We spoke to Chloe, Business Administrator at Helena’s House. Chloe has recently moved from the role of Support Worker to Business Administrator, and she told us about her first week in the role:
I originally started work as a Support Worker at Helena’s House in May 2021, however I have recently moved into the role of Business Administrator at the start of March 2022.
When working as a Support Worker, I was completing a lot of admin tasks such as emails, filling out forms etc. I found that I really liked the admin side of things more than the practical element of the role, and so I decided to apply for the Business Administrator role when it became available and I was lucky enough to be successful.
I am looking forward to getting to know the other side of the service, and what work goes on behind the scenes within the business. I am also really keen to learn new skills and expand my knowledge in a new area.
It is important to be organised and every morning the team set a plan for the day so that we know what each staff member will be doing each day. This helps us to work as efficiently as we can as a team, to make sure all goals are achieved.
We also let each other know if we are struggling with anything so that we can support each other.
A standout memory for me is when one of our residents was ready to take the next step in their recovery journey and move into their own independent home. I took our resident to view a potential property and seeing how happy and positive the resident was about moving, and the positive effect the day had on the resident was really amazing and fulfilling.
Since working at Northern Healthcare I have learnt that staff have the opportunity to progress in many ways, whether this is to progress upwards or to expand our skills in a different area. For example, during my time here I have gone from Support Worker to Business Administrator, and I have seen other team members progress from Support Workers to Team Leaders and Deputy Service Managers.
The support is great, and staff are encouraged to expand their career prospects. There are lots of opportunities to move around.
My main responsibility is to assist the manager to ensure everything is organised, and all information is accessible.
One of my biggest responsibilities is managing payroll. I also oversee the day to day running of the service, this includes maintenance, ensuring everything is ordered for purchases (from stationery to cleaning products!). I also assist with the planning and organisation of meetings and write up the minutes.
The main challenge I have found has been dealing with lots of different aspects of the business, from payroll to purchases to maintenance. It is important to manage my time and prioritise my tasks effectively to ensure any deadlines are met, and all tasks are completed in a timely manner.
I also deal with sensitive and confidential information such as resident finances, petty cash, payroll etc. so I ensure we comply with GDPR regulations.
Are you interested in joining the Northern Healthcare team? Check out our current vacancies here.
Photo by Andrew Neel on Unsplash.
