International Day of Families: Conversations with the ABBYY Team

Did you know that the International Day of Families is celebrated on the 15th of May every year?

At ABBYY, we value accommodating the diverse needs of our colleagues to ensure that thriving at work does not come at the expense of striking an ideal balance between professional and family life. We do this by providing flexible work arrangements including hybrid work, remote work, work-from-abroad opportunities, and flexible working hours across most of our teams.

From stories of siblings and partners working together to colleagues discovering the joys of parenthood, a few ABBYY colleagues share their stories on balancing work and family life.

Anastasiia and Anna

 

 

First up, we're going to our Ukrainian office where we find sisters Anastasiia and Anna:

"Talking about this feels like uncovering a big secret," says Anastsiia, our US Fulfilment Team Lead, "I have a baby sister working with me at ABBYY!"

"Let me tell you, having a family member at work with you can be both a blessing and a curse!

On the bright side, I've got a built-in support system (sometimes in a quite literal sense, since she works in one of ABBYY's support teams!): she's the one to commiserate with about the work challenges, the one to be a lunch buddy, someone to cover for me if I need a quick break, and, of course, a guaranteed ally in navigating any office situation.

While we may not always find the perfect balance, at the end of the day, the most important part is that we navigate the ups and downs together!

Plus, when our schedules align , we can always sneak in some sibling bonding time, which is quite a bonus, if you ask me.”

“It was my sister's experience at ABBYY that led me to join the team." says her sister, Anna, who is one of our Customer Support Experts. She shares how having her sister work alongside her has many positive sides.

"I have a constant source of support and someone to bounce ideas off. When I joined, integration was easy as I already had an idea about the company and there was someone to help me navigate the learning curve. She shares insights into her field of work, and in turn, I share my expertise from my area of work. Solving urgent issues can be easier and more efficient due to the ease of our communication and collaboration!"

Going the extra mile is common at ABBYY, and Anna’s sister goes above and beyond, so when she asked us to leave a heartfelt note to her sister hidden in the text of this article, we couldn't say no.

"Dear sis, I know you're checking this out. I just wanted to say thank you. I know I can always count on you ...even if it means I keep you up late sometimes."

Ryan

 

 

From Ukraine, we go to Singapore, and from siblings, we chat with parents, specifically with our Senior Solution Consultant and mother of two, Ryan, who tells us that balancing parenthood and work is a true balancing act.

"Kids consistently require a lot of my energy and attention when they are back from school. And I’m not exaggerating when I say that I can hear my children call ‘mom/mama!’ at least 50 times a day. For me to respond with good energy it is key that I prioritize maintaining a good work-life balance."

"Having the flexibility to work remotely allows me to spend more quality time with the kids," she shared while acknowledging a common, but little-spoken-about feeling among working parents, the guilt of not spending enough quality time with your children when navigating work commitments.