What made you choose Arbtech?
I didn’t, actually. I was a subby but then Rob called up and asked me if I wanted a job. I said ‘yes please’, and the rest is history.
I had never worked in the ecology industry and knew nothing about the company – I was just delighted to be offered a job and get my foot in the door!
What do you love most about the company?
The flexibility and control over my own schedule. This enables a better work-life balance than you might get with other companies.
The people are just brilliant too – I genuinely love talking to everyone and seeing them on socials.
What do you do when you are not at Arbtech?
Arbtech isn’t a place; it’s a state of mind – I’m always at Arbtech.
That said, I like travelling and going to gigs with my other half in my spare time. I love walking in nature and getting away from anything related to humans.
Country pubs, wine, food, and beer are all also a big part of my life outside work.
What is your biggest tip to achieve the most in life?
Be happy, stay positive, and find joy and satisfaction in whatever you end up doing in life.
‘Achieving the most’ shouldn’t be your aim in life; it should be peace, happiness, and satisfaction.
Do what makes you happy, and if you can find a way to earn money from that, all the better!
What is the best social you’ve been on at Arbtech?
Prague and Madrid were great. But to be honest, I just love meals and nights out in great places as I don’t really like being away from home, my partner, and my cats for more than a night.
My favourite socials are the ones I organise at the end of the bat season. In the last couple of years, we have done a mini festival at my friend’s farm, and it has been brilliant.
Where do you want to travel to next?
The next trip abroad will hopefully be to La Palma in Spain, planned for January or February 2024. We used to go every year for some winter sun but haven’t been since 2020.
We’re also planning on going back to Iceland in 2025 for 40th birthday celebrations, which will be amazing.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years’ time?
In my life, I will have moved into a better house that is more rural with more space.
In my job, I have no idea but am excited to see what happens. I will hopefully still be working on bat-related projects and be able to provide more training and support to colleagues. By this time, I will have gained more experience in greater and lesser horseshoe bats and added them to my EPSL repertoire.
What is a goal you have for the future, in or out of work?
Move house.
I live in a tiny end-of-terrace house on a housing estate. The house is too small, and the neighbours are noisy. My goal is to get out of Chichester, ideally into the South Downs National Park or to the South West, but house prices are so high at the moment that it simply might not be possible. We may even end up having to move up north to get what we need in terms of space and location.
What I would love one day is to have a property that is full of bats so I can run internal and external training courses from there.
Natalie joined Arbtech in March 2014.
Robert Oates, managing director says:
When I called to chat about offering her the role, she told me she accepted before I could finish the first sentence! This infectious eagerness spills over into everything she does for our customers and is probably the reason she gets rave reviews from them.
Natalie is a very highly valued member of the team and the business genuinely wouldn’t be where it is today without her. She is also, like me, a colossal wine snob (this is why we usually sit together during socials to share a bottle or two!)
