Being one of Europe's best workplaces 3 years in a row

28. September 2022 Amalie Widerberg

For the past few years, establishing and maintaining a strong company culture has been among the top priorities at Fotoware.

Having grown from 35 to well over 100 people in two years, it's been a significant success factor and is key to attracting the right people for our positions.

However, while many companies can claim to have a great working environment, actually having it is a different matter. Therefore, we're proud to say that we've won the Great Place to Work Norway award for three years in a row and have also been on the lists of Europe's best workplaces these years as well.

So, how has it been possible?

It begins with the people

Every culture is made up of its people, and the same is the case for companies. If an organization wants to build a strong culture, it needs to ensure that the people working there have the necessary foundation for them to thrive. At Fotoware, we've taken several measures to make our employees feel safe and comfortable at the workplace, which has been crucial to our company's growth.

— "Being certified by Great Place to Work for three years in a row is undoubtedly a great achievement. Especially considering how much we've grown in the past two years, from 35 to 111 people. Amongst the initiatives we have done over the past years are to strengthen our HR department, establish an internal Social Committee, and maintain a flexible working culture for our employees. We also take our staff's physical and mental well-being seriously and invest in a best-in-breed health insurance, offering physical & mental therapy, digital consultations, necessary treatments, and more."

Anne Gretland, CEO

As mentioned above, one of the key initiatives has been to strengthen our HR department, which primarily focuses on taking care of the employees' well-being. Since starting at Fotoware in late 2021, HR Manager Bettina Foss Jørgensen has put an extra emphasis on mental health and community building internally.

— As HR-Manager at Fotoware, I think it's important to ensure that people feel safe at the workplace. Not just physically but mentally and professionally as well. To ensure this, we're continuously working on keeping a flat structure where people feel comfortable voicing their concerns. I also believe that having an inclusive culture where everyone is treated fairly and equally allows people to be themselves at work, creating a safe and encouraging working environment.

Bettina Foss Jørgensen, HR Manager

The importance of inclusivity and company values

In the effort to recruit the right people, we've focused heavily on diversity and inclusivity. There are many reasons for this, one of which is how a flat and diverse structure helps people feel connected to the company, but also how it allows them to be creative and think outside of the box.

— Caring is one of our core values at Fotoware, and it's always been important for our leadership team that our working environment is inclusive to different types of people. Diversity in any shape or form fosters creativity, innovation, and openness within the teams. It's our belief that people tend to work better when the culture is open to new ideas and perspectives. It's important that people feel safe and cared for in their work environment and that people can be themselves.

Anne Gretland

LEARN MORE: Winning diversity leader of the year award

Inclusivity is not obtained by simply hiring different types of people; you also need to make sure that the people you recruit fit within an open and inclusive framework. We constantly strive to make decisions that align with our values, and this goes for recruitment as well.

— At Fotoware, we take our culture and our values seriously, and for us, this work starts already in the recruitment stages. We're always on the lookout for new talent, and when screening candidates, we're paying special attention to how they'll fit in here. Not only is it important that they have the necessary skills and experience, but also that they're responsible and caring individuals that appreciate a diverse and open structure, as this is a cornerstone to our success.

Bettina Foss Jørgensen

Being one of Europe's best workplaces 3 years in a row

It begins with the people

The importance of inclusivity and company values

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