Author: obc_adm

Today, work is a hot topic of analyses and a permanent source of interest of individuals, representatives of companies, business and media environments. The key point is to enable business environment to have permanent access to current knowledge on the newest solutions in HR sector, which may be useful for managers and staff which manages companies.

Thanks to Olivia Business Centre’s cooperation with HR Club, a periodic event organised by Marcelina Godlewska from ABSL (Association of Business Service Leaders) and Richard Piskorz (BNP Paribas), we will have an opportunity to participate in Tri-City in a meeting concerning the newest directions in the sector. It will be held on September 21^st in Olivia Sky Club (you need to register by contacting ABSL – http://absl.pl/pl/inicjatywy/kluby-absl/klub-hr/)

During the event there will be presented for example a report on applications in business, in HR sector, the newest technologies: artificial intelligence. The guests of HR Club will be, for example, the developers of Emplocity platform – Krzysztof Sobczak and Arkadiusz Talun.

Emplocity is an advanced solution, which integrates labour market on the level of workers and employers and significantly enhances competitiveness of the above-mentioned segments. By introducing the technique of inverted recruitment, it offers effective recruitment tools, creating an attractive alternative for old-fashioned HR techniques and being an innovation in the field of costly headhunting processes.

If we look at the process of job hunting from a worker’s perspective, we can see a picture of the large number of job offers, very often in the absence of possibility to use them in the place of residence or impossibility to fulfil some criteria (for example language ones). If we look at it from employer’s perspective, we can see a huge number of data for analysis, which is necessary to recruit a worker efficiently. Very often, this task effectively blocks HR departments and their effective support of business development. To be able to join real needs and possibilities of companies and workers, the solutions of the future are being designed. They are now available in Poland, for example, due to companies which invest in innovations in business.

You are kindly invited to read the interview with Krzysztof Sobczak, Emplocity CEO, who will be the guest of the periodic event organised by ABSL – HR Club.

How to find the right worker and new job more effectively thanks to new technologies?

Monika Bogdanowicz (Olivia Business Centre Communication): New technologies are more and more boldly pushing their way into our lives and areas, in which, until now, people played a dominant role. Growing demand for the process of effective headhunting – for companies and very often tedious searching for a proper place/position – by workers, make recruitment more and more difficult. That is why, we have higher expectations on both sides of this process. What is more, the newest technologies and Internet 4.0 are stepping in: artificial intelligence, automation and virtual reality. How and in which aspects can your project Emplocity.pl help companies and workers?

Krzysztof Sobczak (Emplocity CEO): The main reason to use our solution is time efficiency. Most people don’t have enough time to search for a job, especially when they are already working somewhere. Browsing job offers, applying and managing this process are very often a full-time activity. Our bot will do it for you. It will be anonymously presenting your candidacy to hundreds of employers.

Only when they express their interest in inviting you to recruitment process and – what is very important – when your expectations concerning the offer are met; for example benefits, remuneration, form of cooperation etc., the bot will ask you if you accept the invitation and want to share your personal details. Entire heavy lifting connected with communication and candidate’s job hunting is transferred to the bot, at the same time inverting the rules of recruitment process.

What is more, when it comes to companies, our system supports the most difficult steps of recruitment and selection of candidates and helps make right decisions without prejudices or cognitive errors. We analyse a huge amount of market information and data from diverse sources. Thanks to that we enable our clients to effectively conduct decisive processes connected with employment. We use the newest technological solutions to help employers automate recruitment process, influence the improvement of candidates’ satisfaction and increase the recruiters’ productivity. Our services make it possible to significantly reduce the time needed to recruit workers and are an alternative to a traditional offer of recruitment agencies.

A change in HR sector

MB.: Your company wants to revolutionise the whole headhunting process, mainly thanks to the use of artificial intelligence. How did you come up with the idea of such a business project and what exactly triggered its creation? What contributed to the next stages of its development?

KS: The idea resulted from our previous negative experiences. We realised that recruitment process is frustrating, ineffective and time-consuming for both parties. A candidate wastes a lot of time reading unrealistic job offers and participating in conversations with their authors. Browsing websites and offers is tedious and time-consuming. It feels like a nightmare for me. They all look the same, we don’t know what we are going to do, for how much and whether our application reaches an employer. We came to the conclusion that this is a task which a machine can do better than a human being.

MB.: Is the application designed exclusively for Polish market and only for HR sector? Who else can benefit from using it?

KS: Currently, we are concentrating on the Polish market, but of course in time we will take into account a global variant, considering the scalability of this solution. Both medium and big companies with HR departments can use it, but we also have an offer for smaller organisations, which also search for workers, however they don’t have people dedicated to recruitment. Such a peculiar, external and outsourced HR department is an invaluable support for them.

MB.: Do we know the effects of using the app by workers and what scale of operations/reaching people do you aim to achieve within the next months, year. How many companies and people will have been using Emplocity within 3 years?

KS.: Within three years we would like to become the third most important player in recruitment market along with Pracuj.pl, LinkedIn or GoldenLine. This is our plan. We need a real support of robots and artificial intelligence in recruitment processes.

MB.: How do companies and HR specialists react to the possibilities of solutions offered by your company? Do you manage to build trust for such ways of supporting their work? Which obstacles do you encounter while convincing people that the application has many advantages?

KS: Already now, we are receiving many enquiries from employers both via e-mail and phone. These are companies of different size and from different sectors, less or better known brands, but they have one thing in common – all of them have problems with reaching right candidates.

During meetings with them we often hear that solutions that are available in the market, such as recruitment websites or business social networks don’t actually work and an alternative is needed, which will enable to reach people who don’t have their accounts on Pracuj.pl, GoldenLine or LinkedIn. On Facebook there are about 10 million people in working age, whom we are able to reach thanks to our Emplobot, which functions in Messenger. That is why, there is a huge potential to act and HR specialists usually approach it with a lot of enthusiasm. It is worth mentioning that in the middle of the year we asked 300 representatives of HR sectors about their approach to new technologies, including artificial intelligence in recruitment. As many as 72% of surveyed people claim that nowadays you need to implement new technologies on the stage of reaching candidates and acquiring their applications. Additionally, only 5% of recruiters think that robots will deprive them of work. It shows that a vast majority treats it as a real support in these most time-consuming activities during recruitment process.

To sum up, companies come to us and talk to us eagerly about collaboration opportunities.

MB.: I hope that thanks to your company it will be possible to have a visible impact on changes, which will help people find great jobs and employers find the best workers.

KS.: Such an idea stands behind our everyday work on the development of this project!

^{Krzysztof Sobczak – CEO, co-founder of Emplocity. He is a co-founder of Emplocity and doggedly and faithfully manages the key aspects of its activity, believing in company’s mission. A few years ago, he resigned from originally chosen career path to develop in the direction, which really gives him satisfaction. After working hours, he is a dreamer, traveller, runner, populariser of ambitious initiatives – he finished the most difficult ultra-run in the world called Jungle Marathon (254 km) and raised 130 thousand zlotys for a good cause.}

^{Association of Business Service Leaders (ABSL) – is a leading organisation, which represents modern services for Polish business. It sets standards and directions of sector’s development, which is now the most dynamic branch of Polish economy and provides employment for nearly 250 thousand people, as well as registers growth on the level of 15-20% per year. ABSL focuses Shared Service Centres (SSC), Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), Information Technology Outsourcing (ITO), Research & Development (R&D) and companies supporting sector’s development. ABSL initiates numerous actions which aim to promote Poland as an attractive country that is open for foreign investors.}

^{HR ABSL Club – the mission of HR Club is the integration of the sector within the scope of exchange of good HR practices, referring to legal barriers and stimulating the environment to actions, which will help companies and sectors develop and help Poland become the first choice of location for BPO/SSC operations and desirable workplace.}

 

Interview with Magdalena Bączyk Manager | Human Capital, Deloitte Advisory Sp. Ltd.

We live in a world of constant change and development, on an unprecedented scale, of the relationship between man and new technologies. The latter fill almost every element of our lives. Technological progress has reached an unprecedented pace. Artificial intelligence, mobile platforms, and social collaboration systems have revolutionized our lives, including work. People are good at adopting new technologies, but business is doing so to a much lesser extent.

According to a study by the consulting firm Deloitte, Organizations around the world are embracing technology to meet the growing demands of their employees, who are beginning to be treated as customers. In this respect, Polish HR systems remain… behind.

Although one of the most important priorities for companies in Poland is to attract the most talented employees, as many as 62 per cent of respondents believe that they are in the right place. of them admit that they are unprepared for it. The new era, often referred to as the Fourth Industrial Revolution or the term “Big Shift” we coin, means radical changes in business, the wider economy and society. In this pivotal era, top executives, both in business and HR, are under intense pressure to reinvent the principles of organization, recruitment, development, management, and engagement for the 21st century.

As part of the business breakfast organized by the American Chamber of Commerce Poland entitled “HR Trends 2017. Changing the rules in the digital era”, which took place on 11 September this year. in Olivia Sky Club, the above-mentioned report was presented to the Tri-City HR community.

We invite you to read the interview with Magdalena Bączyk, an expert from Delloitte, who presented during the above-mentioned meetings, main theses and results of the report.

Download the report (PDF, 39.5 MB) HR Trends 2017

–/–

Monika Bogdanowicz (Communication Olivia Business Centre): The way the world’s most efficient companies do business today is radically different from what it was 10 years ago. Many companies, however, still operate according to models from 100 years ago. They are burdened by outdated practices, systems, and behaviors that are difficult to abandon. How does this situation affect the opportunities for change, and what is necessary for organizations to be ready to keep pace with the technological revolution?

Magdalena Bączyk, Manager | Human Capital, Deloitte Advisory Sp. Ltd.: The main observation from our survey this year HR Trends is that for the first time, CEOs and HR leaders are speaking in unison: The way we used to organize workplaces and understand what work is in general has changed. Organizations are moving away from rigid divisions into divisions and departments – we work in project teams composed of people with different competences, appointed for the time necessary to perform a specific task. Teams no longer communicate primarily by email – they use collaboration platforms such as Slack or Basecamp to do so. Not all team members are full-time employees – we have subcontractors, freelancers, crowdsourcing platforms. Finally, we have robots that take over some of the work previously done by humans. But it’s not teams or even robots that make it possible for us to talk about a revolution in the world of work.

The revolution is driven by a seemingly innocuous statement that resonated clearly in this year’s survey: we must treat employees as our customers. Therefore, we ask employees about their needs just as we study the needs of customers. On the basis of the information obtained, we adapt all processes, work organization and communication to individual employee segments, just as we adapt communication and offer to customer segments. Treating an employee as a customer is a trend that ranked 4th in terms of importance in this year’s survey. What is already a standard in marketing departments is slowly moving to HR departments.

MB.: So what are the main global trends in HR, and how do they compare to the conclusions drawn from the analysis of the Polish results of the report?

Magdalena Bączyk: Compared to global results, in Poland, the trend of building the organization of the future, which is number one on an international scale, turned out to be much less important, taking the fifth place among the priorities of HR leaders. It was overtaken by issues related to the career and education of employees as well as talent acquisition, which took first and second place in Poland, respectively. This may indicate that in Poland we have a more reactive approach to human capital management than in other countries, focusing mainly on the current difficulties related to the shortage of employees with the desired qualifications and competences. Such an attitude can be explained by the fact that in our region, significant talent shortages, affecting almost all industries and types and levels of positions, are a relatively new phenomenon if we take into account its scale. Nevertheless, the comparison of Polish and global results shows that, apart from the above-mentioned difference, the thinking of our leaders about the future of HR does not differ significantly from the views expressed by leaders from other countries.

This can be seen primarily in the results related to shaping the employee experience and the need to change the approach to performance management – Polish leaders are looking closely at these areas and taking action. 60% of the surveyed organizations in Poland declare that they have implemented some elements or a full strategy for building employee experience, and 61% are implementing changes in performance management systems, including a greater emphasis on strengthening employee strengths and coaching. In this respect, the level of advancement of Polish enterprises is the same, or even slightly higher, than the level of advancement of companies in global terms.

MB.: In the context of the technological revolution, and above all in connection with the development of machine intelligence and its impact on the work environment, it is worth asking about the level of awareness of leaders in terms of the importance of the U.S. place and role… companies of the future.

Magdalena Bączyk: 31% of this year’s survey respondents said that they are in the process of implementing artificial intelligence and robotics systems, and 34% are at the stage of pilot programs in selected areas. And 10% say they are already fully automated or have achieved a significant degree of automation. Interestingly, when asked about the effects of the implemented solutions, only 20% of respondents predict a decrease in the number of jobs. As many as 77% intend to transform their existing positions so that employees can take advantage of new technology solutions and focus more on typical human skills such as problem-solving and decision-making.

MB.: So we have optimistic information! People will be the best and irreplaceable in their main roles in business development.

Magdalena Bączyk: Yes, everything points to it.

–/–

^{Magdalena Bączyk is a manager from the Human Capital Advisory team at Deloitte. He has over 7 years of experience in consulting in the field of human resources management. He specializes in the implementation of projects in the area of change management (both technological and organizational), transformation of HR functions, optimization of organizational structures, design and implementation of competency models, development of talent development programs, leadership development programs and design of management by objectives systems. She is a graduate of management at the University of Warsaw.}

^{The report “HR Trends 2017. Changing the rules in the digital era” is one of Deloitte’s most extensive research efforts on talent, leadership, and the challenges facing HR departments in the era of technological revolution.}

 

 

A trip around the world, extreme mountaineering, an adrenaline rush on the racetrack with your employer’s money? Impossible? And yet! A Polish IT company will allocate PLN 300,000 to develop the passions of its employees.

Sii, a resident of Olivia Business Centre, one of the largest IT and engineering companies in Poland, will allocate as much as PLN 300,000 per year to sponsor the passion of its engineers. Tech enthusiasts, sports enthusiasts, but also more artistic talents present in the team can count on financial support. The employer appreciates employees for their expertise, commitment, and extraordinary personalities. Anyone who is passionate, persistent in pursuing their interests, and the ability to inspire others can become a sponsor.

Sports cards and medical care are definitely not enough – discover a new dimension of benefits for programmers

Sii was already known as a company that “goes ahead of the line” when it comes to the offered working conditions in IT compared to the competition. The Best Place to Work in IT according to Computerworld, or Great Place to Work – prestigious awards for top employers, which have been awarded to Sii many times, seem to confirm this. So what is the recipe for the company’s success? In addition to stable working conditions and a wide range of technological projects that are implemented all over the world, Sii focuses on unique benefits. The company has long invested in advanced training programs for engineers, provides industry-specific certifications, and had an extensive cafeteria system. The plans for Sii’s new office, which will include a slide, a climbing wall and many unusual attractions that Google itself would not be ashamed of, have been widely echoed. However, this is only the beginning of the company’s plans.

PLN 300,000 goes to employees to sponsor passions

By the decision of President Gregoire Nitot, in the coming year employees will receive as much as PLN 300,000 to develop their hobbies and interests. – Passion for Technology – Sii’s motto emphasizes our key value, which is passion – primarily for IT, but not only. It is also our daily approach at work, which has accompanied us since the beginning of Sii’s existence and is inscribed in our DNA. Technology is the foundation of Sii’s business – it is our great passion, but together with it, the focus is on the employee and their needs. Our mission is Power People – we care about the satisfaction of people employed at Sii. The passion sponsorship program simply combines what is most important to us. Therefore, I am giving Power People this money with a view to enabling them to realize themselves, make their dreams come true and develop.

Conquering peaks – even the highest ones – suddenly becomes possible

The diversity of beneficiaries of the program is evidenced by the examples of people who have already benefited from the project – the first PLN 50,000 went to the sponsors. They have one thing in common – they live with passion and develop professionally at Sii. The fact that perseverance allows you to “aim high” was personally experienced by Michał, Engineering for Rural Development. Tests and Analyses at Sii Gdansk. “I’ve been planning this trip for a long time. It was thanks to the company’s support that I was able to reach the top of my dreams,” says Michał. In 2017, thanks to sponsorship, he managed to go to Denali – the highest peak in North America. As he says himself, climbing is for him a fight with his own weaknesses, because he had… fear of heights. On a daily basis, he deals with software tests, which he writes and analyzes, using tools such as m.in. Repo Tool or the Google Test framework.

Passion Drives Power People – this slogan has many faces

There is no shortage of athletes among Sii’s experts. Artur, marathon runner and Olympian, and on a daily basis a Marine Engineer. Software. After hours, he infects his colleagues with his passion by conducting running trainings for employees and anyone who is interested. Kamil from Katowice is a cycling enthusiast and a Team Leader at the same time. Michał from Cracow is a freediver. There are also music enthusiasts in the company – Grzesiek, DJ, creator and organizer of the Bassriver festival, is a Release Manager at Sii. There is also no shortage of adrenaline and thrill enthusiasts – Łukasz, the Junior System Administrator, takes part in car races, and his namesake, the Assistant Engineer. He has travelled around South America on a motorcycle – today he is planning another trip.

Football, basketball, mountaineering or maybe salsa as part of an interest group? We say yes!

Sii experts also join internal interest groups, which are also financed by the employer. There are currently 47 interest groups across the company. Among them were m.in. volleyball teams, basketball, board games, soccer, salsa, movie club and many more. All of them, along with the stories of the beneficiaries of the passion sponsorship program, create an image of Sii as a diverse IT environment full of interesting people. Each subsequent edition of this project surprises – allowing Sii employees to get to know each other even better from a new side. This is just the beginning of the list of enthusiasts, as the company is just announcing a new recruitment for the passion support program. Soon, more employees will be selected to join the group of sponsors.

So what kind of company is Sii?

Sii employs 3000 IT experts who work in 8 branches of the company in: Warsaw, Krakow, Poznań, Gdańsk, Wrocław, Lublin, Łódź, Katowice and carry out projects for over 200 clients, companies from the banking and finance, insurance, telecommunications, Hi-Tech, energy and industry sectors from all over the world. Sii supports clients in the field of consulting, analysis and testing, software development, infrastructure management, system integration and maintenance, and industrial engineering. In addition, it is the fastest growing IT company in Poland, which is confirmed by record financial results. The company has been awarded many times in prestigious plebiscites for the best employers. It is the Best Place to Work in Poland according to the Computerworld ranking and a three-time winner of the international Great Place to Work ranking. Find out more about working at Sii and the passion sponsorship program at www.kariera.sii.pl.

Sii has been developing its business in Gdańsk for 10 years. Currently, the Tri-City branch employs almost 800 people and there is no shortage of passionate people. In the Gdańsk office of the leader of the technology industry, there are several interest groups, including football, basketball, squash, Cuban salsa, building a racing simulator and board games. The company also supports other initiatives related to active leisure – employees can represent their employer in runs and races.

A trip around the world, extreme high-mountain climbing, a shot of adrenaline on the race track for the money of your employer? Impossible? Think again! A Polish IT company will spend 300 000 PLN for the development of passions of its workers.

Sii, one of the biggest IT and engineering companies in Poland, will allocate 300 000 PLN in a year for sponsoring the passions of hired engineers. Enthusiasts of technology, sports but also artistic talents on the team can count on financial support. The employer appreciates its employees for their expert knowledge, engagement but also unique personalities. Each person who is passionate, persistent in pursuing their goals and has the ability to inspire others can be sponsored.

Sports cards and private healthcare is not enough – get to know the new dimension of benefits for programmers

When it comes to offered work conditions in IT, Sii is known for standing out from the crowd. The Best Place to Work in IT according to Computerworld or Great Place to Work – prestigious awards for top employers, which Sii has received many times, seem to confirm this truth. Then, what is the recipe for the company’s success? Except for stable work conditions and a wide range of technological projects, which are carried out across the world – Sii wants to focus on unique benefits. The company has been investing in advanced training programs for engineers, and providing them with industry certificates for years. It also has a well-developed benefit system. The information about Sii’s office, equipped with a slide, climbing wall and many unusual attractions, worthy of Google, bounced wide coverage. Yet, this is only the beginning of what Sii is planning.

300 000 PLN goes to employees for the sponsorship of passions

By the decision of CEO Gregoire Nitot, as much as 300 000 PLN will go to the employees for developing their hobbies and interests – Passion for Technology – the motto of the company, highlights our key value – passion, especially for IT, but not only. This is also our approach in everyday work, which has accompanied us from the start of Sii’s existence and is inscribed in our DNA. Technology is a basis of Sii’s operation – it is our great passion, but side by side with it are our employees and their needs. Our mission is Power People – we care for the contentment and satisfaction of the persons working for Sii. The passions sponsoring program simply combines the elements which are the most important to us. So I give this money to our Power People with the thought in mind, that they will have the opportunity to make their dreams come true.

Reaching even the highest peaks is suddenly possible

The current beneficiaries of the program are a proof of the variety of projects that can be sponsored – they have just received the first 50 000 PLN. There is one thing they all have in common– they live with passion and develop professionally at Sii. Michał, Tests and Analyses engineer at Sii Gdańsk, has experienced for himself that “perseverance lets you aim high” – I have been planning the expedition for some time. It is, among others, thanks to my company’s support that I could reach the peak of my dreams – says Michał. In 2017, thanks to the sponsorship, he could go to Denali – the highest peak of North America. As he says, climbing is to him a battle with his weaknesses, as he used to have a fear of heights. In everyday life he is a software tester. He writes and analyzes tests using i.a. Repo Tool or the Google Test framework.

Passion Drives Power People – one motto, many ideas

Among Sii experts you will find a few athletes. One of them is Arthur, marathon runner and olympian, and in everyday life, software engineer. After hours, he shares his passion with his colleagues and carries out running trainings for other employees and everyone interested. Kamil from Katowice is a fan of cycling and a Team Leader. Michał from Cracow is a fan of free diving, that is diving without the use of any diving equipment. In the company we also have people passionate about music – Grzesiek, a DJ and the creator and organizer of the Bassriver festival. At Sii he is a Release Manager. We also have enthusiasts of adrenaline and extreme experiences – Łukasz, Junior system administrator, participates in car races, and his namesake – a software engineer took a tour of South America on a motorbike – today he is already planning an new expedition.

Football, basketball, mountain climbing or maybe salsa as one of our interest groups? We are saying yes!

Sii experts create internal interest groups, which are also financed by the employer. In the entire company, there are in total 47 interest groups. Among them: volleyball, basketball and football teams, board games and salsa groups, as well as a film group and many more. All of them, together with the history of the beneficiaries of the passions sponsorship program create an image of Sii, as an IT environment which is versatile and full of interesting people. Every edition of the project brings surprises – each one lets Sii employees get to know each other from a new perspective. This is only the beginning of the list of persons with passion, as the company is recruiting for the next edition of the program. Soon, new employees will be selected and will join the ones that have already benefited from the company’s sponsorship.

What kind of company is Sii?

Sii employs 3000 IT experts, who work in 8 branches of the company, in: Warsaw, Cracow, Poznań, Gdańsk, Wrocław, Lublin, Łódź and Katowice. They carry out projects for more than 200 clients from the banking & finance, insurance, telecommunications, Hi-Tech, energy and industrial sectors around the world. Sii supports clients in the area of consulting, analyses and tests, software development, infrastructure management, integration and management of systems and industrial engineering. What is more, it is the fastest developing IT company in Poland. This is confirmed by record high financial results. The company is a many-time awardee of prestigious plebiscites for the best employers. It is the Best Place to Work in IT according to the Computerworld ranking and a three time laureate of the international Great Place to Work ranking. Find out more about work at Sii and the passions sponsorship program at www.kariera.sii.pl/en.

Sii, an IT expert and engineering services leader, has been developing in Gdańsk for the past 10 years. Currently, there are almost 800 people employed in the company’s Tricity office and all of them are full of passion. In Sii Gdańsk there are many active interest groups, such as football, basketball, squash, cuban salsa, building a racing simulator, board games and many others. The company also supports many other ways of spending free time – Sii employees may represent their employer in runs and races.

Interview with Magdalena Bączyk Manager | Human Capital, Deloitte Advisory Sp. Ltd.

We are living in the world full of continuous changes and development, on an unprecedented scale, of the relation between a human being and new technologies. These latter ones fill nearly every element of our lives. Technological progress has reached unprecedented pace. Artificial intelligence, mobile platforms and social system of cooperation revolutionised our lives, including work. People are good at adopting new technologies, but business does it to a substantially lesser degree.

According to the research carried out by a consulting company Deloitte, organisations all around the world use technology to meet growing expectations of workers, whom they are starting to treat in the same ways as clients. In this respect, Polish HR systems… lag behind.

Although for companies in Poland one of the most important priorities is recruiting the most talented workers, as many as 62% of them admit that they are not prepared for it. New era, very often described as fourth industrial revolution or Big Shift, which is a term coined by us, means radical changes in business, in wider economy and society. In this ground-breaking era, top management staff, both from business and HR departments, feels a huge pressure to create from scratch the rules of organisation, recruitment, development, management and involvement of employees, which are appropriate for the 21st^century.

During business breakfast organised by American Chamber of Commerce Poland called “2017 HR Trends. Change of the rules in the digital era”, which was held on September 11, 2017 in Olivia Sky Club, the above-mentioned report was presented to Tricity HR community.

We invite you to read an interview with Magdalena Bączyk, an expert in Delloitte, who presented main theses and the results of the report during the above-mentioned event.

Download the report in Polish (PDF, 39,5 MB) 2017 HR Trends

–/–

Monika Bogdanowicz (Olivia Business Centre Communication): The current way of carrying business activity by the most efficient companies in the world is completely different from the one that was valid 10 years ago. However, many companies use the models that were used 100 years ago. They are burdened by outdated practices, systems and behaviours, which are difficult to give up. How does such a situation influence the possibilities of changes and what is essential to make organisations ready to keep up with the pace of technological revolution?

Magdalena Bączyk, Manager | Human Capital, Deloitte Advisory Sp. Ltd.: There is one main conclusion that can be drawn from his year’s HR Trends research: for the first time, chairmen and HR leaders are unanimous: the way we organised workplaces and understood the meaning of work up to now, has changed. Organisations have started to abandon rigid divisions into sectors and departments – we work in project teams, which consist of people with different competences, who are appointed for the time needed to do a certain task. First of all, teams don’t communicate via e-mails anymore – they use such cooperation platforms as Slack or Basecamp. Not all team members are full-time workers – we have subcontractors, freelancers, crowdsourcing platforms. Finally, we have robots, which take over part of the work, which up to now was performed by people. But these are not teams and robots that make it possible to speak boldly about the revolution in the world of work.

The revolution is driven by a seemingly innocent statement, which was explicit in this year’s research: we have to treat workers in the same way as our clients. That is why, we ask employees about their needs in the same way we study clients’ needs. On the basis of obtained information we adjust all processes, ways of work organisation and communication to certain segments of workers in the same way we adjust communication and offers to segments of clients. Treating workers in the same way as clients is a trend, which occupied 4^th place in this year’s research in terms of importance. The thing, that is a standard in marketing departments, is slowly being transferred to HR departments.

MB.: What are the main global HR trends, then? How do they relate to conclusions from Polish results of the report?

Magdalena Bączyk: In comparison to global results, in Poland the trend connected with creating organisations of the future, which is a number at international level, turned out to be much less important and occupied 5^th place among the priorities of HR leaders. It was outrun by issues connected with employee’s career and education, as well as talent acquisition, which in Poland occupied respectively first and second place. This may indicate that in Poland, to a greater extent than in other countries, we approach human capital management reactively, focusing mainly on current difficulties connected with the shortage of workers with desirable qualifications and competences. Such an attitude can be explained by the fact that in our region significant shortages of talents, which affect nearly all industries and types and levels of positions, are a relatively new phenomenon, if we take into account its scale. However, comparing Polish and global results indicates that apart from the above-mentioned difference, the way our leaders think about the future of HR doesn’t deviate significantly from the views expressed by leaders from different countries.

It is best illustrated by the example of results connected with shaping worker’s experience and the need to change the attitude towards performance management – Polish leaders are carefully looking at these areas and are taking actions. 60% of surveyed organisations in Poland declare that they implemented some elements or a full strategy of building worker’s experience and 61% introduce changes in the systems of performance management, taking into account greater emphasis on enhancing workers’ strengths and coaching. In this respect, the level of advancement of Polish enterprises is the same, or even slightly higher than the level of advancement of companies globally.

MB.: In the context of technological revolution, and most of all in connection with the development of machines’ intelligence and their influence on working environment, it is worth asking about the level of leaders’ awareness in terms of the place and role of… human beings in companies of the future.

Magdalena Bączyk: 31% of this year’s respondents of the survey claimed that they are in the process of implementing the systems of artificial intelligence and robotics and 34% of them are at the phase of pilot programmes in chosen areas. 10% claim that they are fully automated or that they have reached a significant degree of automation. Interestingly, asked about the results of implemented solutions, only 20% of respondents expect a reduction in the number of working places. As many as 77% of respondents are going to transform existing positions in such a way to enable workers to use new technological solutions and focus more on typical human skills, such as problem solving and decision making.

MB.: So, we have optimistic information! People will be the best and irreplaceable in their main roles in business development.

Magdalena Bączyk: Yes, everything indicates that.

–/–

^{Magdalena Bączyk is a manager in Human Capital Advisory team in Deloitte. She has more than 7 years of experience in consulting in the area of human resources management. She specialises in implementing projects in the area of change management (both technological and organisational), the transformation of HR functions, optimisation of organisational structures, designing and implementing competence models, creating talent development programmes, leadership development programmes and designing systems of management by objectives. She graduated from the faculty of management at the University of Warsaw.}

^{“2017 HR Trends. Change}

of the rules in the digital era” report ^{is one of the most extensive research projects carried out by Deloitte, which concerns talents, leadership and challenges facing HR departments in the era of technological revolution.}

 

Over the past year, the Gdańsk Foundation for Management Development has undergone a process of numerous changes, including the introduction of new and modernized training and consulting products to its offer, technological development and improved internal processes. Their element is a refreshed external image – a comprehensive reconstruction of the visual identity, from the new logo to the GFKM website.

A mirror of change

The adoption of the new visual identity is primarily due to the dynamic development that has characterized the last year at GFKM. We are constantly innovating training, products, MBA programs and internal processes to best meet the expectations of our customers. In this way, the visual line became a mirror of the changes in GFKM.

Andrzej Popadiuk, President of the Management Board of GFKM

Dynamic perspective – your perspective!

The new color scheme of the logo refers to the colors originally used. However, it has been refreshed, based on one dominant color, giving it elegance and stability. Navy blue and blue in the basic palette of the brand’s identity give it freshness and modernity. On the other hand, the two buckles that make up the logo signet give it a dynamic character and introduce the concept of flexibility of perspective: they can expand or focus, as the lens does. The projects were supervised by Engram.

The new GFKM brand language reflects the current nature of the organization and its aspirations. In the course of the work, a communicative idea was developed to expand the perspective on business challenges. We know that the GFKM brand helps its customers to look at themselves and their organizations in a full and valuable way. Replacing a fragmented view with a broad approach is the essence of the services offered by GFKM and its updated one. In addition, the new branding is embedded in contemporary communication trends. It is characterized by clarity, dynamics and great consistency – starting from the logo, through icons, photos, and ending with the way layouts are built. Importantly, in the case of a brand with 25 years of experience, the current image is a natural continuation of GFKM’s previous identity.

Bartosz Kotowicz, Managing Director of Engram Branding Agency

Fast, intuitive and mobile

Not only the elements of visual identification, such as the logo or promotional materials, but also the website have changed. The new version of the website is faster and lighter. It has been designed to be more convenient to use both in a desktop browser and on a smartphone or tablet.

By focusing on a fast and aesthetic presentation of information on all platforms, we have taken care of a positive experience for visitors to the GFKM website. Together with Matsuu, the contractor of the website, we will look for further ways to improve and streamline the website so that the GFKM website is even more convenient for users and provides the information they are looking for in an intuitive way.

As of today, the Lechia Gdańsk Foundation has its registered office in Olivia Business Centre. The Foundation has joined the group of social organizations residing in Olivia CONNECT, right after the Foundation and the Marek Kamiński Institute. The meeting inaugurating the Foundation’s presence in Olivia’s CONNECT space was attended by m.in. Adam Mandziara, President of Lechia Gdańsk, Janusz Biesiada, President of the Lechia Gdańsk Foundation, Tomasz Motyka, Managing Director of Lechia Gdańsk and Maciej Grabski, President of Olivia Business Centre.

The greeting of the guests was accompanied by the traditional exchange of pennants and T-shirts of the football teams: Lechia Gdańsk and Olivia Business Centre.

^{In the photo, at the top: Maciej Grabski, Adama Mandziara, Janusz Biesiada}

Established in May 2017, the Lechia Gdańsk Foundation is based on four pillars: brotherhood, help, education and sport. One of its goals is to support the development of children and adolescents by promoting an active and healthy lifestyle. The Foundation also works to improve the conditions and quality of life of people in a difficult health or financial situation. The focus of the activities is m.in. on social care, providing assistance to upbringing, educational and care institutions, as well as activating local communities.

“Olivia CONNECT creates comfortable working conditions for the Lechia Gdańsk Foundation. Being located in one of the most modern office buildings in Gdańsk will enable us to achieve our statutory goals even more effectively. We are adjacent to many foundations and institutions dealing with charity, thanks to which we will be able to establish cooperation with them, expand the spectrum of our activities and engage in new projects – says Janusz Biesiada, President of the Lechia Gdańsk Foundation.

Numerous non-governmental organizations, m.in. associations and foundations, as well as business support institutions, have their headquarters in Olivia CONNECT. Among the residents of CONNECT are, m.in: infoShare Foundation, Marek Kamiński Foundation, Marek Kamiński Institute and Inspiring Examples Foundation, as well as the Pomeranian Regional Chamber of Commerce, Pomeranian Association of Entrepreneurs Lewiatan, GUP Job Office, Interizon ICT Cluster and BPO Education Centre – Sopot University of Applied Sciences.

“We are proud to have such distinguished residents join us. Our main goal is to create optimal conditions for cooperation, development, exchange of knowledge and experience. We want to motivate them to cooperate and implement projects that bring benefits to the entire Pomerania – emphasizes Agnieszka Zglinicka, SME Director at Olivia Business Centre. “Lechia has been actively participating in the social life of the Tri-City for years. Now, thanks Foundation, will be able to intensify its activities dedicated to supporting those in need. I am convinced that Olivia Business Centre and the residents of our business hub will be actively involved in the foundation’s projects.

Lechia Gdańsk Foundation website

Olivia Business Centre website

An interview with Leszek Szmidtke, the originator and creator of the Inspiring Examples Foundation, and Agnieszka Zglinicka, a member of the Foundation’s board and the Director of the Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Area at Olivia Business Centre.

The pretext for our conversation is the meeting inaugurating the public activity of the Inspiring Examples Foundation, which took place on 5 October 2017 in the Olivia Sky Club in the Olivia Business Centre. The guests of the evening were the founders, organizers, friends and business, institutional and social partners of the initiative taking up the challenge of supporting young people in making choices regarding their development and future work in Pomeranian business.

During the meeting, the Foundation’s current activities were presented, and its creators also presented recommendations for further development of the projects implemented by the Foundation. The guests could listen to words of encouragement addressed to entrepreneurs and educators to help, together with the Foundation, children and young people find their way on the labour market.

The debate, moderated by Marcin Nowicki, was attended by: Agata Hofman, PhD – director of the Gedania 1922 Kindergarten and creoGedania school and the Polish Children’s Academy, Małgorzata Gwozdz – HR director at Olivia Business Centre, Dominika Michalska – a student of one of the Tri-City high schools and Paweł Musiał – founder of MpicoSys. Dr. Hofman pointed out m.in. attention to the need to create a space for the development of young people’s talents, as it is done by the Inspiring Examples Foundation. The whole meeting was crowned with a performance by Igor Falecki. The boy not only gave a demonstration of his amazing musical skills, but also told an equally amazing story of the development of his passion – playing the drums.

–/ —

Monika Bogdanowicz (Communication Olivia Business Centre): Leszek, as a publicist and commentator on social life, you have been involved for many years in presenting us people active in the field of business and economy in Pomerania. Your next, new role in the field of promoting professional activity is just taking shape and is starting to have a direct impact on our reality. What was the impulse to establish the Inspiring Examples Foundation and what is the main goal of its activity?

Leszek Szmidtke: (Inspiring Examples Foundation): When I realised that I would not be able to return to my previous profession due to a stroke – I was a journalist and worked at Radio Gdańsk and the Institute for Market Economics – I started to help my son’s class. I wanted the students to see what a piece of economy looks like when done by good Pomeranian companies. An example came from DCT, Remontowa Shipyard, Merkus store, and it all started with a small, young company Professor Why based in the O4 Coworking in Olivia Business Centre. A long start, but extremely important. I did it primarily with my son in mind. I hoped that by looking at different examples and dimensions of entrepreneurship and workplaces, it would be easier for him to make choices later on. Maciej Grabski was a witness, organizer and participant of the first visit and it was he who told me: “Make something more out of it”. Something more, that is, not only for your children…

^{Fig. from the left: Leszek Szmidtke and Agnieszka Zglinicka}

Monika Bogdanowicz: In today’s dynamically changing world, it is difficult to identify certain elements of activity that can contribute to the success of young people in the future. What is the uniqueness of your idea of combining activities aimed at young people and innovative companies in Pomerania in one project?

Leszek Szmidtke: Entrepreneurship is not the ability to make a lot of money. Entrepreneurship is, in my opinion, a way to live an active life. By showing concrete examples of entrepreneurship, we try to tell kids in different ways: “Look for your place in life – the one where you will feel good.” Many vocational schools visit companies as typical places of future work, here department X, there department Y. We show them differently. We talk about enterprises and entrepreneurs in terms of finding one’s own path, we talk about perseverance in pursuing a goal, getting up after a fall, because it happens, and about courage. For me, it is important that a young person learns how to find their place and an occupation that will give them a sense of fulfillment. That’s how I define success. Let him look for and make mistakes when the costs are not too high.

Companies are extremely ingenious in managing the two hours that students spend with them. No two visits are the same. It’s a wealth that sometimes makes your head spin.

Our proposal is systemic and is addressed mainly to high school students who make important life decisions around their final exams. We want to reduce the number of random choices. We don’t just offer company visits. We have prepared a number of additional, attractive proposals based on our allies: Talent Development Centre, Business Incubators “Starter” and “Clipster”, Coworking O4, Pomerania Development Agency, Voivodeship Labour Office. We want to motivate students to go beyond certain ruts; That is why the infoShare foundation conducts classes “Coding for humanists”, Natalia JadźkaRysuje Klonowska “Visual Thinking”, and Rafał Dadej workshops on project management “The best party in the village/on the divide”. This is how we look for new solutions. In fact, we already have other crazy ideas that we will implement in 2018.

Monika Bogdanowicz: Agnieszka, what do you think young people who are facing the choice of a life path, a direction for further education and an apprenticeship in the profession need the most?

Agnieszka Zglinicka: There are many variables, but finding what a young person is really interested in and what they are or can be good at seems crucial. Such awareness, recognition of interest and passion can completely change the current functioning and even the whole life. This, in any case, could be a good start.

Monika Bogdanowicz: How can you directly help the participants of the action related to the foundation’s projects? How do companies that are open to participating in your initiative benefit from the project?

Agnieszka Zglinicka: Let me quote a sentence of Confucius, which illustrates our idea well: “Tell me and I’ll forget. Show me and I’ll remember. Let me do and I’ll understand.” This is what we have based on the activities of the Inspiring Examples Foundation. The Foundation is to open doors, giving a chance to get to know and better understand the modern business world.

In addition to visits to companies, we have workshops that allow you to get to know yourself better and acquire important skills, not necessarily related to the field of education. Asking questions, formulating problems, looking for answers on your own, but also teamwork are no less important than developing the skills necessary to cope professionally in the future.

During company visits, students also carry out mini-projects. Their fresh, sometimes even abstract view of the problem, not limited by excel or budgets, is an invaluable lesson also for managers hosting students. Companies have a chance to get to know their future staff, tell them what is really important at work and what skills, a specific job really requires from them.

People who organize visits to companies face difficult matters. With teenagers, who are not so easy to get away from their smartphones. You have to act and talk in a different way. Therefore, the program must be attractive and engaging. The most important thing in the whole project is the young people taking part in it, their future. Let’s not forget that today’s teenagers will shape our environment tomorrow. Today, we can help a little to make their work enjoyable – it will pay off for everyone.

Monika Bogdanowicz: At what stage of development are the foundation’s projects at the moment? Which companies have joined the Foundation’s activities so far?

Leszek Szmidtke: We have started the last preparatory stage before the start planned for 2018. Then we will propose a shape that will bring us closer to our goals. By the end of this year, there will be about 100 companies cooperating with us. We are very close to that number. What is important here is the quality and willingness to help. The companies gathered are an elite, carefully selected, because being an inspiring example brings with it certain responsibilities. It is not an easy task, especially since there is no single model of this type of activity, so the development of the Foundation requires a lot of effort and creativity from us. We have similar expectations of schools. It can’t just be a trip.

Monika Bogdanowicz: From the very beginning, the project has been supported by active people who create and develop leading companies and institutions in Pomerania. How do you manage to convince managers to participate and get involved in creative work with young people?

Leszek Szmidtke: It is our great asset that we managed to gather many wonderful people around the idea. Each of them is doing something and is working somewhere. Increasingly, business owners and CEOs understand that they should not only make money, but also create “something more”: for others. They see that it is necessary to go beyond their offices and gates. And increasingly, they are doing so.

The project is based on the goodwill and desire of many people. I don’t have the slightest problem with involving companies. Worse, schools are still too often closed to the world around them. I console myself that this is just the beginning and after crossing a certain limit, an avalanche will start.

Although our idea is supposed to stimulate entrepreneurship, I think that few students who take advantage of the proposal will start their own businesses. We assume that in 2018 there will be approx. 3-3.5 thousand young people; 2 or 3% of them will set up their own business. Others will look for jobs in existing companies and institutions. Let them do it, knowing what attracts them or what they are not attracted to.

I am convinced that when entering the job market, they will start their search with the companies they visited and which made a good impression on them, because they saw people working there with passion, energy and joy. Someone may say that there are no such companies in our country and that this is naivety. It’s just that I know such companies and these companies are involved in our project. Among the schools, I have also found some that I can say that I would like to send my children there. Of course, unfortunately, there are still some to which I would not send…

Monika Bogdanowicz: Leszek, your vision of the Foundation’s development assumes a real change in our society and the creation of a modern formula for educating young people. Do you encounter a lack of interest, criticism? It seems that it is difficult to break the pattern of a school trip to the workplace…

Because we are creating something new, we are making and will continue to make mistakes. At the same time, we are always open to discussion, to dissent, to constructive criticism. And still, together with those involved in the project, we are looking for ideas and examples that will be inspiring for young people.

Monika Bogdanowicz: The first year of operation is actually a big testing ground for the organizers. What was the most difficult lesson for you, and what is your daily inspiration to take on new challenges in your work on the development of the Foundation?

Leszek Szmidtke: Difficult lessons are almost every day. We have to come up with unique solutions, which then have to be verified in practice. We do not always meet with understanding, especially of teachers, especially since we also expect commitment and work from them. We are looking not only for the best ideas for students in terms of content and form, but also beneficial solutions for companies. Young people are very creative, they are looking for creative solutions. And our entrepreneurs are increasingly looking to them for inspiration.

Monika Bogdanowicz: With today’s event, the Inspiring Examples Foundation has started its public activity. How do you imagine the materialization of your vision and what should you wish for the next stages of development?

Agnieszka Zglinicka: In a few years’ time, we would like to see the effects of our current activities. To see happy young people, students learning what they are really interested in, aware of what is important to them and entrepreneurs to whom they want to apply, or are already applying at university. Satisfied, complementary and learning from each other’s young employees and their employers.

Leszek Szmidtke: I will only add that in 2018 we want to refine the idea, stabilize it and give it a long-term character. Then we can start thinking about scaling the project. In addition, we dream of creating a healthy relationship between the business world and schools. A place such as Olivia Business Centre is perfect for this.

–/–

^{Leszek Szmidtke , a historian by education, who feels quite comfortable in the economy. Journalist of Radio Gdańsk (over a quarter of a century). Winner of several international awards for his reportages and other broadcasts (mainly historical) – in a way, he is still a journalist, but in a different capacity than before. A long-time collaborator of the Institute for Market Economics. Health problems closed one chapter and opened a new one. Long-term rehabilitation (still ongoing) and help gave me the will and strength. Together with Maciej Grabski (or more precisely, his company 11 Cards) he founded the Inspiring Examples Foundation (she was one year old in August). The first steps were in the autumn of last year, and in the autumn of this year we will be quite close to the final shape and the continuation will follow…}

^{Agnieszka Zglinicka, a specialist in management, with many successes in the area of banking. Today, she is a committed member of the board of the Inspiring Examples Foundation, Director of the Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Area at Olivia Business Centre, Director and creator of the Olivia CONNECT project – a space that brings together business support and personal development organizations. Propagator of good education.}

^{Inspiring Examples Foundation – runs a program addressed to young people aged 16-18 based on inspiration through attractive examples of Pomeranian entrepreneurship. The aim of the project, which was created in cooperation with regional business, is to develop attitudes conducive to entrepreneurship and to raise awareness of the need to shape qualities that are not only needed by future company founders or employees, but also by citizens. The initiative not only presents students with the existing opportunities to create jobs on their own, but also supports the ability to see the need to adapt to the ever-changing requirements of the labour market (with an emphasis on the need for further education). In the Pomeranian region, especially in Gdańsk and Gdynia, there are many development opportunities for young people, mainly thanks to existing universities and enterprises – including very advanced technologies, which are increasingly thinking about their future in the long term. The richness of the Tri-City is also manifested in the existence of many educational business environment institutions, such as: Business Incubator Starter, Pomeranian Science and Technology Park or the planned Inspiration Centre, in the Olivia Star building, in the Olivia Business Centre.}

^{Contact with the Foundation:}

^{hive. Grunwaldzka 472, Gdansk
phone +48 575 008 711
Email: info@inspirujaceprzyklady.org.pl}

 

 

Interview with Leszek Szmidtke, originator and creator of Inspirące Technologie Foundation and Agnieszka Zglinicka, a member of Foundation’s management board and Director of the area of small and medium sized enterprises in Olivia Business Centre.

The pretext for our conversation is a meeting, which inaugurates public activity of Inspiring Examples Foundation, which was held on October 5, 2017 in Olivia Sky Club at Olivia Business Centre. Among guests there were founders, organisers, friends, as well as business, institutional and social partners of the initiative, which takes up the challenge to support young people in making choices concerning their development and future work in Pomeranian business.

During the meeting, previous Foundation’s projects were presented, its creators presented also recommendations of further development of projects carried out by the Foundation. Guests had an opportunity to listen to some words of encouragement addressed to entrepreneurs and educators to make them more willing to help, together with the Foundation, children and young people to find their feet in labour market.

The following persons took part in a debate conducted by Marcin Nowicki: Agata Hofman, PhD – director of Gedania Kindergarten 1922 and creoGedania school, as well as Polish Academy of Children, Małgorzata Gwozdz – HR director at Olivia Business Centre, Dominika Michalska – a student in one of Tricity high schools and Paweł Musiał – founder of MpicoSys. Agata Hofman paid attention, among other things, to the need to create space, where young people could develop their talents – and this is what Inspiring Examples Foundation deals with. The meeting was crowned by the performance of Igor Falecki. The boy not only demonstrated his incredible music skills, but also talked about the amazing history of his passion’s development – playing the drums.

— / —

Monika Bogdanowicz (Olivia Business Centre Communication): Leszek, as a publicist and commentator of social life, for many years you have been engaged in showing us people who are active in the field of Pomeranian business and economy. Your another, new role in the scope of promoting professional activity is becoming more realistic and is starting to directly influence our reality. What was an impulse to set up Inspiring Examples Foundation and what is the main aim of its activity?

Leszek Szmidtke: (Inspiring examples of Foundation): When I realised that because of my stroke I will not be able to come back to my previous profession – I was a journalist and I worked in Radio Gdańsk and the Institute for Market Economics – I began to help my son’s class. I wanted students to see how a great part of economy looks like when performed by good, Pomeranian companies. DCT, Ship Repair Yard and Merkus shop gave the example and everything began with small, young company named Professor Why, based in O4 Co-working at Olivia Business Centre. It was a long, but extremely important beginning. I did all these things most of all for my son’s sake. I hoped that by seeing various examples and dimensions of entrepreneurship and workplaces, he will find it easier to make future choices. Maciej Grabski was a witness, organiser and participant of the first visit and he told me: “Do something more with it”. Something more, it means not only for my children…

^{Photo, from the left: Leszek Szmidtke and Agnieszka Zglinicka}

Monika Bogdanowicz: In such a dynamically changing world it is difficult to indicate some elements of activity, which may contribute to young people’s successes in the future. Why is your idea to combine in one project actions addressed to young people and innovative Pomeranian companies so unique?

Leszek Szmidtke: Entrepreneurship is not an ability to earn a lot of money. Entrepreneurship is, in my opinion, a way to lead an active life. By showing specific examples of entrepreneurship, we try to tell kids in a variety of ways: “Search for your place in life where you will feel good”. Many vocational schools visit companies as typical, future workplaces, here we have X department, there is Y department. We show it in a different way. We talk about enterprises and entrepreneurs while relating to searching for your own path, we talk about persistence in pursuing objectives, picking yourself up if you fall, because such things also happen, and about courage. For me, the most important thing is to teach a young person how to find his or her place and activity, which will make him or her feel complete. This is my definition of success. Young people should search and make mistakes when costs are not really high.

In any case, companies are very creative while planning two hours, which students spend there. There are no two same visits. This is a diversity, which may sometimes make your head spin.

Our offer is of a systemic character and is addressed mainly to high school students, who will make important life decisions around matura exam time. We want to limit the number of random choices. We offer not only visits in companies. We prepared many additional, attractive offers based on our allies: Talent Development Centre, “Starter” and “Clipster” Entrepreneurship Incubators, O4 Co-working, Pomerania Development Agency, Voivodeship Labour Office. We want to motivate students to go off the beaten track; that is why, infoShare foundation runs classes called “Coding for humanists”, Natalia JadźkaRysuje Klonowska runs “Visual thinking” and Rafał Dadej runs project management workshops called “The best party in the village / district”. In this way, we look for new solutions. In any case, we have other crazy ideas, which we are going to implement in 2018.

Monika Bogdanowicz: Agnieszka, what, in your opinion, do young people, who are about to choose their life path, direction of further education and begin professional internship, need most?

Agnieszka Zglinicka: There are many variables, but finding the subject which is interesting for a young person and at which he or she is or can be good seems to be crucial. Such awareness, identification of the area of interest, passion can completely change current way of functioning and even the whole life. Anyway, it can be a good beginning.

Monika Bogdanowicz: How can you directly help participants of the action connected with foundation’s projects? How do companies, which are open to participation in your initiative, benefit from the project?

Agnieszka Zglinicka: I will advert a maxim of Confucius, which illustrates our idea in a nice way: “Tell me, and I will forget. Show me, and I may remember. Involve me, and I will understand“. This is the basis of Inspiring Examples Foundation’s activity. The Foundation is supposed to open the door, giving an opportunity to get to know and understand the modern world of business better.

That is why, besides visits in companies, we have workshops which make it possible to get to know yourself better and gain vital skills, not necessarily connected with the direction of education. Asking questions, formulating problems, searching for answers independently, but also team work, are not less important than developing skills, which are essential to do well professionally in the future.

During visits in companies, students carry out also mini-projects. Their fresh, sometimes even abstract look at the problem, which is not limited by Excel or budgets, is a priceless lesson also for managers who host students. Companies have a chance to get to know future staff, show them what is really important at work and what, which skills a certain job really requires from them.

People who organise such visits in companies, don’t have an easy task. They have to cope with teenagers, who are not so easy to be pulled away from smartphones. We have to act and talk in a different way. That is why, programme needs to be attractive and engaging. Because in the whole project young people and their future are the most important. Let’s not forget that tomorrow present teenagers will be creating our environment. Today we can help them enjoy they work – it will be beneficial for everybody.

Monika Bogdanowicz: On which stage of development are currently Foundation’s projects? Which companies have supported Foundation’s activities so far?

Leszek Szmidtke: We have begun the last preparatory phase before the start, which is planned for 2018. Then, we will suggest the shape, which is supposed to bring us closer to assumed objectives. By the end of current year, about 100 companies will have been working with us. We are approaching this number. At the same time, quality and willingness to help are important. Gathered enterprises are a carefully selected elite because being an inspiring example involves specific responsibilities. It is not an easy task, especially given the fact that there is no one pattern of such an activity. That is why, Foundation’s development requires from us a lot of effort and creativity. We have similar expectations when it comes to schools. It can’t be just a trip.

Monika Bogdanowicz: From the beginning of its activity, the project is supported by active people, who create and develop leading companies and institutions in Pomeranian region. How do you manage to convince managers to participate and get engaged in creative work with the youth?

Leszek Szmidtke: This is our huge asset that we managed to gather so many wonderful people around this idea. Each of them does something and is active somewhere. The owners and directors of companies begin to understand that they should not only earn money, but also create “something more”: for others. They know that they need to go beyond their offices and gates. And they do it more and more often.

The project is based on goodwill and willingness of many people. I don’t have any problems with engaging companies. Worse situation concerns schools, which are still very often closed to the surrounding world. I take comfort in the fact that this is just the beginning and the avalanche will start after crossing a certain border.

Admittedly, our idea is supposed to encourage entrepreneurship, but I think that not many students who benefit from the offer, will set up their own companies. We assume that in 2018 there will be about 3-3.5 thousand young people in Pomeranian labour market; 2 or 3% of them will set up their own business activity. The rest of them will be looking for jobs in existing companies and institutions. They can do it, but they should know what is attractive for them and what is not.

I am convinced that when they enter labour market, they will start their searching with companies, which they visited and which made a good impression on them because they saw people who worked there with passion, energy and joy. Someone may say that there are no such enterprises in our country and such way of thinking is naive. But I know such companies and they are engaged in our project. I also found some schools, to which I would like to send my children. Of course, unfortunately, there are still some schools, to which I wouldn’t like to send my children…

Monika Bogdanowicz: Leszek, your vision of Foundation’s development implies a real change in our society and creating a modern formula of educating the youth. Do you face lack of interest or criticism? It seems that it is difficult to break the pattern of school trip to a workplace…

Because of the fact that we create something new, we make and will make mistakes. However, we are open to discussions, different opinions and constructive criticism. Still, together with people engaged in the project, we are searching for new ideas and examples, which will be inspiring for young people.

Monika Bogdanowicz: The first year of activity is like a big training ground for organisers. What was the most difficult lesson for you and what is an everyday inspiration to take up new challenges while working on Foundation’s development?

Leszek Szmidtke: We have difficult lessons nearly every day. We need to come up with unique solutions, which then have to be verified in practice. We are not always understood, especially by teachers, mainly because we expect them to be engaged and to work. We don’t only search for the best – in terms of content and form – ideas for students, but we also search for beneficial solutions for companies. Young people are very creative. They look for creative solutions. Our entrepreneurs very often perceive them as inspiration.

Monika Bogdanowicz: With today’s event, Inspiring Examples Foundation began its public activity. How do you imagine the materialisation of your vision and what should I wish you for the next stages of development?

Agnieszka Zglinicka: In some years’ time we would like to see the effects of our current activities. We would like to see happy young people, students who learn things which are interesting for them and who are aware of what is important for them and for companies they would like to work for after or already during their studies. We would like to see satisfied, young workers and their employers, who complement each other and learn from each other.

Leszek Szmidtke: I would like to add that in 2018 we want to refine the idea, make it stable and give it multiannual character. Then we will be able to start thinking about project scaling. What is more, we dream of creating healthy relations between the world of business and schools. Olivia Business Centre is a perfect place to do this.

— /–

^{Leszek Szmidtke, a historian, who feels quite well in the area of economy. A journalist in Radio Gdańsk (for more than a quarter of century). The winner of some international awards for reportages and other broadcasts (mainly historical ones) – in some way, he is still a journalist, but of different nature than before. A long-term collaborator of the Institute for Market Economics. Health problems closed this chapter, but opened a new one. Long-term rehabilitation (which still continues) and help gave him willingness and strength. Together with Maciej Grabski (and more precisely his company – 11 Cards) he set up Inspiring Examples Foundation (in August it became one-year old). First steps were taken in autumn last year and this year in autumn, we will be very close to our target shape and the story will be continued…}

^{Agnieszka Zglinicka, a management specialist with many successes in the scope of banking. Today she is a dedicated member of Inspiring Examples Foundation management board, Director of the area of small and medium sized enterprises at Olivia Business Centre, Director and creator of Olivia CONNECT project – a space concentrating business and personal development support organisations. A propagator of good education.}

^Inspiring

^Foundation Examples

^{– it runs a programme addressed to young people between 16 and 18 years old, which aim is to inspire by showing attractive examples of Pomeranian entrepreneurship. The aim of the project, which was created in cooperation with regional business, is to develop attitudes which foster entrepreneurship and make people aware that we need to shape features, which are important not only for future creators of companies or workers, but also citizens. The initiative shows students not only existing opportunities for independent creation of workplaces, but also supports the abilities to notice the need to adjust to new labour market requirements (with the emphasis on further education). In Pomeranian region, especially in Gdańsk and Gdynia, there are many development opportunities for young people, especially thanks to higher education schools and entrepreneurships – including highly advanced technologies, which more and more often think about their future in the long term perspective. Tricity’s diversity manifests in the existence of many institutions of business environment with educational character, such as Starter Entrepreneurship Incubator, Pomeranian Scientific and Technological Park or planned Centre of Inspiration in Olivia Star building at Olivia Business Centre.}

^{Contact with Foundation:}

^{hive. Grunwaldzka 472, Gdansk
telephone +48 575 008 711
Email: info@inspirujaceprzyklady.org.pl}

 

OLIVIA SPORTS 2017/18
Date	Time	Team #1	Team #2	Result
MATCHDAY 1
25.10	19.00	Epam	Athos	2	7
25.10	20.30	CCC	Pomerania Development Agency	5	7
26.10	19.00	HK Finance	CityFit	10	8
26.10	20.30	DTN Energa	Omida	12	12
02.11	19.00	Staples	Lechia Gdańsk Foundation	4	9
02.11	20.30	Olivia Business Centre	PwC	4	6
08.11	19.00	Energa Obrót	Thyssenkrupp	5	10
08.11	20.30	Ricoh	Bayer	2	37
MATCHDAY 2
09.11	19.00	Pomerania Development Agency	Epam	8	5
09.11	20.30	CityFit	Athos	14	2
15.11	19.00	Omida	CCC	13	11
15.11	20.30	Bayer	HK Finance	2	20
16.11	19.00	Thyssenkrupp	Staples	16	6
16.11	20.30	Energa Obrót	Olivia Business Centre	6	2
22.11	19.00	Lechia Gdańsk Foundation	DTN Energa	5	1
22.11	20.30	PwC	Ricoh	46	0
MATCHDAY 3
23.11	19.00	Epam	CityFit	4	12
23.11	20.30	Pomerania Development Agency	Omida	3	26
29.11	19.00	Athos	Bayer	5	6
29.11	20.30	CCC	Lechia Gdańsk Foundation	2	8
30.11	19.00	HK Finance	PwC	3	3
30.11	20.30	Staples	Olivia Business Centre	5	11
06.12	19.00	Ricoh	Energa Obrót	2	11
06.12	20.30	DTN Energa	Thyssenkrupp	2	4
MATCHDAY 4
07.12	19.00	Omida	Epam	13	5
07.12	20.30	Bayer	CityFit	3	6
13.12	19.00	Lechia Gdańsk Foundation	Pomerania Development Agency	18	4
13.12	20.30	PwC	Athos	9	8
14.12	19.00	Staples	Ricoh	12	1
14.12	20.30	Olivia Business Centre	DTN Energa	2	13
20.12	19.00	Energa Obrót	HK Finance	7	7
20.12	20.30	Thyssenkrupp	CCC	16	14
MATCHDAY 5
21.12	19.00	Epam	Bayer	2	7
21.12	20.30	Omida	Lechia Gdańsk Foundation	20	3
27.12	19.00	Athos	Energa Obrót	3	9
27.12	20.30	Pomerania Development Agency	Thyssenkrupp	7	15
28.12	19.00	HK Finance	Staples	16	5
28.12	20.30	CCC	Olivia Business Centre	11	14
03.01	19.00	CityFit	PwC	12	1
03.01	20.30	DTN Energa	Ricoh	5	0
MATCHDAY 6
04.01	19.00	Lechia Gdańsk Foundation	Epam	15	3
04.01	20.30	Staples	Athos	5	8
10.01	19.00	Energa Obrót	CityFit	1	9
10.01	20.30	Thyssenkrupp	Omida	7	9
11.01	19.00	PwC	Bayer	7	4
11.01	20.30	Olivia Business Centre	Pomerania Development Agency	7	7
17.01	19.00	Ricoh	CCC	5	23
17.01	20.30	DTN Energa	HK Finance	4	10
MATCHDAY 7
18.01	19.00	Epam	PwC	4	7
18.01	20.30	Lechia Gdańsk Foundation	Thyssenkrupp	4	9
24.01	19.00	Bayer	Energa Obrót	12	6
24.01	20.30	CityFit	Staples	17	7
25.01	19.00	Pomerania Development Agency	Ricoh	13	5
25.01	20.30	Omida	Olivia Business Centre	25	11
31.01	19.00	Athos	DTN Energa	8	9
31.01	20.30	CCC	HK Finance	6	9
MATCHDAY 8
01.02	19.00	Thyssenkrupp	Epam	7	5
01.02	20.30	Energa Obrót	PwC	7	12
07.02	19.00	Ricoh	Omida	6	20
07.02	20.30	DTN Energa	CityFit	5	7
08.02	19.00	Staples	Bayer	5	9
08.02	20.30	Olivia Business Centre	Lechia Gdańsk Foundation	8	12
14.02	19.00	HK Finance	Pomerania Development Agency	22	4
14.02	20.30	CCC	Athos	0	5
MATCHDAY 9
15.02	19.00	PwC	Staples	6	4
15.02	20.30	Thyssenkrupp	Olivia Business Centre	42	1
21.02	19.00	Epam	Energa Obrót	3	3
21.02	20.30	Lechia Gdańsk Foundation	Ricoh	16	1
22.02	19.00	Bayer	DTN Energa	11	5
22.02	20.30	Omida	HK Finance	0	5
28.02	19.00	Pomerania Development Agency	Athos	1	13
28.02	20.30	CityFit	CCC	10	5
MATCHDAY 10
01.03	19.00	Staples	Energa Obrót	2	7
01.03	20.30	Olivia Business Centre	Epam	3	5
07.03	19.00	Ricoh	Thyssenkrupp	8	12
07.03	20.30	DTN Energa	PwC	7	4
08.03	19.00	HK Finance	Lechia Gdańsk Foundation	9	7
08.03	20.30	CCC	Bayer	0	5
14.03	19.00	Athos	Omida	7	17
14.03	20.30	Pomerania Development Agency	CityFit	2	28
MATCHDAY 11
15.03	19.00	Epam	Staples	6	8
15.03	20.30	Olivia Business Centre	Ricoh	6	6
21.03	19.00	Energa Obrót	DTN Energa	4	7
21.03	20.30	Thyssenkrupp	HK Finance	0	5
22.03	19.00	Lechia Gdańsk Foundation	Athos	8	6
22.03	20.30	PwC	CCC	4	5
28.03	19.00	Bayer	Pomerania Development Agency	19	5
28.03	20.30	Omida	CityFit	13	6
MATCHDAY 12
29.03	19.00	Ricoh	Epam	0	5
29.03	20.30	DTN Energa	Staples	6	6
04.04	19.00	CCC	Energa Obrót	10	4
04.04	20.30	Pomerania Development Agency	PwC	5	13
05.04	19.00	Athos	Thyssenkrupp	10	6
05.04	20.30	HK Finance	Olivia Business Centre	19	2
11.04	19.00	Omida	Bayer	0	5
11.04	20.30	CityFit	Lechia Gdańsk Foundation	9	5
MATCHDAY 13
12.04	19.00	Epam	DTN Energa	5	7
12.04	20.30	Ricoh	HK Finance	5	18
18.04	19.00	Energa Obrót	Pomerania Development Agency	11	3
18.04	20.30	Thyssenkrupp	CityFit	5	10
19.04	19.00	Staples	CCC	4	9
19.04	20.30	Olivia Business Centre	Athos	3	17
25.04	19.00	PwC	Omida	7	12
25.04	20.30	Lechia Gdańsk Foundation	Bayer	9	3
MATCHDAY 14
26.04	19.00	HK Finance	Epam	9	4
26.04	20.30	CCC	DTN Energa	5	2
09.05	19.00	Omida	Energa Obrót	22	3
09.05	20.30	Athos	Ricoh	15	4
10.05	19.00	Pomerania Development Agency	Staples	8	11
10.05	20.30	CityFit	Olivia Business Centre	5	0
16.05	19.00	Bayer	Thyssenkrupp	7	2
16.05	20.30	Lechia Gdańsk Foundation	PwC	11	4
MATCHDAY 15
17.05	19.00	HK Finance	Athos	10	5
17.05	20.30	Epam	CCC	6	11
23.05	19.00	DTN Energa	Pomerania Development Agency	19	6
23.05	20.30	Ricoh	CityFit	0	5
24.05	19.00	Staples	Omida	8	18
24.05	20.30	Olivia Business Centre	Bayer	0	5
30.05	19.00	Energa Obrót	Lechia Gdańsk Foundation	0	5
30.05	20.30	Thyssenkrupp	PwC	3	12

 

	TEAM	GP	PTS	GD
1	HK Finance	14	38	97
2	CityFit	14	36	90
3	Omida	14	32	107
4	Bayer	14	30	22
5	Lechia Gdańsk Foundation	14	30	37
6	PwC	14	25	6
7	thyssenkrupp	14	23	45
8	DTN Energa	14	22	14
9	Athos	14	18	7
10	Energa Obrót	14	14	-34
11	CCC	14	13	-13
12	Staples	14	7	-66
13	Pomerania Development Agency	14	7	-142
14	Olivia Business Centre	14	5	-110
15	Epam	14	4	-60
16	Ricoh	x	x	x

The right to postpone the match was exercised by: PwC, Olivia Business Centre, Lechia Gdańsk Foundation, Ricoh, Atos, Thyssenkrupp, Bayer, Pomerania Development Agency, Staples, CCC, Omida, HK Finance, DTN Energa.