Our educators and employees do incredible work with Australian families and children. Supporting Australian families to re-enter the workforce means that our educators are very much needed during business hours.
On The Bus Days have been created to give staff, especially educators, more flexibility to do the things that matter most. One Tree Community Services rewards long-standing employees with three paid On The Bus Days, on top of their six weeks’ paid leave per year.
Spending time with family and friends
Life doesn’t always go to plan or run on a schedule. On The Bus Days give One Tree people more flexibility during their year. From appointments to spending quality time with loved ones or just taking a day to relax, these additional paid leave days can be a pressure relief for people with busy lives.
Claire McManus, Executive Director of Services, uses her On The Bus Days to have more time with her family.
“I have taken On The Bus Days over the past couple of years to spend time with my two boys. I have attended sports carnivals, volunteered for excursions or simply taken them out for the day during the school holidays.
The On The Bus Days, to me, is another way that One Tree values its staff and their wellbeing, along with rewarding commitment and loyalty. It makes me feel that the company I work for cares about my work-life balance, and I love being able to approve these days for the team of women and mums that I work with”.
Another working mum, Senior Trainer and Assessor, Danielle Baker recently used her On The Bus Days to spend time with her daughter. “I took an On The Bus Day to go on my daughter’s school excursion to Kings Park. We had an amazing day of art in the park, adventures, and orienteering. I loved being able to go without having to use my annual leave”, said Danielle.
“On The Bus Days allow me to have time for self-care. I can take a long weekend or just take a day for me. As a busy working single mum, this time is precious for me and my daughter. The support allows me to take the time to spend with her”.
Supporting our people
One Tree CEO Karri Hillier says, “Every day we see our people turn challenges into possibilities with communities, families and children. When we have the right people on the bus, our impact is even larger. Giving our employees extra paid days off allows them the time to reflect, recharge and connect. It supports them to keep doing what they do best. Educators across the sector work exceptionally hard. We want to encourage work-life balance as best we can.”
