Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/817563
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 30 APRIL 2017 XVI Careers Meeting the woman behind JobsforMumsMalta KATYA Dingli Benetti is 33, married and a proud working mum of two 5-year old boys. Apart from working reduced hours as Director of Business Development in a lead- ing destination management company, she imports and distributes Itsy Bitsy Eyewear, which is a specialised range children's eye- wear and is the founder of the Malta's first and online job portal for mums Jobsfor- MumsMalta.com. Ultimately, what is the goal of JobsforMumsMalta? Firstly, we are humbled by the enormous success we have celebrated in our first year, it really confirms that we are filling in a gap in the recruitment market and we are driven to give women the chance to re-enter the working world and give their careers a well deserved boost. Our niche market, females of different skill-sets and levels, are serious about getting back into the working world and for this reason we are focused on giving local and international businesses based in the Maltese islands the opportunity to gain insight about what value these women can bring to their business. Through our online portal and brand we want to help win the war of talent, strive to get businesses to consider measures such as flexibility which enhances productivity and performances and create effective dialogue about the subjects that really matter. What is your position in the local recruitment market? We're the ones connecting women who are looking at getting back into the working world and companies who are on a constant look out to fill positions in all levels from entry level vacancies to management positions. Thanks to the JobsforMumsMalta online portal enter- prises of all sizes can promote their vacancies for flexible and part time job opportunities and enjoy the peace of mind of knowing that they will get tremendous feedback from both women and men. (yes, men too!) Does your website focus entirely on recruitment? While recruitment is at the heart of what the JobsforMumsMalta brand represents, we believe that can add even more value. Over these last 18months we've started heated yet essential debates about flexibility, gender quo- tas, gender pay gap, leave and work-life bal- ance, female entrepreneurship amongst other issues. We are and will always be an advocate for equality in the workplace and we love shin- ing a light on companies and organizations which make an effort to implement equality mark initiatives within their company culture. Is it easy to introduce flexibility measures in a work environment? First of all flexibility isn't directly related to female employees, it's for employees irrelevant of their gender so it's not just introduced by the world's most successful brands because they want to help the working woman, it's implemented because there are real benefits of flexible working. Thanks to the incredible advances of technology business leaders can manage and maintain full control over their flexi-time team members and monitor the quality of the work confidently, establish dead- lines, roles, working hours and benchmarks, promote project based projects, supervise communication channels and above all trust that they are truly employing the finest talent around. High performing brands have recog- nised how fabulous flexibility in the workplace is so it's just a matter of time for even more businesses to get on board. As a start, we sug- gest companies or teams should first start with a flexi-time pilot project and track, monitor and analyze performance prior to launching it full scale - it's really the best way to begin. What's coming up for this fast growing brand? We've celebrated success stories of women who have been employed by leading brands and companies who have recruited females who were eager to get back in the working world and this is what we intend to do more of. The future is bright and we want to dive deep into different styles of business manage- ment and company cultures and explore what measures are being introduced to enhance employee engagement and reduce employee turnover. The role of the HR Manager is crucial because it is focused on keeping talent motivated, up-to-date with the latest skills and brand loyal, and we will be rolling out a number of initiatives which will be of great as- sistance for people in HR. Furthermore, we are presently working with esteemed third parties to introduce a number of learning opportuni- ties for women who would like to rejoin the working world with the skills that will ensure that they are competitive. Moreover, we have some strong commercial campaigns and collaborations coming up so we are certain that 2017 will be another memorable year for JobsforMumsMalta. Visit the JobsforMumsMalta website here and explore the latest part-time and flexi-time ca- reer opportunities, join the JobsforMumsMalta community - hop over to their FB page here, send an email to info@jobsformumsmalta.com or give us a ring on 99207090 How successful people work less and get more done Having a meaningful life outside of work is key and helps one to refocus on work when it's required A new study from Stanford found that productivity per hour declines sharply when the workweek exceeds 50 hours, and productivity drops off so much after 55 hours that there's no point in working any more. That's right, people who work as much as 70 hours (or more) per week actually get the same amount done as people who work 55 hours. Successful people know the importance of shifting gears on the weekend to relaxing and rejuve- nating activities. They use their weekends to create a better week ahead. This is easier said than done, so here's some help. The following list contains 10 things that suc- cessful people do to find balance on the weekend and to come into work at 110% on Monday morn- ing. 1. They Disconnect Disconnecting is the most im- portant weekend strategy on this list, because if you can't find a way to remove yourself electronically from your work Friday evening through Monday morning, then you've never really left work. Making yourself available to your work 24/7 exposes you to a constant barrage of stressors that prevent you from refocusing and recharging. If taking the entire weekend off handling work e-mails and calls isn't realistic, try desig- nating specific times on Saturday and Sunday for checking e-mails and responding to voicemails. For example, check your messages on Saturday afternoon while your kids are getting a haircut and on Sunday evenings after dinner. Scheduling short blocks of time will alleviate stress without sacri- ficing availability. 2. They Minimise Chores Chores have a funny habit of completely taking over your weekends. When this happens, you lose the opportunity to relax and reflect. What's worse is that a lot of chores feel like work, and if you spend all weekend doing them, you just put in a seven-day workweek. To keep this from happening, you need to schedule your chores like you would anything else during the week, and if you don't complete them during the allotted time, you move on and finish them the fol- lowing weekend. 3. They Reflect Weekly reflection is a powerful tool for improvement. Use the weekend to contemplate the larger forces that are shaping your indus- try, your organisation, and your job. Without the distractions of Monday to Friday busy work, you should be able to see things in a whole new light. Use this insight to alter your approach to the coming week, improving the efficiency and efficacy of your work. 4. They Exercise No time to exercise during the week? You have 48 hours every weekend to make it happen. Get- ting your body moving for as little as 10 minutes releases GABA, a soothing neurotransmitter that re- duces stress. Exercise is also a great way to come up with new ideas. Innovators and other successful people know that being outdoors often sparks creativity. While you're out in the ocean, the combination of invigorating activity and beautiful scenery cre- ates the perfect environment for an influx of creativity. Whether you're running, cycling, or garden- ing, exercise leads to endorphin- fueled introspection. The key is to find a physical activity that does this for you and then to make it an important part of your weekend routine. 5. They Pursue a Passion You might be surprised what happens when you pursue some- thing you're passionate about on weekends. Indulging your passions is a great way to escape stress and to open your mind to new ways of thinking. Things like playing mu- sic, reading, writing, painting, or even playing catch with your kids can help stimulate different modes of thought that can reap huge divi- dends over the coming week. 6. They Spend Quality Time with Family Spending quality time with your family on the weekend is essential if you want to recharge and relax. Weekdays are so hectic that the entire week can fly by with little quality family time. Don't let this bleed into your weekends. Take your kids to the park, take your spouse to his or her favourite res- taurant, and go visit your parents. You'll be glad you did. 7. They Schedule Micro-Adventures Buy tickets to a concert or play, or get reservations for that cool new hotel that just opened downtown. Instead of running on a treadmill, plan a hike. Try some- thing you haven't done before or perhaps something you haven't done in a long time. Studies show that anticipating something good to come is a significant part of what makes the activity pleasur- able. Knowing that you have something interesting planned for Saturday will not only be fun come Saturday, but it will significantly improve your mood throughout the week. 8. They Wake Up at the Same Time It's tempting to sleep in on the weekend to catch up on your sleep. Though it feels good temporarily, having an inconsistent wake-up time disturbs your circadian rhythm. Your body cycles through an elaborate series of sleep phases in order for you to wake up rested and refreshed. One of these phases involves preparing your mind to be awake and alert, which is why peo- ple often wake up just before their alarm clock goes off (the brain is trained and ready). When you sleep past your regular wake-up time on the weekend, you end up feeling groggy and tired. This isn't just disruptive to your day off, it also makes you less productive on Monday because your brain isn't ready to wake up at your regular time. If you need to catch up on sleep, just go to bed earlier. 9. They Designate Mornings as Me Time It can be difficult to get time to yourself on the weekends, especially if you have family. Find- ing a way to engage in an activity you're passionate about first thing in the morning can pay massive dividends in happiness and cleanli- ness of mind. It's also a great way to perfect your circadian rhythm by forcing yourself to wake up at the same time you do on week- days. Your mind achieves peak performance two-to-four hours after you wake up, so get up early to do something physical, and then sit down and engage in something mental while your mind is at its peak. 10. They Prepare for the Upcoming Week The weekend is a great time to spend a few moments planning your upcoming week. As little as 30 minutes of planning can yield significant gains in productivity and reduced stress. The week feels a lot more manageable when you go into it with a plan because all you have to focus on is execution. Katya Dingli Benetti