We decided it is time for you to get to know our people better. First up is Matleena, we hope you enjoy this interview as much as we did! Her story is very inspiring and we are super happy to have her here at Valuemotive ❤
Can you tell a little about yourself? What do you like to do in your spare time?
I’m Matleena, and I work as a People, Community and Collaboration Specialist at Valuemotive. I currently live in Helsinki, but I just bought a home from Espoo and I am very excited about renovating it! I was born and raised in Kouvola, the pearl of Kymenlaakso and spent a little time in Jyväskylä and Manchester UK, too. I have a dog, Lulu, who also works for Valuemotive as a People Assistant. In my freetime I don’t like to go to the gym, but I go there anyway, otherwise my back will resign. Hopefully I will soon be doing some renovating and decorating, too!
What is your background? What kind of career have you had?
I haven’t had the most clear and straightforward path here. I’m originally a classroom teacher and have a master’s degree in Education. I worked as a teacher in Vantaa for 7 years. After teaching I worked in banking and finance for a couple of years. The longer the career I’ve had the more I was interested in People related matters. Luckily I was offered a job here in Valuemotive!
How did you end up working in Valuemotive?
I was determined to focus and steer myself towards more People related jobs. I was interested in smaller companies with good culture and possibilities to influence on important issues. Previously I have only worked in huge corporations and wanted a change. I kept an eye on Great place to work -finalists and remembered Valuemotive from there. And the rest is history! :)
What do you do at Valuemotive? What kind of tasks do you work with?
Usually when asked about this, I tell people my job is to ask Valuemotivians how they are doing. :) It is important for me to be observant, talk with and listen to our people – ensure they feel comfortable, heard, appreciated and valued. In short, my main focus is to keep Valuemotivians happy and content. Second most important task is to take care of administrative tasks, such as track working hours and paying bills.
How has it been working here? What is the best and most challenging part?
It’s been really nice! With no background or experience from People related tasks, everything has taken time and adjustment. I’m super grateful for Valuemotivians seeing the potential in me. The best part by far is the people. How welcomed I have felt and how amazing professionals we have working here.
What kind of people would you recommend applying for Valuemotive?
Someone who feels as passionate about our values as we do! Our values are trust, transparency, speaking up and continuous learning – we make sure those are an essential part of our everyday lives and communication.
What would you like to work with in the future?
I love the field and tasks I’m working with, so definitely something involving people and their well being. It would be nice to develop different processes within the company and be a part of recruitment matters more.
What would you like to ask from the next person being interviewed?
Haha I love this! What is the most annoying household task and why?