Scoro’s Commitment to Creating a Dream Workplace: A Chat with Head of People Operations Annika Albert

In early 2023, Scoro was named as one of the Estonian Dream Employer competition’s finalists, with special recognition given for our commitment to understanding and supporting employees. At Scoro, we highly value trust, communication, and improvement and are honoured to be among the best workplaces in Estonia. 

We chatted with our Head of People Operations, Annika Albert, to hear more about the competition and conclusions. 

What has Scoro done to become a finalist in the Dream Employer competition?

This recognition is a result of a combination of factors. First and foremost, it is a reflection of our company culture. We are committed to creating a culture where work is not just about working. We believe in fostering a sense of purpose, work-life balance, personal growth, and supporting relationships. By doing so, we aim to build a work environment where our employees feel fulfilled, inspired, and engaged, ultimately leading to better outcomes for our customers and our organization. And our perks certainly play a role as well. We are one of Estonia’s pioneers in implementing the 4-day work week.

What did this recognition mean to you personally as a Head of People Operations in Scoro? 

Being recognized as a finalist in the Dream Employer competition is meaningful to our team and me. It is a validation that our initiatives and tactics have been impactful. And, to be honest, although I could not be prouder of the recognition, reading our team members’ feedback about their experience at Scoro is something that truly brings me joy and a feeling of accomplishment. It is the reward that helps us stay motivated and inspired to continue our efforts to create a great workplace. 

In addition, participating in competitions like this allows us to benchmark ourselves against other top organizations and find areas where we can do better. Being recognized like this also helps us attract the best talent who want to work in a place that really values its employees and offers opportunities to contribute to an exciting mission.

You had to ask for employee feedback to participate in the Dream Employer competition. Based on the survey, what were the main things they value about Scoro as an employer? 

According to the survey, I have identified three main areas our employees value the most about Scoro as an employer.

1. Flexibility in their work. They value the freedom and autonomy to work in ways that suit their unique needs, whether remotely or with more flexible work hours. Also, working four days a week gives our team members more control over their schedules, allowing them to balance their work commitments with their personal life.
2. Reliable and supportive team. This culture of support and collaboration creates a strong sense of belonging. When challenges arise, our team members know they have people around them who are ready and willing to lend a helping hand.
3. Product with a mission. Scorers are proud to be a part of a company that creates solutions that change how people work worldwide. They are passionate about this mission and are committed to making a positive impact through their work.
   
   
   

How would you describe Scoro’s mission in a way that every employee could relate to in their daily work life?

At Scoro, we aim to help people work smarter, not harder. We do this by providing powerful work management software that helps teams streamline their workflows, improve collaboration, and boost productivity. Our software empowers our clients to achieve their goals more efficiently and effectively, freeing up time and energy for the things that matter most.

Every employee at Scoro plays an essential role in achieving our mission. Every task we undertake serves our broader goal of helping people work smarter and save valuable time, from developing and refining our software to providing outstanding customer support. By working together as a team and staying focused on our mission, we can continue to drive innovation and inspire positive change in the world of work. In addition, everybody in our company uses Scoro daily to manage their own time and can experience the real value of the product themselves.

But our mission is about more than just software.

We believe that work-life balance is essential for our team members’ well-being, and we’ve made the 4-day work week a core part of our company culture. By showing that this is a viable and sustainable way of working, we aim to inspire other companies to prioritize their employees’ well-being and embrace new ways of working.

Scoro is a global company with a team spread across the UK, USA, Estonia, and Latvia. What do you do to promote teamwork and collaboration among its employees?

At Scoro, we recognize the importance of teamwork and collaboration, mainly as our team members are spread across multiple countries and time zones. To promote these values, we’ve implemented various initiatives and practices to help bring our team members closer together.

One of our most important initiatives is our bi-annual Global Week, when team members from our global offices travel to Tallinn, Estonia, to work and socialize. It is an opportunity for team members to get to know each other better, collaborate on projects, and share their experiences and insights.

In addition to our Global Week, we hold regular all-hands meetings and send newsletters to keep everyone up-to-date on the latest news and developments. We use Confluence as a company-wide knowledge base to ensure everyone has the same information. Suppose there are online participants in the meeting. In that case, everybody must join the Zoom meeting with their camera to ensure everyone online is equally included in the conversation.

We also foster communication and collaboration through online events and local get-togethers. We actively encourage and promote an environment where employees can share ideas and lead different initiatives. It has resulted in remarkable social activities (playing volleyball, getting together for wine-tasting, etc.) and regular virtual/hybrid events like the Scoro Quiz event series, well-being discussion groups and Slack challenges.

How do you reinforce that positive environment as the company grows globally?

Developing a positive company culture as the business grows requires effective leadership, transparent communication, clear and consistent values and goals, engaged employees, adaptable policies, and a commitment to inclusivity.

Emphasizing these factors helps to retain a positive culture that supports competitiveness and reflects their values across the organization.

How do you measure employee satisfaction?

We place a high value on maintaining a positive work environment and fostering employee engagement. To achieve this, we have implemented several initiatives that promote a strong feedback culture. For instance, we conduct non-anonymous surveys to gather feedback on various aspects of our employees’ work experience, including team happiness. We also conduct bi-annual extended happiness and leadership surveys, which help us to identify areas where we can improve and take corrective measures.

Moreover, our managers regularly meet with employees to discuss their work, career development, and concerns. It ensures that employees feel heard, supported, and valued, contributing to their job satisfaction and motivation.

By regularly seeking feedback from our employees, we can identify issues early and promptly address them. In turn, this helps us to maintain a positive work environment, improve employee engagement, and promote the overall success of our company.

What are the goals and future developments to ensure present and future Scorers have the best possible experience working here?

We aim to ensure that present and future Scorers have the best possible work experience. We are committed to continuously improving and developing our practices to achieve this.

One area of focus is improving the hybrid work experience, as we recognize that many employees now prefer a combination of remote and on-site work. 

Another priority for us is to continue promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and increase awareness among our team members. We have already implemented a few initiatives to create a more inclusive work environment, such as unconscious bias training, which is also a part of our onboarding program. We will continue prioritizing DEI in our hiring, promotion, and leadership development practices.

By continuing to invest in our employees and improving our practices, we can create a positive and fulfilling work experience that attracts and retains top talent.

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If you want to be part of this journey, check our Open Roles and send your application today. If you cannot find a suitable position, save your interest on our Connect page, and we will contact you when a job that matches your profile opens.