As a Cox employee for the last nine years, I haven’t had to worry about whether I had enough paid time off in the bank to go to a doctor’s appointment, attend an important family event or take a vacation. I consider myself fortunate to benefit from my company’s flexible PTO policy, which has helped me prioritize a healthy work-life balance.
This employee benefit in my corporate job as a senior media strategist made a huge difference in celebrating my post-COVID honeymoon.
When the global pandemic derailed our big family wedding plans, my now-wife and I decided to get married in our backyard and use our wedding fund for our honeymoon once the world reopened for travel. In lieu of physical gifts, family and friends contributed toward experiences for our trip to Greece: sailing excursions, kayaking tours and wine tastings.
Before booking, I brought it up to my boss during our one-on-one meeting that I was hoping to take three weeks off for the trip. I was nervous about this request because I’d never taken that much time off consecutively, but to my relief, she was supportive and assured me that it would be fine. She said that we would prepare the team and ensure my tasks were organized and transitioned accordingly.
Leading up to our trip, I worked diligently to tie up any loose ends at work, and my team jumped in to help cover responsibilities. By the time I left, I felt fully confident that everything would run smoothly, and that I could enjoy my first-ever trip overseas without thinking about the work I was leaving behind.
While I’ve always had positive experiences with Cox’s time-off policies, this specific instance highlighted just how much Cox believes in empowering employees to find the harmony between doing meaningful work and enjoying life outside of work.
Since my honeymoon trip, I’ve seen several members of my team also take time off to travel the world. We have been fortunate enough to disconnect and experience other countries, with the peace of mind that our tasks were being handled in our absence. This kind of freedom has created an environment that allows us to thrive professionally and personally.
In 2024, my wife and I decided to return to Greece with our family in tow. While on the trip, my mom lamented the fact that she’d brought her work laptop with her, while my aunt commented that this was the first time in nearly 50 years that she’d taken a trip without her work devices.
These comments reinforced to me how fortunate I am to work for a company that recognizes personal freedom is important to overall happiness and success. I have been able to prioritize family when needed, expand my worldview by traveling and stay on top of my health with the flexibility to step away from my desk to attend a midday appointment. Working for Cox has shown me it is possible to have a career in the corporate world while still enjoying life’s important moments.
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