Blending work and home life

In today’s world with a variety of pressures in everyone’s lives at times it can be difficult to achieve a blend of work and home life. Edel Creery, the Connections Manager at NIE Networks, is married to Kevin and the couple have three children, Christopher (12), Finn (10) and James (2). Find out how Edel balances a successful work and home life.

Wednesday 30 November 2016

In today’s world with a variety of pressures in everyone’s lives at times it can be difficult to achieve a blend of work and home life. Edel Creery, the Connections Manager at NIE Networks, is married to Kevin and the couple have three children, Christopher (12), Finn (10) and James (2). Find out how Edel balances a successful work and home life.

Describe your job?

Busy! I manage NIE Networks’ Connections business with a team of 300 people. Every year we connect around 8,000 properties to the electricity network and make adjustments to other electricity supplies. We work in all parts of Northern Ireland and although I’m based in Belfast, I could be visiting customers in Kilrea, Katesbridge or Kesh.

We’ve been connecting homes and businesses to the electricity network for a century. You’d think we’d have seen it all by now but believe it or not every day is still different. Today it’s not only homes or businesses that are being connected to the grid but wind turbines and solar panels. We have a really experienced team of people - that experience proves vital when we need to consider how a network mostly built back in the 1950s and 1960s can deliver what today’s customer wants.

What is your favourite of the day?

I tend to spend much of my day in meetings so it’s good to get home and hear about everyone else’s day – there’s always a lot going on. We all take delight with our baby James. He welcomes me home with leg hugs and baby babble and creates a hive of excitement. It’s lovely to see how the older boys engage with James and they enjoy being involved in his bedtime routine. It’s a great few hours for us all as a family.

What do you do to ensure an optimum work and home life?

Electricity is a 24/7 business and everyone in our company has a ‘storm role’ to re-enforce our fault & emergency efforts during severe weather so sometimes it can be tricky to completely switch off. Particularly when you hear the wind howling outside!

However, I try not to lose sight of what's important. Sometimes I need to be at home and sometimes I need to focus on my work. There are always ups and downs – they are part of life – but having that clarity helps me to keep things in perspective.

How does having a child impact your personal and working life?

Having children has definitely had an impact but in a very positive way. I’ve had to become more efficient, I’ve learned to adapt quickly and parenthood has made me recognise the importance of real team work. It’s all a juggle but manageable as I work with a great team and for a supportive manager. I also have a strong family network around me which helps.

Wednesday 30 November 2016