Professionals

What does a balanced life mean to you?

"Balance is about effectively spreading your time and energy between your job, your family and yourself. I am married and have two sons who are ten and fourteen years old. We live ten minutes by bicycle from the office, and this daily bike ride helps me to lower my stress level and make the mental shift between home and work. I usually succeed in limiting the number of hours at work, but it’s also important to have some energy left when you come home. Your family also needs your interest and attention. Weekends are reserved for family and at least once a year my wife and I try to get away for a weekend of our own. To recharge my batteries, I try to set aside some time to go running. It works like a kind of meditation."

What opportunities does Sweco offer to balance work and family life?

"At Sweco you have personal responsibility for your own delivery and, within reasonable limits, there are ample opportunities to manage your time. It is common to work remotely and some people regularly work from home a day or two per week. I think it’s valuable to work from home sometimes, since this gives me another focus. I try to set a good example by leaving the office at a reasonable hour, and I made a point of taking parental leave when my sons were born. I have also encouraged the staff to exercise together and take part in different fun runs, since I believe that physical activity is an important source of energy."

What is the culture at Sweco?

"With our decentralised business model, it’s very much a matter of personal responsibility. Taking parental leave is a matter of course. We hire people in an age group where people often already have or plan to have children, and we encourage them to take the chance to spend time with their kids when they are small. Returning to their jobs is made easier by the fact that our work is project-based."

Do you have any tips for colleagues trying to balance their lives?

"Everyone has a different life situation and a stress threshold. I think it’s important for each person to be aware of their own needs and try to define what adds to or subtracts from their energy. If your situation isn’t working, you have to do something about it and make sure that your job is fun and fulfilling. We all need to take responsibility for our own balance."