When recruiting new members, especially to a small team, we need to think of what the company looks like to an outsider. Also, for us to find a perfect match, it’s important to recognize what we’re like. As the 2nd newest person on our team, I’ll try to describe that.
Okay, basics first. This is an R&D company, which isn’t to say we only focus on research and development – our purposes are fully commercial. Most people here are scientists; physicists and chemists, some PhDs. Most of us have spent their careers researching cellulose and/or paper making. All of us have found this innovation so promising that we’ve decided to join the story from, well, more stable jobs.
What I mean by that is that a small growth company differs quite a bit from an established, large corporation. Things can change fast, and everyone needs to be agile and flexible, yet decisive and organized. People are truly the company’s most valuable asset, and we are trusted and empowered.
Everyone is pretty entrepreneurial; we don’t just “work here” although we’re not all owners. Everyone is easily excited, eager to experiment, comes up with creative solutions to problems, and enjoys the excitement of the small wonders we achieve.
One of our core values is respect within the team. That doesn’t necessarily mean we’re overly discreet – respect to us means everyone’s opinion is heard and everyone’s input is valued. It’s also okay to disagree.
Another value that’s important in a working environment is caring. If someone’s ill, others worry. If your car breaks down, someone offers to come and pick you up. If you have a personal situation, take a day off. If we only ordered 10 pizzas and there are 11 of us, we’ll save you more pieces than there is in one.
Us together are more than the sum of the pieces, and we cannot afford to lose one. If we get more pieces, they should be just the right flavour. A cheesy metaphor, I know, but you get the idea.
Humour is abundant here, and we laugh and talk a lot – often about the most pressing environmental issues of the planet. Wellbeing, health and safety are all cared for. All our benefits are as good as they get in a growth company. This post isn’t about listing attractive benefits so I will skip that. Benefits or not, our people are very committed to our cause. Everyone seems to be onboard for the long haul.
We all want to see the Spinnova fibre become the most sustainable fibre in the world, and get up in the morning to make that happen. Are you skilled and up for this?
Emmi Berlin
@emmiberl
Head of Communications
Spinnova