Interview with Patrick Mollet, Co-Owner & Consultant
Hi Patrick, what are you doing at Great Place to Work?
I wear different hats. Primarily I get organizations excited about workplace culture and show them how we as experts can support them in this area. At the same time, I'm also responsible for finances and IT internally.
And how did you come to Great Place to Work?
I actually joined the company twice: The first time in 2009, shortly after the start. At that time I was involved in the company and helped it to gain a foothold in Switzerland. However, I still had my own HR start-up and was therefore only strategically active. After the sale of my startup, I joined the company in 2018 and became part of the operational team.
How does Great Place to Work look like; does the name live up to its promise? ;-)
Our company name is of course a big commitment. But for me it is a great place to work and we work every day to make it a little bit better.
"I try to keep a certain calmness and ease even in difficult situations."
What does it take for you to make an employer a Great Place to Work?
I want to implement innovative projects for exciting customers with motivated colleagues. And all this in a dynamic and appreciative environment that gives me a lot of freedom.
A Great Place to Work has a lot to do with workplace culture. What does workplace culture mean to you?
For me, it's less about beautiful words on a poster than about everyday interactions. In the end, it's about how people interact with each other at the workplace, whether it's among colleagues or across hierarchical levels. Every organization has its own DNA and needs to find those employees who fit into that culture.
You said at the beginning that you want to inspire organizations with a work culture - why should organizations be concerned with their workplace culture?
Our many years of experience and our many analyses show that a good workplace culture pays off in several ways: satisfied employees are more loyal, more productive and more innovative - and they make for satisfied customers. It is always the employees who develop new products, perform well for the customers and thus create value, never the organization as a legal entity. Ultimately, the success of any company stands or falls with its employees.
What is your contribution to a better workplace culture?
I try to be fair, respectful and credible in my daily interactions and to create the best possible environment for the entire team so that everyone can perform at their best. At the same time, I try to maintain a certain calmness and ease even in difficult situations.
What makes you an expert in workplace culture?
For more than 10 years now I have been dealing with the question of what makes an attractive employer and what the future of work looks like. During this time I have had contact with hundreds of different companies and organizations. At the same time, as an entrepreneur, I always keep the business benefits of the topic in focus.
