Interview with Leah Martorelli, Data Consultant
Hi Leah, what are you doing at Great Place to Work?
I work as a data consultant in project management. This means that I am responsible for the preparation and evaluation of data, for example, of the "Best Workplaces in Switzerland", or I do benchmarks and other data evaluations for and with my work colleagues. So I'm sitting at the source of knowledge, so to speak. But I also provide technical support in larger projects: I compile and upload employee lists, set up and trigger surveys, do reports, and so on and so forth. And finally, I am responsible for the project management of Great Start! projects and carry out the projects with the training companies.
Wow - how did Great Place to Work manage to hire such an all-rounder?
Actually, quite unspectacularly: I saw the job advertisement on the mailing list of the Psychology Faculty of the University of Zurich, where I graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Psychology in 2018. And because I was looking for a new challenge, I was determined to take the opportunity at Great Place to Work® - and was able to start in February 2019.
Can you already tell if the name of the company lives up to its promise?
Yes, so far completely! :)
"A Great Place to Work is a place where my work has meaning for other people, but also for me personally."
What makes an employer a Great Place to Work for you?
I think it is extremely important that people who work together treat each other with respect and treat each other as they would like to be treated. For me, this absolutely includes honest, trusting, open and transparent communication. For me personally, the meaningfulness of my work as well as a certain flexibility in my daily work is very important. For me, a Great Place to Work is a place where my work has meaning for other people, but also for me personally. To call itself a Great Place to Work, an employer should take employees as they are, give them responsibility and involve them in decisions. A Great Place to Work offers this to all employees.
A Great Place to Work has a lot to do with workplace culture. What does workplace culture mean to you?
For me, workplace culture means a great deal and combines many constructs that are understood and defined very subjectively. Workplace culture certainly includes the entire atmosphere at the workplace. Do you like coming to work? Do you feel comfortable at work and in a team? Workplace culture has a lot to do with interpersonal relationships. For me, workplace culture means respect for each other, fairness and trust. At best, this results in good cooperation and above all in enjoyment of one's own work.
Why should organizations concern themselves with their workplace culture?
The Great Place to Work mission is central to me: to improve society by helping organizations create a better workplace culture. In most cases, people spend most of their lives at work. Therefore, work and the work environment are an extremely important part of everyday life. A company should therefore look at workplace culture because it is central to the individual experience at work, but also in a person's everyday life. People who enjoy coming to work are more productive, more motivated and less often ill. This is achieved through a better workplace culture. I would rather ask myself why organizations do not address their workplace culture?
What is your contribution to a better workplace culture?
I enjoy coming to work every day and I am motivated - and I am convinced that this is noticeable in the workplace and creates a positive atmosphere in the office. I also try to help my team colleagues where I can and where my resources and skills best allow me to do so.
What makes you an expert in workplace culture?
Although I haven't been with Great Place to Work for very long, I have already been able to learn a lot and am constantly learning new things. That makes me an expert, precisely because I am very interested in workplace culture and precisely because I am one hundred percent convinced that a good workplace culture is important. But it doesn't just need me as an expert - it needs the entire Great Place to Work team, who complement each other perfectly and are THE experts for workplace culture.
