We discover why one electrician swapped self-employment for a permanent role with British Gas, and the benefits this has had on his professional and personal life.
For over 20 years, Alex Ward built a successful career as an electrician, including six years of running his own business. But with the arrival of his first child, his priorities shifted and it was time to make a change . . .
Alex took on significant clients, completed major projects, and had the freedom to be his own boss. But with his son on the way, he needed stability, a steady income, and, most importantly, more time in the evenings to be with his family. That’s when he decided to make the jump to British Gas.
Professional and personal challenges
Being self-employed had its perks – some weeks, Alex could earn up to £3,000. But the downside was the unpredictability that comes with such a career – one week could be incredibly profitable, while the next could bring nothing at all.
“You have to be really organised to live like that – to keep things steady and budget properly,” he says.
“The job itself wasn’t the problem, as there’s not much I can’t do electrics-wise. It was everything else – the constant juggling act of winning work, pricing jobs, completing them, invoicing clients and chasing payments was draining.”
He continues: “It’s so hard to be the person that’s getting the work, doing the work, and then invoicing for it, all while trying to concentrate on your son’s birthday party at the weekend without forgetting to order the ballpit!”
“Where evenings were rarely free previously, it’s nice now to just go home, make the baby’s dinner, give him a bath, and not have to get back on the computer afterwards or deal with customer calls late at night.
“When you run your own business, people happily call you at 8.30 or 9pm. My wife used to say: ‘That’s when they’re free, they’ve finished their work.’ But that was my downtime, and it was always getting interrupted.”
The move to British Gas
With the time right for a change, joining British Gas offered Alex security, a structured work schedule, and a clear separation between job and personal life.
He says: “It’s nice to go from being all over the place with work to knowing exactly when I’ll finish each day. Before, it was like – ‘I’ll have dinner in a minute, I just need to send this invoice first.’ Now, it’s ‘Right, today is done, I’ve signed off from work.’”
The transition wasn’t just about having a stable income as British Gas also provided comprehensive training and support. Alex was also amazed by the benefits on offer, which included dental care, discounted gym memberships, and paid holidays.
He recalls: “Before, if I didn’t work, I didn’t get paid – simple as that! I’m still wrapping my head around having a set number of paid holiday days a year—it’s all new to me.
“Now, I have the capacity to sort out my plans over the next year and get holidays booked in ahead of time. Before, I wasn’t really able to make future plans and things would just creep up on me.”
Words of advice
For those contemplating leaving self-employment for a more structured role, Alex has a clear message: “100% go for it – especially if you’ve felt any of the things that I’ve spoken about here.
“I don’t regret any of the years I dedicated to self-employment, however I greatly appreciate the peace of mind I have now. These days I can just get on with my work – no distractions, no late-night calls – just a proper work-life balance.”
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