‘A day in the life’ at Elomatic

Flexibility is part of the job

My role is so varied that there really is no such thing as a typical working day. I usually spend the beginning of the week at the office and work from home on Thursdays and Fridays. I try to reserve those days for tasks that require particular concentration.

I normally start my day by going through my emails. Sales often takes priority over other tasks, but sometimes I need to prioritise things such as urgent requests for quotation or critical situations in ongoing projects.

I also make a point of joining my colleagues for a coffee break in the morning. It is a good opportunity to catch up informally and get a sense of how everyone is doing.

My afternoons are often spent preparing sales proposals and reports, planning customer meetings and managing my team’s resources. I spend at least one week a month travelling to meet customers. Face-to-face meetings are important, although nowadays, of course, we also hold meetings online.

Above all, a people-oriented manager

I consider leading my team to be the most important part of my job. Some managers focus mainly on managing projects, but for me, leading people comes first. I want to build a strong team with a good team spirit in a long term. I believe that is the best way to achieve the results we are aiming for.

There is an atmosphere of trust and psychological safety in my team, and everyone’s ideas are valued. We discuss things openly, and I am always ready to change my mind if someone else has a better idea – and I have to say, my team members often come up with really good ones.

It is also important to me to look after my team members’ overall well-being. Work can and should be challenging and demanding, but it should not become overwhelming. I make sure that my team members have the right conditions not only to do their jobs well, but also to build their expertise and develop professionally.

Modern tools make work easier

Elomatic is a modern company that uses up-to-date tools and methods. If we encounter a problem in our design work, there is almost always a suitable tool available to solve it. And if there isn’t, we get one.

I have also had the opportunity to learn new things by expanding my expertise into different industries. I studied power engineering, but at Elomatic I have also become familiar with the pulp and paper industry. My team and I have had opportunity to work on many diverse projects. We recently completed a unique paper industry project in Poland.

Support and networks through mentoring

Elomatic’s values are important to me. We succeed together, we have a passion to improve, and we are trustworthy. Our organisation operates according to these values, and our customers can see that too. They genuinely appreciate the way we work.

I also value the fact that at Elomatic, it is okay to fail. It happens to everyone sometimes, and when it does, it is important not to be left alone.

I receive support in my own work from my manager, who responds to my ideas with openness and trust. I know what my tasks and responsibilities are, but I have the freedom to decide how best to carry them out.

I also receive support from my mentor. I am part of Elomatic’s mentoring programme, and my mentor has a similar role in Finland to the one I have in Poland. However, he is considerably more experienced than I am, so I have learned a great deal from him.

Mentoring is also a good way to build a network. By combining our expertise across national borders, we can offer our customers solutions that draw on experience from both countries.

Looking back, I have learned that no one succeeds alone. Whether it is my team, my manager or my mentor, there is always someone to share ideas with. And that, to me, is what working at Elomatic is all about.