Cloud engineering is one of the most dynamic and in-demand professions in the world right now. It’s easy to see why when so many of the systems that power today’s businesses depend on the cloud to streamline processes and deliver ever better customer experiences.
But what about the people that create those solutions? When your skills are in high demand every day, how do you balance the demands of home life and work while avoiding burnout? We spoke to three Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) engineers to get their thoughts on maintaining work-life balance while growing their careers.
Family time
Principal Member of Technical Staff, Aravinth Prabakar, is a key player on the object storage team where he’s responsible for building archival storage solutions. It’s a role he finds extremely satisfying.
“Oracle has always been close to my heart as it provides better work-life balance. I knew moving back to Oracle, specifically OCI, would empower me to work with the greatest minds, and innovations in the cloud world.”
Returning to his old colleagues in OCI after almost two years with a competitor also gave Aravinth time to reflect. More than three years later, and he has no regrets about his decision to come back to Oracle.
“As a parent of daughter with Down syndrome, work-life flexibility has always been a priority in giving the best of myself to an organization,” he shares. “OCI understands this very well and helps me achieve my career and work goals without making tradeoffs on family time.”
Making things work
Understanding your needs and setting clear limits on what you can and can’t do is an important part of good work-life balance. Just as important is working somewhere that understands this and is willing to collaborate with you to make things work.
Vijayraj Thangaraj, another Senior Principal Member of Technical Staff, admires this flexibility. Not only has it meant more time to support his children’s education, but he also believes the approach has helped him be more creative on the job.
“Even before COVID kicked in Oracle provided us with the opportunity to work flexible hours which helped me to manage family time as well as helping out my kids with their learning. The flexibility helped me to take breaks during work hours to think of ideas that provided great value to the product I worked on.”
Community matters
Engineer’s interests are well-represented throughout OCI by the Engineering Community—a forum for engineers to share their thoughts on work, life, and everything in between. Members enjoy a clear line of connection to leadership and often shape policies that are likely to affect them. It’s an approach that’s gained a lot of support over the years.
It also points to how strong work relationships can be a powerful way to enhance work-life balance, even in hybrid and remote situations.
“After COVID, our work style has completely changed and meeting team members and having fun talks with them during coffee breaks are missed big time,” Vijay explains.
“But our team has come up with ideas to keep us engaged and bond as a team with weekly video meetings over coffee where we discuss any interesting or fun topics. Online learning engagements, brown bag sessions, tech talks to improve our skill and share knowledge with other team members.”
Opportunities and inclusion
Kiran Joshy is another Senior Member of Technical Staff who enjoys the flexibility and inclusiveness she sees every day at OCI—and how it translates into growth opportunities.
“OCI provides an inclusive environment. Your skill is what matters the most and if you are passionate enough and have the will it can take you up the ladder. Women are well-represented in leadership positions and there are various programs aimed at uplifting women.”
“One thing I would like to highlight are OCI wellness days in addition to public holidays and other leave. This is an ideal opportunity to work on something we enjoy or to take a break and spend time with our family.”
Taking time, making time
So, what are some steps that anyone can take to improve work-life balance? Vijayraj emphasizes healthy boundaries and routine meaningful moments with family and friends to stay on track.
“No matter how much work you have, always try to maintain quality family time. At the end of the day, you will regret missing those lovely memories,” he explains. “Try to have at least one meal with the family together. Develop a habit of spending at least 30 minutes on your body—and eat and sleep on time. Take small breaks during work. This will keep your mind and body fresh.”
Kiran meanwhile, stresses advocating for yourself and your career, personally and through your network.
“It’s always a good idea to have a mentor. Having someone to guide and offer advice can be invaluable in the tech industry. Also, stand up for yourself, and ask for good projects. Speak with your manager if you feel that you aren’t getting recognized. Constantly seek feedback and try to improve.”
Setting priorities
Finally, Aravinth adds time management to the list and attempting to understand what our real priorities need to be.
“Everybody has a finite amount of time, energy, and resources. Structuring your time and surroundings will impact your ability to establish and maintain a sense of equilibrium.”
Each engineer we spoke to has different priorities in life, but they’ve all been able to find a rhythm that works for them at Oracle. One thing they all share though is an enthusiasm for OCI as a great place to work for aspiring and established engineers.
Do you want to work for an industry leader that truly values work-life balance? Explore our latest open roles and come create the future of technology with us.