Balancing the Grind with Monique Glatter, People & Culture Business Partner at Campos Coffee

Monique Glatter is the People & Culture Business Partner at Campos Coffee, the leading specialty coffee brand in Australia.

1) To kick things off, could you tell us a little about your career background and current role?

I have spent most of my career to date in Recruitment and HR in the fashion and beauty world and am now the People and Culture Business Partner for Campos Coffee.

2) What does a day in the life look like for you? Can you take us through a recent workday?

I’m totally a morning person! I love having a routine so most mornings I’m up at 5am going to the gym or doing an online workout at home (a new thing that I picked up during 2020 thanks to COVID) before the kids wake up.

Coffee is an essential part of my morning routine so I normally stop into one of our Campos partner cafes and get my oat milk latte!

Then it’s onto getting the kids ready for school and trying to rush out the house by 8am for daycare and school drop off! Then it’s into the office or setting up my WFH day. I guess the joys of HR is that every day is different!

3) Does your current role allow for flexible or remote working? If so, how does that fit into your life and routine?

Yes absolutely. I think COVID has really been a game changer for flexible working. I’ve been working from home like most others since February/March.

Going out to buy a desk one weekend and setting up a home office in my bedroom literally overnight was a little crazy but with the technology and systems that we have available it really made for a seamless transition to working remotely from home.

Currently I spend three days in the office and one day from working from home. This really helps me with juggling family life, school, drop offs and work life.

As a team we all trust each other and communicate regularly to allow us the flexibility to work remotely but also always be available should someone need something.

4) What does work-life balance mean to you and how do you work to achieve that goal?

I have two young kids so I’m not quite sure if I will ever find the perfect work-life balance. It’s sometimes more of a juggle/struggle!

But it’s about working in an environment and with people that understand that we all have things that happen outside of work and that life happens so we need to work around our own personal circumstances and work in ways that work best for us.

I think for me balance means being able to have my career and be a mum at the same time and not miss out on all those special moments like award ceremonies, concerts, and school drop off/pick up.

5) In the past 12 months, have you started or stopped any routines or habits to change your life?

I have started online Pilates classes which has been great to start my day if I can’t get to the gym and has also given me flexibility to exercise at any time of the day/week.

We have also started ordering our weekly dinner meals from Hello Fresh thanks to Covid 19 – we have found this super helpful to have a weekly delivery of meals that we can cook without thinking every night what’s for dinner.

6) Do you have any favourite books, podcasts or newsletters that you’d like to recommend?

I think with all my extra walking during lockdown I started to love listening to podcasts some of my favourites on rotation are Offline by Alice Rice who is a career coach and journalist where she interviews women about their careers and struggles along the way.

I’m also a sucker for personal development books and podcasts like Winging It by Emma Issacs from Business chicks.

7) Are there any products, gadgets or apps that you can’t live without?

I recently got an Apple Watch after so many years saying “I don’t need that.” I am now totally addicted. Tracking my exercise and daily steps has become very addictive! I can easily see my messages/calls/emails pop up which has been great with working remotely and on the go. I also couldn’t live without AirPods in 2020!

8) If you could read an interview about work-life balance by anyone, who would that be?  

I would have to say Emma Issacs, she is a mum of six young children and runs a hugely successful international business!

She always seems like she’s approached her work, businesses, and life in a positive way. I have had the chance to meet her at an event and she just seemed so lovely, relaxed, grounded, and super successful all at the same time!

9) Do you have any last thoughts on work, life, or balance that you’d like to share with our readers?

I don’t think anyone will ever find the perfect balance – and what is perfect for me won’t be perfect for someone else.

I think you have to understand that some weeks are better than others and you are nailing mum life and work life and some days you forget to do the school lunch order or forget it’s dress up day at daycare!

I think as long as you are doing the best you can and being the best version of yourself to those that love you then you’re doing ok!

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