‘A day in the life’ with Team Leader, Matthew

Each month, we’ll be catching up with someone from our brilliant team, and finding out what they get up to in a day in the life at Abacus.

This time, we chat to the brilliant Matthew!

Hello! Who are you? & What’s your favourite emoji? 👀

Matthew Ayeob 😎 

Tell us a bit about you

I’d describe myself as very compassionate, very approachable, reliable, and positive. I’m also very good at building strong relationships, but I do like working things out for myself too. I’m really proactive about finding solutions and I go the extra mile to achieve things, even when they seem impossible – I don’t give up easily! 

What is your role at Abacus Care & Support? 

I work as a Team Leader and try my best to make things easier for my team and for the service. Having started at Abacus as a Support Worker means I truly understand the work my team does, and that helps me to support them one-on-one. Because I’ve done what they do, I can encourage my team that their contribution goes a very long way. 

What does a typical day look like in your role?

Every day can be different, to be honest. There’s always a new thing that needs to be done, as well as tasks from the day before. I might have a to-do list, but I don’t always end up following it depending on what else comes up! 

What are the first things you do when you start your workday?

I’m trying to get better at establishing a routine that eases me into the day. Starting with a coffee, chatting to colleagues, checking in on my team are all things I’m trying to implement. When I manage it, it does clear my head and help me think more clearly. 

What does good teamwork look like in your role?

I think recognition and appreciation are really important within a team. You’ve got to know you have each other’s back. You’ve also got to be on the same page about things – have the same goal, same expectations, even if you have a different approach. My relationship with my fellow team leader is particularly wonderful – we always make time for each other and work together to overcome challenges. 

What motivates you to do your best work each day?

Going the extra mile is in my nature, and when that is noticed by my colleagues it pushes me to keep going. As long as I have the resources to do the job, I’ll give it my best effort. 

What skills are most important for your role?

Being able to build strong relationships is really important when leading a team. By getting to know my team well and really caring about their experience, I have my eyes open to everyone’s individual potential. Supporting staff to make the most of their particular skills is good for them, good for the people we support, and good for the needs of the business. 

If you could describe your job in three words, what would they be?

Challenging, creative and... I can’t get this into one word, but the job has really taught me to look for other people’s strengths and figure out the best ways of working together. 

And finally, what dreams or projects do you have coming up for your role?

My main goal is to ensure my team are happy. I want staff to be happy at work, which in turn helps them to deliver a good quality of care. I’ll keep working on ways to make that happen. 

Thanks for sharing with us, Matthew!