“I want the workplace to be a place that gives people energy”
Pernilla Rosander is the new HR Manager at Willo. Below she shares her thoughts regarding skills supply, a challenge that Willo shares with many other companies.
Willo, a family business based in the province of Småland in southern Sweden, is something of a world leader in metal cutting and grinding to produce small but critical precision parts. Willo’s customer base includes companies active in the manufacturing industry, the energy sector and medical technology – all over the globe.
Willo has lofty ambitions and is investing in an expansive future. An important success factor on the company’s growth journey is the ability to secure the supply of relevant skills, both today and in the future.
Started in May
Pernilla Rosander became the new HR Manager at Willo in May this year. With a background in the municipal sector, she was attracted by the challenge presented by a private, values-based and fast-growing company.
“I had heard a lot of good things about the company, and now Willo is in a phase where I can contribute aspects that I am passionate about, such as achieving a good mix of secure systems, sustainable work methods and strong employeeship.”
“Our vision is to be a market-leading supplier of complex and high-quality small parts with a critical function. If we are to succeed, we must be able to attract new staff and take care of and develop our existing employees.”
Skills supply is a challenge for many companies, not least those in the industrial sector. There is a lot of competition for skilled staff. Technological developments are proceeding at a rapid pace, and staff members must possess skills at the forefront of such developments, with automation becoming an increasingly common aspect of modern businesses.
“We work with the issue of skills supply in different ways, not only via traditional recruitment but also through internal skills development.”
“We try to collaborate with upper secondary schools, in particular, as well as with the association Epic Teknikens Hus, where we are a member company. Having the opportunity to meet young people today provides us with valuable knowledge about their expectations in relation to their future employers. It is also a great way for us to gain visibility and show people what we do.”
Own CNC training course
Together with Montico, Willo is now also investing in an external training course, a municipal adult education course in CNC – specially tailored to Willo’s needs, namely CNC operators who can deliver to industries and sectors with tight tolerances and the strictest requirements regarding precision and quality.
“This is a way for us to contribute to a long-term solution to a problem that we share with many other companies. The goal is to make it easier to recruit staff with the right skills.”
Developing critical skills internally is another important aspect of meeting the challenge of skills supply. Naturally this is an important stepping stone on Willo’s own journey, although it also has just as much to do with the personal journeys of the company’s employees.
“We will be mapping our skills to identify the training requirements that exist and how we can best develop the skills we need, now and in the future. We want every individual who works here to feel that they have meaningful work duties, that they can make a positive contribution to the overall success of the company, and that they have an opportunity to develop both professionally and as a person.”
Focus on soft values
The training course that is being developed together with Montico represents something of a starting point for the creation of a “Willo Training Centre” or “Willo Academy”. The company’s aim is to invest in its own training activities and create a forum where employees have the opportunity to take the next step and grow together with Willo. To make this attractive to employees, it is also necessary to focus on soft values.
“Secure systems are all well and good, but they alone are not enough to be an attractive employer. I want the workplace to be a place that gives people energy. This is something we all need, not least when it comes to life outside of work.”
“If we feel a sense of fellowship, trust and being able to contribute and develop, our reserves of energy are filled naturally. We then enjoy our work, perform better and see opportunities to go the extra mile, which is crucial for the success of the business. Together we must all make sure that we have a workplace where everyone feels at home and where we care about each other. In this context, the importance of leadership and each individual taking their own responsibility cannot be overstated.”
With Pernilla now at the helm of the company’s HR, leadership is an area that Willo wants to prioritise and develop.
“Leadership is more important than ever, and I am a great believer in the importance of creating trust and good relationships. We must be brave enough to ask for and accept help from each other so that we can meet tomorrow’s challenges together”, Pernilla concludes.
Top 5 reasons for working at Willo:
- An exciting company with strong belief in the future and innovative ideas
- Good and secure terms of employment
- Opportunities for training, career development and testing different work duties
- Pleasant colleagues and good managers
- We have fun at work and we care about each other