In this interview with Olimpia Bordea, People Operations Manager for the EMEA region, we learn about what makes working at PartnerHero Bucharest special.
Olimpia, what are some reasons why someone who lives in Bucharest may want to work at PartnerHero?
Bucharest has long been an outsourcing hotspot, but PartnerHero takes a really different approach than other companies in the industry here. The culture at PartnerHero is trusting and supportive which creates a constructive work environment that the young workforce here longs for. And it isn’t just lip-service. PartnerHero has a number of policies that ensure it stays this way - for example, they set up operations all over the world so their customers can have “follow the sun” support without asking anyone, anywhere to work overnight shifts. PartnerHero also supports employees' personal endeavors as well as their professional development which is not something you see commonly in the Bucharest BPO community.
Tell us a bit about the office.
Our office is centrally located and is only 100 meters away from one of the city’s biggest shopping centers. It is also close to one of the very best langos places in town (I bet you’re curious now!) and our office boasts a pool and foosball table. Beyond all the physical benefits we are a naturally empathetic and caring group. We have fun and, even though PartnerHero Romania has only been around for a few months, and mostly during the pandemic, we’ve managed to build some fun traditions.
What are some of the office traditions?
When we are in the office, someone always rings the doorbell to sound the end of the workday (which is important because if we didn’t it might turn into a sleepover party!). We have a pet in the office, a small cactus plant named “Fred” that we take turns caring for. We also have themed lunches on a regular basis.
It's been tough during the pandemic because this group really likes to spend time in-person, together. We have an employee who woke up at 4am and travelled over 100 kilometers just to spend the day in the office with the team. We’re all looking forward to when we can be back in the office together.
What was your path to PartnerHero?
I had previously worked in various Human Resources roles in different industries: automotive, chemicals and materials, healthcare, software, in big multinational corporations. I saw a PartnerHero ad on LinkedIn, was drawn to the company’s core values and decided to apply. I went through many rounds of interviews and the more I did the more I could just tell that I wanted to work at PartnerHero. And I stick to my first impression. In my previous experience, it was not common to see all leaders and employees actually live the core values of the company. I believe this is truly exceptional with PartnerHero. We have a small site here in Bucharest but we’re growing and there is a lot to do, which means a lot of room for growth and development. Looking forward to what’s coming next.
Other employees here had a similar experience. One person was a flight attendant prior to coming to PartnerHero. They never thought they would be passionate about working at a BPO but PartnerHero has completely changed their perspective.
