With the pandemic transforming the world of work, Stefanini recently caught up with employees in its Polish offices to discuss their experience of joining a company remotely.
This included Jakub Błąkała, Quality Specialist at Stefanini EMEA, who outlined the importance of a smooth remote recruitment process and the value offered by a supportive environment and buddy system.
Here, we speak to Damian Niedziółka, Senior Remote Operations Team Leader, Stefanini EMEA, about securing a remote role and the importance of a positive working atmosphere and clear development paths.
Managing remote recruitment
Damian was seeking to advance in his career when he decided to change sector and look for a new job in IT. In the autumn of 2021, he applied for a Team Leader position in Stefanini’s Kraków office. Subsequently, he took part in an interview process that was managed entirely over the phone or online, in Polish or English. Alongside these remote meetings with recruiters and managers, he also completed a team task with other candidates. His view is that this was less stressful and far more efficient than a typical interview process.
“A remote interview process can be a great experience as long as you approach it with a positive attitude, an open mind and healthy ambition. The world is your oyster, and it is a huge help that you can do everything without leaving home,” says Damian.
Embracing remote roles
Beginning a new role and learning new procedures and responsibilities remotely can prove daunting for new starters. When this happens on site, the entire process is supervised by a manager, while more experienced colleagues are also on hand to provide advice. However, when it comes to remote work, employees will sometimes simply be sent a laptop via a courier, before being left to work out what’s required within their role.
“Despite the fact that I joined remotely, I quickly learned at Stefanini that my Team Leader was always on hand whenever I had any doubts or questions. She’d be able to check my work if I was managing a task alone and ensured I’d be fully clear on how to handle the same task by myself in the future,” says Damian.
Seizing opportunities for advancement
Damian believes that remote contact with his colleagues and managers – also from other cities or countries – enables him to form strong relationships with the team, and sometimes even continue these outside of the work setting. He notes the friendly atmosphere, openness, trust and flexibility that exists across the board – from the choice of the work mode and changes in the schedule to an individual approach to further career development.
“Stefanini is more than a workplace where you simply do your 8 hours a day. Here, you can take on really interesting work and gain substantial IT experience, while developing in more specialised directions. It is also a great place to work for people who have just started out in their careers because there are clear development paths in place,” explains Damian.
“As you gain experience and demonstrate your capabilities, there are opportunities to apply for more senior positions within Stefanini. This applies both to people who work directly with clients, and Team Leaders. Even someone who has not worked here for a long time, but demonstrates talent, will be encouraged to apply for a promotion. I really enjoy working for Stefanini and will be aiming for a managerial position in the future,” concludes Damian.
