this role, I love the problem solving, detail-orientated aspects – identifying challenges, working through them, and finding solutions. It’s a sector that’s always naturally felt like it fits with my working style and personality.

It’s hard when you have a family, there’s no denying that. There are definitely challenges in terms of making time for yourself to focus on areas where you want to improve.

When I was doing my masters, if I wanted to stay and work after 5:30pm, I could do that. Now, I don’t have the same flexibility – I’ve got to go and pick up the kids. Finding that balance really focuses your mind on making sure you get your work done in the days available. Time is even more at a premium than it was before. Every hour counts, so efficiency is important. And enjoying your job really helps with motivation.

Bellrock is massively accommodating and supportive of individual needs. Speaking for myself, I work a four-day week remotely to give me extra flexibility and time with my children. And I know within the wider team, there’s quite a few others who do, too. So that focus on inclusivity and flexibility is just amazing. It reflects the way Bellrock goes the extra mile to make sure equal opportunities are available to different individuals. The company’s culture also rings true with that. I’m never worried it’s going to cause an issue if I need some time to look after a poorly child. I can openly talk about it with my manager and my team. Everyone’s really understanding. If I take an hour out of my day to go and take one of them to an appointment, it’s not a problem. And that’s testament to the culture of trust, understanding and openness that Bellrock has nurtured.

A four-day working week for everyone. Many companies that have trialled this have seen the net benefit and implemented it on a permanent basis. Studies have shown that productivity actually increases with a four-day week – people become more focused in the knowledge that they can have an extra day off if they get everything done. It’s had a massive impact on my life. And so long as considerations were given to maintaining the same level of service for clients, I think it could do the same for many others. It can offer greater flexibility to spend time with families, spend time on hobbies, or achieve personal development goals, and really improve the work-life balance.