In the beginning, there was a dusty hall, a couple of rusty cars and a pile of tools, not all of which were mine. First we went to work with an "egg", then a helmet and finally a hammer came into the picture. The spirit was good and the vision was clear. That probably convinced both the job seekers and the customers, although it was a bit comical to ask in the interview whether the newcomer had his own van or something else useful that would make building easier. Even the job interview wasn't always necessary, as sometimes a simple phone call, "I heard you were available. Come to work." was enough. 

People were recruited both from the sidelines and through the bush radio. Once we got one good guy, other good ones soon followed from our friends' networks, many of whom are still with us. A good team spirit was seen as an asset, and customers were impressed when young, skilled people who were not afraid to work came to the sites.

The client's feelings usually changed from initial excitement to a confident calm after just a few days of work, even though during the negotiations he might still ask, "Are you guys sure you've taken everything into account in that offer?". Of course, the same thing could also be said in the form of "Tell us what is in that offer so we can finish the rest". It was particularly nice when the contractor's foreman said, "You can do this job. I don't want my own men, because with them you just have to fight."

This phenomenon is something that we want to hold on to. We have to take care of the good actors, partners and customers. For Anfra, having its own, competent and well-paid staff is an essential factor for competitiveness. So we phrased our values of caring as follows:

We take care of our colleagues and customers. We value and understand each other. We are a good and safe place to work. We have the best equipment and tools. We understand the importance of empathy at work and we want to develop it.

Whether you are talking to a customer, a colleague or even a contract partner, it is essential to sit on the same side of the table. Being on the same side of the table as the client and partners means having an open discussion about the project and its risks. We talk openly about both the potential pitfalls and the opportunities of the project. Even sensitive issues should be raised. In many cases, these discussions result in a nice chunk of change for the client, a better environment and better business conditions for us. 

For our staff, perhaps the most important factor in terms of caring is the meetings we organise, including regular meetings between the manager and the supervisor, known as weekly chess lessons. The weekly check is a time to talk about workload, mood, successes, challenges and how the supervisor can support you through each challenge. There is also a strong focus on training your own leadership. This is another surprisingly simple thing that could be taught in training to future employees in order to improve productivity across the industry.

- Marko

Fun - Openness - Firmness - Care