Back in 2023, Baker Consultants trialled a four-day working week to explore the benefits and challenges it could bring to the team. As an ecological consultancy, we know the job can mean long days and the occasional late night to get things done. We wanted to see whether closing the office every Friday could improve work/life balance without compromising the high standards our clients expect.
Fast forward to today, and the four-day week is still going strong! It’s been a while since we shared what the team gets up to with their extra day off, so we thought it was time for an update. Whether you’re a long-standing client, a curious follower or someone considering joining the team, here’s a little insight into why we made the change permanent.
Of course, it’s not always plain sailing. Client deadlines, site visits and public inquiries can mean longer hours during the working week, and we know that ecology doesn’t always fit neatly into a nine-to-five schedule. But the principle remains: at Baker Consultants, Fridays are an opportunity to switch off, recharge and get ready for the weekend.
Our people are our biggest asset, and looking after them is a priority. Without a happy, healthy and supported team, we couldn’t deliver the quality of ecological expertise our clients rely on.
Anyone working in ecology knows just how demanding the season can be. March to September is a long stretch, particularly if you’re carrying out bat or newt surveys, or helping coordinate the survey calendar. Having that extra day to rest, spend time with family and friends, pursue a hobby or simply do absolutely nothing can make a real difference.
As it has been for other ecological consultancies across the industry, it’s been a busy year for us. We’ve supported clients in navigating changes to the legislation and requirements surrounding ecology and planning, whilst securing a number of successful planning appeals through a combination of scientific rigour and creative problem-solving.
A quick note for clients: if you’re planning an application or development for next year, please get in touch as early as possible. We can help scope your project, identify survey requirements and get the work into our diary before the busy season arrives.
If you’re looking for a new challenge or thinking about making a move ahead of the next season, we’d love to hear from you.
You don’t have to wait for a job advert to appear. We’re always happy to have an informal, confidential chat with people who might be a good fit for the team, even if you’re only considering your options at this stage.
We’d much rather get to know talented people directly than line the pockets of recruitment consultants. After all, we’d prefer to put that money towards rewarding our own team with a bonus!
Interested? Drop us a line at jobs@bakerconsultants.co.uk. There’s no pressure and no need to wait for the perfect vacancy to come along.
And…let’s not forget the Baker Consultants dogs! It’s not just our people who are part of the Baker Consultants family. Our canine colleagues are an important part of the team, too, and they’re becoming such regular visitors that they’re starting to need their own entries in the office calendar!
Keep an eye out for our upcoming dog portraits. We think they deserve their moment in the spotlight, too.
In the meantime, we hope this gives you a little insight into life at Baker Consultants — where great ecological work and looking after our people go hand in hand.
The Baker Consultants team is highly experienced and we are passionate about what we do. If you need advice related to ecology, surveys or conservation, then please get in touch with us via our contact form on the website, or you can call us on +44 (0)1629 593958 or email us on info@bakerconsultants.co.uk.