Meet Anna Martevo: The Global Workplace Lead at RELEX
Anna’s career journey is nothing short of diverse and fascinating. She’s worn many hats in various industries, from cleaner to executive assistant, and has gained invaluable experience that she considers her superpower. Her unique background has given her a deep understanding of different roles and industries, making her a versatile asset to any organization.
After joining RELEX, Anna transitioned from being a workplace consultant with a project management background to leading the company’s HQ Helsinki project. Her expertise and dedication led to the creation of a new role, the Global Workplace Lead. Anna officially took on this role, and she’s excited about the opportunities it presents for growth and development.
Beyond Work: Anna’s Interests and Hobbies
Outside of work, Anna’s main interest is her rescue dog, Tillisirpa. Ensuring that Tillis has the best life in her new forever home is a top priority. Anna also loves the beauty of autumn, the play of colors and light, and enjoys dancing with friends until sunrise. She indulges in a glass of good rosé wine, hits the gym to take care of her well-being, and regularly enjoys water activities at a nearby swimming hall with her friends.
The Lighting Design Connection
One fascinating tidbit about Anna is her bachelor’s degree in lighting design. She did her internship as a lighting assistant in the well-known soap series, Salatut Elämät, Finland’s version of The Bold & The Beautiful. Although it was a fun experience, lighting design wasn’t her forever passion. However, her background in lighting design sparked her interest in architectural lighting and creating places instead of just spaces.
Milestones on Anna’s Career Journey
One key milestone that brought Anna to her current role was her multi-responsibility position in a tech company, where she gained valuable experience in office development, ways of working, culture, change management, stakeholder leadership, and communication. The trust and support she received from colleagues along the way have contributed to her career’s success.
“I am a developer by heart and I love to see people thrive.”
Anna’s Inspiration for Workplace Management
Anna is driven by her passion for development and her desire to see people thrive. She believes in intuition, coincidences, and meeting the right people who’ve given her opportunities to create more sustainable workplaces from environmental, organizational, operational, and social perspectives.
A Typical Day in Anna’s Role
As a Global Workplace Lead, Anna’s role is multifaceted, involving interactions with numerous stakeholders. She focuses on creating a framework for global workplace activities and ensuring the HQ project remains on track. Communication, stakeholder leadership, engagement, and administrative tasks like budgeting are all part of her daily routine. Her goal is to lead strategically and use data to drive decision-making, relying on cross-functional collaboration to succeed.
Collaboration for Success
Collaboration is key to Anna’s role, and she works closely with departments like People, IT, Finance, Legal, and Marketing & Communications. She’s also committed to enhancing collaboration within the product department to define actions that support the company as a whole.
Staying Ahead in Workplace Trends
To stay updated on workplace trends and best practices, Anna relies on LinkedIn, carefully curating her feed to see the most relevant content. She subscribes to a few newsletters from select service providers and participates in a peer support group called WorkTech, which connects workplace leads from leading tech companies in the Nordics.
Challenges and Solutions
Change management and time management are current challenges for Anna. To address these, she plans to create structures for stakeholder management support and communication, keeping the discussion open and actively seeking feedback. For time management, she’s implemented project management tools and is learning to prioritize effectively.
Initiatives That Make a Difference
Anna has been involved in the Helsinki Ilmala HQ development activities, aiming to create a better workday experience. Her passion for sustainability led to the creation of a ReUsed concept for the HQ project. This initiative minimizes the use of new furniture, focusing on refurbishing and readjusting used items. It’s a step towards creating a socially, environmentally, and financially sustainable workplace where RELEXians can thrive.
Anna’s Impact on the Company and Employees
In her role, Anna contributes to developing workspaces, digital tools, and ways of working, all with the goal of providing RELEXians with a platform to work, collaborate, have fun, and thrive.
Prioritizing Work-Life Balance and Employee Well-being
RELEX emphasizes work-life balance through flexible work arrangements and support for employees’ unique needs. Anna acknowledges that maintaining this balance is a shared responsibility, and the company offers tools and services to support it. Employee well-being is a top priority, with services addressing mental, physical, and social well-being.
Advice for Aspiring Workplace Managers
Anna’s advice to those aspiring to roles like hers is to be curious, embrace failure as a learning opportunity, seek mentors, and develop an interest in organizational development. She emphasizes that collaboration is the key to success, and the power lies in “we,” not “me.”
Interested in working with us? Visit our careers pages to learn more -> https://www.relexsolutions.com/careers/
