The transformative effect of the coronavirus pandemic has pushed the boundaries of normalcy in various directions, prompting the leaders of Croatian companies to figuratively break down the walls of the company and settle into the homes of employees, showing them that they are genuinely valued and cared for regarding their health, while also continuing to conduct business in extremely uncertain times.
The most successful entrepreneurs always turn obstacles and setbacks into springboards. Thus, the participants of the round table organized by Addiko Bank, ‘When the Unusual Becomes Usual – How Lockdown Unlocked Our Potential,’ adapted their business to new opportunities, adopted new working models, and decided to permanently retain those practices.
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Addiko Chooses Hybrid Work
– Some of our 900 employees have been working from home continuously for 15 months. As early as the end of last year, we decided that some of our employees working at the bank’s headquarters would continue to work remotely even after the pandemic, working half the time from home and half from the bank – said Mario Žižek, CEO of Addiko Bank, explaining how they decided to permanently retain remote work at the bank.
To avoid the negative effects of remote work such as isolation, alienation from the organization, and reduced networking, Addiko has enhanced communication within teams and across the entire company, and has introduced regular discussions and surveys with employees. They are also investing in training leaders on virtual and remote people management, which they will continue to do to ensure everything functions better than before. Various programs and workshops are also contributing to maintaining mental health, coping with stress, and introducing healthier habits into life.
Asseco Changed Internal Culture
Since it primarily acquired startups, the IT company Asseco SEE, despite being a large corporation operating in about 50 countries, has preserved the startup spirit that particularly came to the fore during the pandemic. In an effort to maintain a sense of belonging among employees and sustain creativity, they organized several short informal virtual meetings weekly. Some teams spent that time playing social games, some in discussions, and some enjoyed virtual beers on Friday afternoons, compensating for the lack of socializing and discussions about the projects they were working on live.
– This has changed Asseco’s internal culture for the better. There is much more direct communication between management and employees, as well as among different departments. The number of communication levels has decreased, making information more accurate, simpler, and more direct – explains Viktor Olujić, a member of Asseco’s management board, who would like to see remote work legally regulated in Croatia, which allowed them to finalize projects in Italy, Uzbekistan, and Nigeria last year without going to the client’s location. A legal solution is necessary because, as Olujić says, they expect greater dynamism in the workforce and hiring employees in cities and countries where Asseco does not have offices.
