What made you choose Arbtech?
I was approached by a recruiter on LinkedIn, who was looking for candidates to apply for a position at Arbtech. Once I’d read into what Arbtech was all about, I quickly became very interested.
After my initial interview with Rob, my eyes widened, and I thought it all sounded too good to be true. The standout points included being responsible for managing my own workload and the culture that Rob has developed. The idea of working within such a reputable and knowledgeable team was what I was missing out on in my role at the time, so it was a real pull factor.
I am very career driven, so the progression possibilities that Arbtech offer really sold me, as well as the endless list of benefits. All of this was confirmed after my second interview with Aran, who convinced me that it was very much a reality. And I haven’t looked back since.
What do you love most about the company?
100% the team that Rob has built.
The people that I work with are considered my close friends as well as colleagues. There is always someone to provide advice, support, or simply to talk to about anything.
All of this is possible largely because of the fully funded socials that Rob actively encourages. Working remotely is difficult and can make you feel isolated, but due to the way that the team is able to operate and socialise outside of work, I never feel alone and there is always someone at the end of the phone to talk to.
What do you do when you are not at Arbtech?
Mostly socialising with friends – most of them live around the country, so I enjoy getting to go and experience other parts of the country when I see them.
I enjoy going to see live music, mostly rock/pop-punk/alternative genres, though I will go to any gig, particularly as my partner is into R’n’B and hip hop.
I love reading – literally anything, mostly science non-fiction though, particularly psychology, astronomy, anthropology, biology and earth sciences.
COVID taught me to stop saying ‘no’ to new experiences and opportunities as much, so whenever something comes up that I haven’t done before, I will always give it a go – thanks to Rob for the introduction to BJJ!
I always try to be as active as I can, as I know how much it benefits my well-being. I go out hiking when I can, but regularly go to yoga class, and then try and go to other fitness classes as often as I can. As I don’t have the self-motivation for the gym, fitness classes act as a feasible alternative.
What is your biggest tip to achieve the most in life?
Maintain a positive and balanced state of well-being – that is the definition of physical, mental and emotional wellness. This sets you up to be able to go out every day in the best starting position.
With a positive mindset, you can achieve literally anything.
What is the best social you’ve been on at Arbtech?
Of course, Austria 2023, which involved skiing and Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
The combination of exhilarating (but exhausting!) activities, the country/culture/scenery, and spending quality time with colleagues was incredible. It was great to get the opportunity to get to know more people than those that I work with on a daily basis.
I also really enjoyed the two festivals that I have been to since I started at Arbtech, again because it allows you to spend quality time with colleagues and just generally have a great laugh together.
Where do you want to travel to next?
There is nowhere I don’t want to go, to be honest!
I have had my eyes set on Vietnam and Singapore for years, but COVID got in the way of that, so that will be my ultimate next ‘big’ trip. I’d also give anything to go to the Grand Canyon.
I will be going on a lot more city breaks within Europe this year, thanks to the new extended 40-day holiday allowance! Next on the agenda is Stockholm.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years’ time?
I’d love to still be at Arbtech, just with five more years of experience behind me.
I am very much open to taking opportunities as they present themselves, and don’t like to set my sights on anything too specific, as I think it can make you blind to other opportunities.
I would love to have further developed the Wellbeing Team within Arbtech as we are still in the infancy stage.
I’ll probably have another cat or two in five years’ time as well.
What is a goal you have for the future, in or out of work?
Gain a further higher qualification, either in arboriculture or psychology.
I’m always striving towards self-improvement, so increasing my knowledge of any discipline is a good way to start and keep me open-minded.
Emily joined Arbtech in May 2021.
