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Family Balance New England Lead at Dell Technologies, Suzanne, Shares Top Wellness Tips
Suzanne S. | Advisor, Business Operations | Boston, MA
Originally Published: May 2, 2023
Can you tell me a bit about yourself and your current role?
My name is Suzanne Snell. I am based in Massachusetts and am on the DT Services Change Management Team. I strive to get employees prepared and comfortable with changes to their day-to-day work, which ultimately impacts the business’ bottom line. I help build and execute internal communication strategies and plans that give team members a clear understanding of where the organization is, where it wants to be, how the change impacts them, and how they can contribute.
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Why did you decide to join Dell Technologies, and what experiences in your career path led you to your involvement with Family Balance?
I joined Dell Technologies in 2018 after being referred for a position by a friend. I was intrigued by Dell’s moonshot goals, specifically having 50% of its global workforce and 40% of its global people leaders identify as women. I joined the New England chapter board in 2021 after I came back from maternity leave. I felt very lost in my career and wanted to take a more active role in this ERG given my monumental life change: having my first child.
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Could you talk about Family Balance and your role as the Chapter Lead?
Family Balance is one of the 13 Employee Resource Groups at Dell Technologies. The mission of Family Balance is to support team members with the competing demands of their home and work lives while assisting with career development at Dell Technologies. Our goal is to promote awareness, understanding, and advocacy by providing a community to share experiences, resources, and information. As the New England Chapter Lead, responsible for planning and hosting events, cross-collaborating with other ERG chapter leads, engaging with executive sponsors, representing the ERG internally, and driving membership growth.
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In what ways does Family Balance support team member with balancing their home and work lives?
Family Balance New England provides a safe space for team members to receive advice. For example, we recently launched a Parental Leave Buddy program. We aim to enable expectant parents at Dell to gain informal information, advice, and support at work before and after their parental leave.
How do you ensure you have a healthy work/life balance?
I no longer say “work/life” balance but “life/work” balance because my life comes first. I have worked hard since coming back from maternity leave to set boundaries with myself and my colleagues. I have strict working hours and rarely log on to check emails outside of these working hours.
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Could you share some wellness best practices and tips?
I make sure to do the following three things every day to keep my mental health balanced:
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1.) Exercise – Instead of stressing about fitting a trip to the gym on a busy day, I brought the gym to me. I have a small, simple home gym in my basement and commit to working out for 30 minutes every day. I also go for walks with my daughter in our neighborhood.
2.) Brain – I read a novel for an hour before bed every night. I enjoy historical fiction and recently finished “How We Disappeared” by Jing-Jing Lee.
3.) Get silly – I believe laughter is the best medicine. I love to make my daughter laugh and be silly with her. I’ll dance like no one is watching and make funny faces and noises just to hear her sweet giggle.
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What are some wellness benefits at Dell, and how have they enhanced your overall well-being?
There are a few of the Dell benefits that have helped me improve my overall well-being. Through Care.com we have access to a specialist who will find local childcare facilities in your area and let you know which ones have openings. This was a huge help during the pandemic when my daughter was going into daycare and facilities had limited availability. Also, the fitness reimbursement has allowed me to build a home gym over the last two years.
To learn more about ERGs and life at Dell, please visit Employee Resource Groups and our stories.
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