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. Thatβs 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 Β£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.
βYou have to be really organised to live like that – to keep things steady and budget properly,β he says.
βThe job itself wasnβt the problem, as thereβs not much I canβt do electrics-wise. It was everythingΒ else – the constant juggling act of winning work, pricing jobs, completing them, invoicing clients and chasing payments was draining.β
He continues: βItβs so hard to be the person thatβs getting the work, doing the work, and then invoicing for it, all while trying to concentrate on your sonβs birthday party at the weekend without forgetting to order the ballpit!β
βWhere evenings were rarely free previously,Β itβs nice now to just go home, make the babyβs dinner, give him a bath, and not have to get back on the computer afterwards or deal with customer calls late at night.
βWhen you run your own business, people happily call you at 8.30 or 9pm. My wife used to say: βThatβs when theyβre free, theyβve finished their work.β But that was my downtime, and it was always getting interrupted.β
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: βItβs nice to go from being all over the place with work to knowing exactly when Iβll finish each day. Before, it was like – βIβll have dinner in a minute, I just need to send this invoice first.β Now, itβs βRight, today is done, Iβve signed off from work.ββ
The transition wasnβt 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: βBefore, if I didnβt work, I didnβt get paid – simple as that! Iβm still wrapping my head around having a set number of paid holiday days a yearβitβs all new to me.
βNow, I have the capacity to sort out my plans over the next year and get holidays booked in ahead of time. Before, I wasnβt really able to make future plans and things would just creep up on me.β
Words of advice
For those contemplating leaving self-employment for a more structured role, Alex has a clear message: β100% go for it – especially if youβve felt any of the things that Iβve spoken about here.
βI donβt 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.β
Contact British Gas to register your interest by clicking here
Find more industry feature articlesΒ here
