Azam Saddique, our Technical Analyst, shares his story about the support he received during one of the hardest years his family has faced, and why it's stayed with him ever since.
What Correla means to me
I'm fortunate to work here at Correla, an organisation with a clear purpose for the future and a genuine commitment to its people. What sets Correla apart isn't just the ambition of our business, but the working environment we create together.
The part I value most is the support. A culture built on respect, openness and continuous learning. We recognise that everyone brings unique experiences and perspectives, and we work hard to create safe, supportive spaces where people can thrive. I thought I'd share a personal story about what that support meant to me.
The support that got my family through a difficult diagnosis
In January 2023, my wife, Yasmin, was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer.
I'm grateful to say she has since made a full recovery. But at the time, it was an incredibly challenging period for our daughter and son, and for our wider family. The kind of period where work is the last thing on your mind, and yet you still need it to hold steady underneath you.
During that period, the support I received from colleagues and friends across Correla was exceptional. Not vague sympathy, but genuine understanding and real flexibility. People adjusted, checked in, and gave me the space I needed without ever making me feel like I had to justify it.
That's the part I want other people to understand. It's easy to talk about support. What matters is whether it's there when you need it. Correla passed that test for me, and it's stayed with me since.
What this experience taught me about workplace culture
Looking back, that period taught me a lot about the kind of culture worth building. We talk a lot in this industry about resilience, about systems that keep running under pressure. I've come to believe the same principle applies to people. A team is only as dependable as the culture that holds it together when things get hard, not just when things are going well.
I've had the chance to help shape that culture more directly too. As a former Diversity Advisor, I played a part in establishing Correla's Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Group, and I remain a strong advocate for building a workplace that's genuinely inclusive and supportive, not just on paper. That work matters to me precisely because I know what it looks like when a culture delivers on that promise.
I don't think that kind of support happens by accident. It comes from a workplace that trusts people to be human first, not just professional. When people feel supported, they bring more of themselves to their work.
I'm grateful for the support I received during one of the hardest years my family has faced, and proud to work somewhere where people make a difference, not just to outcomes, but to each other.
What I'd say to anyone else
If there's one thing I'd want someone reading this to take away, it's this: salary, benefits and title matter, but so does how a workplace treats its employees at tough times. You don't always get to see that upfront. I didn't, until I needed it.
Several years on, that's still the thing I value most about working here.
