Interview with Larissa Zollinger, Project Manager
Hi Larissa, what are you doing at Great Place to Work?
I work in project management and am mainly responsible for all processes around the culture audit, together with Leah Martorelli I work on all Great Start projects. I am also Chief Coffee Machine Officer, so I am responsible for our very nice coffee machine.
How and when did you come to Great Place to Work?
I have been with the company since September 2017. I had seen the job ad in the classic way and applied because I found the company very exciting. And I still find our mission, the development of outstanding workplace cultures, super important because we all spend an extremely large amount of time at work.
And does the name of the company keep its promises? ;-)
Yes definitely! The team is very nice and competent and if something doesn't work out you always have understanding. Besides, our coffee machine is simply a pearl!
So all it takes is a good coffee machine to make an employer a Great Place to Work®?
No, of course it needs more. You have to feel comfortable and have the feeling that you are doing something useful with your life and work.
A Great Place to Work has a lot to do with workplace culture. What does workplace culture mean to you?
Let me answer that with a movie quote: "The rug ties the room together". That's from the film "The Big Lebowski", where a carpet sets the action in motion. The workplace culture is like the carpet in The Big Lebowski: it holds everything together. For me, workplace culture is joy at work, good teamwork and a positive atmosphere - and without all that, workplace culture would probably be pretty bleak.
"For me, workplace culture is joy at work, good cooperation and a positive atmosphere - and without all this, workplace culture would probably be rather bleak.
Why should companies concern themselves with their workplace culture?
Because happy, contented people also prefer to come to work and can therefore work more efficiently. There is always room for improvement.
What is your contribution to a better workplace culture?
Through my work at Great Place to Work, I help many companies to look at what workplace culture means to them and how they can improve their workplace culture where necessary.
What makes you an expert on workplace culture?
I have worked in a number of industries and have had very different work experiences. After two years at Great Place to Work® I can also provide a lot of insider knowledge about great processes and best practices.
