We spoke with Agata Kaczmarska, CPO PL and CEE dentsu

Agata, over the last year you have introduced a very interesting benefit program for your employees related to health on the market. It seems to be the beginning of a long-term trend in HR. How did you come to this?

From the perspective of the HR department, the pandemic had a very positive impact on jump-starting the serious discussion about the mental health of employees. Until the pandemic, mental health was a taboo, which led to negative consequences for incumbents and businesses. For example, it had often led to stigma against the affected. Today we are talking about providing mental care as much as we are talking about healthcare. It is simply another very important benefit for employees.

During the pandemic it turned out that many people suffered in isolation. Our reaction as companies was only: "manager, your job is to take care of your people." In fact, we have shifted this burden onto them. This was a big challenge for many leaders, who did not know how to help their employees; they didn't even want to ask questions to employees about their well-being, because they lacked the knowledge on how to react to  these answers.

It turned out that organizations are not completely prepared for this and the level of education in these areas is very low.

Have you found a way to help them?

Yes, maybe not solve the issues but relieve them.

We have created an educational program for managers - Mental Health First Aiders, which trains and prepares for psychological first aid. It is a global program.

We entered into cooperation with several organizations but we were primarily looking for a systemic support. Our partners in this project made selections and out of 100 people (of 800 employees in the company) who applied for the program, 20 were selected, trained, and certified.

These people are in the first line of  help. They do not so much solve problems, but rather show our people where/how to find professional help.

How did your employees react to this?

Very well indeed. Though, as might be expected, not everyone utilizes the program to the same extent. However, the representation is so large that it also gives an insight into general and cultural problems within the company. We have an additional benefit in the form of identifying watchouts. We have also introduced 3 additional days off for psychological well-being.

Surely you are at the forefront of this change in the market, aren’t you?

Fortunately, our global CEO Wendy Clark attaches great importance to well-being, hence we have her support in this matter. Companies are beginning to expand the range of options for taking care of mental health. When it comes to the availability of psychological or psychiatric care, the statistics, especially in our part of Europe, are alarming. That is why such help must be developed. This is obviously an additional burden for companies, yet the trend is right and there is probably no turning back.

You say the topic was caused by a pandemic, but could it also have anything to do with other aspects of our lives?

Of course, with the whole geopolitical situation and lack of stability and predictability, etc. Additionally, the "snowflakes" generation is growing. They are extremely sensitive, emotional people who are not prepared for what they are about to find in the outside world.  Then, what is a strong point may turn out to be a weakness and vice versa. Disagreeing on certain things in the company’s space is  young people’s forte, however, the pandemic seems to have hit them very hard.

You say that the issue of employee benefits is changing. What other trends are you following?

Taking care of one’s career and competences of the future. Still few organizations deal with career counselling and re-skilling. This will be a very important change due to the rapid development of AI and digitization. We know that some professions will disappear,  although, we cannot predict when it will happen. We are not yet faced with this challenge, but it may surprise us very quickly. It is necessary to do an in-depth analysis of what will disappear, what will appear, whether we have education in specific areas, or whether we can search for talents in other countries. Thus, it will certainly be another challenge that companies, especially HR departments, will face.

We spoke with Marta Jakowluk, Chief People Officer at UPC, and discussed the Merger & Acquisition process through the eyes of a CPO.

Marta, for over a year you have been preparing your organisation for an objectively very difficult process, namely the acquisition of your company – UPC (Polish subsidiary of Liberty Global) by another market player. What was the biggest challenge?

Indeed, it has been a very challenging time for the organisation and surely, it is not over yet. From a CPO’s point of view, it is an extremely interesting and enriching period. Whilst preparing  for the merger, we were well aware that this would be a highly emotional time for all our staff. And we knew that the only way to defuse this “emotional bomb” is to adopt transparent, clear communication with all the employees. As the Board, we could not take care of every single person – this was the role of line managers - but we wanted everybody to be fully informed about what was going on. At the same time, we wanted to understand our employees’ problems and doubts rather than to make assumptions, or to take a guess.

So what did you do?

We proposed several communication platforms, points of contact, with our employees and different programmes. But in focus groups, where people could voice their opinions, it became clear they feared that they would struggle to adapt to the new reality - they did not know what they were fit for or whether they could do something different...

And not that they will lose their job following the merge? This would have seem like the most obvious concern.

One is the consequence of the other. If “I can’t do it, I don’t know it, I might not be fit for it” then “I will probably lose my job”. We knew we had excellent people in our organisation, so we decided to concentrate on solving this problem and introduced a multi-stage, multi-module programme called “Energy For a New Beginning”. We wanted to build our employees’ confidence in their own abilities, knowledge and experience. As you know, one of the components of this programme, was a project named “Brand Yourself” which for the senior management group was  executed in partnership with Friisberg Poland. Conversations with independent Executive Search consultants helped our employees to see and appreciate what they represented and what they could do with their career in the new organisation. Obviously we gave similar opportunities to all employees via internal coaching, measuring certain skills, special development days and dedicated workshops – that part was lead by HR Team.

Yes, it was a very interesting project. In a sincere, non-judgemental conversations people were able to open up, reflect and think through different issues related to their previous experiences. What else did you focus on?

At all times up until zero hour we had average market attrition and we delivered the business result with a surplus. It was due to the fact that our corporate culture has built commitment, motivation and a high level of employee satisfaction. These are always important factors in organisation management, but at times of incertitude and high emotions they become an essential protective shield.

A merger like this is always a culture shock. It is important to realise that the culture of the other organisation is usually different. It should not be discredited without exploring and getting to know it. In our case the processes, the procedures, the language – all of them were different, therefore the buyer had decided to give us three months following the merge to get to know each other, without introducing any substantial changes. This, however, made people fill uncertain, not knowing what was to happen, as if in a fog.

I think every solution has its pros and cons, just like the strategy of drawing a line under the past and taking quick decisions without exploring the essence of the matter. But regardless of the merger strategy, it is paramount to show people respect in the process.

The other thing is to redirect emotions towards constructive actions, to something one can have a say in. It is imperative – and this is the role of line managers – not to allow employees to split hairs about matters beyond their control. We play the cards we have, there is no other way round. But for the game to make sense, it requires commitment at all levels.

Taking care of people’s emotions at an individual level is a must, but it cannot only be done by the Board, this is untenable. It is the responsibility of each team leader at their own level.

If you were to give some advice to those facing a similar process, what would you say?

  1. Communication, communication, communication!!! There is never too much communication in such matters. It should be frequent and delivered in a repetitive rhythm/cycle in order for everybody to know when to expect it.
  2. Take care of your employees’ emotions, discover what they fear the most, and turn that fear into hope for the better . Help them with self-confidence as this is the moment to show our talents.
  3. Once decisions are taken, do implement them without delay. Don’t wait around, don’t procrastinate. People need clarity.
  4. Be as constructive as possible. Focus energy on what you can influence, don’t waste your energy on things you cannot change.

We spoke with Jan Skvaril, who as a Czech, has lived in Bulgaria for the last 17 years, and acts in NEXT Consult as a Client Success Partner.

His experience is a blend of consulting, technology, and hands-on managerial experience. He has spent 17 years in business & IT consulting, 10 of which were in Deloitte across Central and Eastern Europe. Jan has also 8 years of experience in managing leading distribution, logistics, and manufacturing businesses in Bulgaria.

NEXT Consult is an international business consulting and digital transformation firm, operating primarily in SouthEast Europe. It was established in 2010 by former senior executives from Deloitte, Microsoft, Oracle, and SAP. They are a client-obsessed team of diverse talent with 100 professionals from 6 nationalities, and it represents the world’s leading technology vendors - Salesforce, SAP and UiPath.

The IT industry has been developing rapidly for many years. What have been the major growth drivers for your business?

2020 and 2021 were golden years for technology companies. The Covid pandemic has accelerated digital adoption and transition to the cloud, it has also driven the development of new products and services. Financial institutions which were relying heavily on customers visiting their branches had to react very quickly and fully digitalized their marketing, sales and customer service processes. Many sectors were pushed to online sales and cashless payments. That is why our company has experienced 40% growth year over year.

HR professionals sometimes see technologies as an enemy, which reduces people's interactions and spoils a company's culture. What is your opinion about the balance between people and technology?

Around half of all existing work activities could be automated in the next few decades using Robotic process automation (RPA) technology. Just like people, software robots communicate with systems and applications to speed up processes and reduce the workload on humans.

One HR professional may find this technology invasive, as it could lead to headcount reduction. The truth is the opposite. RPA enables organizations to shift employees' attention from low-value tasks to higher-value ones that deliver better customer experience and ultimately support revenue growth.

For example, customer service representatives once spent a significant amount of time gathering data for different customers’ requests. This limited the time they had to directly engage with customers in consultative conversations. But, now, software robots handle that gathering work, giving employees more time to engage directly with customers about meeting their needs. In addition, the shift to more valuable work makes employees more engaged.

What major technology trends do you expect for the forthcoming years?

By 2025, more than 50 billion devices will be connected to the internet. Robots, automation, 3D printing, and more will generate around 79.4 zettabytes of data per year. Far-greater network availability, powered by 5G, will drive broad shifts in the business landscape towards digitalization.

At the same time, the enormous digitalization creates challenges for data security. Even before the Covid pandemic, more than 8.5 billion data records were compromised. Despite advances in cybersecurity, criminals continue to redouble their efforts.

I predict we’ll see huge growth in the area of security technology and high demand for security experts.

It is a general observation that the Covid pandemic affected the staff turnover. What has been the situation in the IT industry?

For a decade now, the IT sector has not only been one of the fastest-growing business segments in our region, but also the industry that provides its employees with opportunities for a high standard of living, and steady income growth.

We introduced the home office long before the pandemic so we did not have many challenges to keep working under any new business conditions.

Like in other industries we observed a sharp reduction in staff turnover due to uncertainty. Currently, we experience industry dynamics that makes us innovate people management every day to stay competitive in the industry.

The energy company RWE is aiming for rapid growth in the renewables market with its subsidiary RWE Renewables.

Katja Wünschel is to pull the strings as CEO Onshore Wind and Solar Europe & Australia and she spoke with Thorsten Marquardt, Associate Partner at Friisberg, Germany, about the importance of communication in team leadership and about her personal motivation: "We want to realise every renewable energy project in Germany that is possible."

Friisberg: Ms Wünschel, you are also called the sun catcher. Do you like the title?

Wünschel: It puts the focus on the sun, and I think that's good. Photovoltaics play a major role in making the energy transition a success. Sun is just as important as wind and is one of our biggest growth areas. So the title reflects my focus quite well. However, the energy transformation will only work if we are successful as a team - within the company, in business, politics and society. Everyone has to work together to tackle the huge task that lies ahead of us. RWE is ready to make its contribution. We want to realise every renewable energy project in Germany that is possible.

Friisberg: What is innovative about RWE's wind & solar business model?

Wünschel: First of all, we cover everything we need for the implementation of onshore and offshore, solar and battery storage. What is innovative is that we are always looking at new technologies. At the moment, for example, we are looking at floating PV - floating solar systems. We have just connected our first pilot project in the Netherlands. Or Agri-PV - a concept for the dual use of agricultural land. There are initial development fields in Germany, France and Italy. Thanks to our engineering and technology expertise, which we have built up over decades, we can test new technologies ourselves. I find Agri-PV very exciting, but we are still in an early phase. We are testing three different application areas in three countries and can check them against each other thoroughly. Where does what work best and what do we learn from it? This way we can derive the right starting point if we want to take it to a larger scale. Besides technological development, we also look at incremental development. What's new in leaves or foundations. Because of course that is also part of it.

Friisberg: You have been in the wind and solar business for almost 15 years. What is your personal recipe for success?

Wünschel: I am extremely passionate or energetic. In addition, I like to work with a team. That's the only way we can be successful. I love the "go to gemba" - being on the construction site. I combine this reality check outside with the business and its demands inside. Working in the renewable sector is just crazy fun. You know very quickly where you stand with me.

Friisberg: What hurdles have you had to overcome as an executive and what advice would you give to others?

Wünschel: I would talk less about hurdles and more about what has worked and what has not. It is important to always have clear goals - not a one-way street, but a kind of option space. You also have to communicate this. No one can read minds. Only if you communicate goals and plans, others can work with them. And of course a high level of commitment: you should go the extra mile. One thing I also always tell my mentees, and which I also experienced myself once: If you have a supervisor who doesn't share your development perspective and it's not foreseeable that he will share it, then you should leave. I experienced this once at the beginning of my professional development. It is often better to take the initiative yourself.

Friisberg: Would you describe yourself as successful?

Wünschel: It is important to me that the job is fun and that I can create something. That comes together perfectly now. I have fun and can design and implement a lot. That is a luxury in this job, that I can create added value. We are actively contributing to the energy transition in Germany. By 2030, we will invest up to 15 billion euros in our green core business in this country alone.

Friisberg: Did you ever have a low point where you wanted to give up or quit everything?

Wünschel: I'm not the type to quit - I'm more the type to close a chapter and open a new one. Rather, the more difficult and tricky it gets, the more incentive I have to solve and tackle the issue.

Friisberg: How do you deal with failures?

Wünschel: My family and my team give me energy. When I see a problem, I exchange ideas with colleagues. And when I need to recharge my batteries, I spend time with my family and friends. I'm not the type to go for a walk alone in the forest.

Friisberg: RWE is on a long and exciting journey. It needs business focus. How do you take people with you to go full throttle together?

Wünschel: It's a mix of different methods and approaches. I have learned a lot from Operational Excellence. Others also call it the New Way of Working. Just like good communication, which for me is a key to success. With each further stage of development, I became more aware of how important good communication is. In the sense of listening, that "go to gemba", always asking for opinions and feedback and entering into a dialogue. I communicate our goals and expectations consistently. And I always have an open office door for questions from the team.

Friisberg: As a corporate unit, RWE Renewables is comparatively young. How do you want to prevent your team from falling into a sluggish corporate mode?

Wünschel: At RWE in 2021, we looked at the renewables business together across all technologies and country borders. The growth potential is huge, but we also have to take into account the differences in technologies and countries. This is how the division into different business areas came about: on the one hand, offshore with its huge and very complex projects, and on the other hand, onshore wind, solar and battery storage - in the USA, Chile and Mexico as well as in Europe and Australia. This division makes sense, because in Europe we have a lot of projects that, with an average of 20 to 25 MW, are much smaller than those in the USA. This requires different processes, ways of working and a different mindset. Thanks to our more than 20 years of experience in developing, building and operating renewable plants, we have an excellent position in Europe and Australia. We use this and set up our teams country-specifically and very locally. Our goal is clear: we are setting the pace for expansion.

Friisberg: What lessons learned do you draw from the past years?

Wünschel: You can't communicate too little. You have to focus strongly on the team and what is happening there. At the same time, you must not lose sight of your goals.

Friisberg: What message do you give to the energy world 4.0 out there - especially now against the background of the enormously streamlined goals?

Wünschel: I have always said in the past that we have to turbo-charge. It is a Herculean task that we have before us in Germany and in Europe. We can only achieve decarbonisation or the energy transition together. Economy, politics and society must pull together. With the Easter Package, the government is continuing what it announced in the coalition agreement. Even if there is still a need for adjustments, it is a step in the right direction. Now it is a matter of using the momentum to achieve the goal of an independent and green energy supply.

(Image: Andre Laaks/RWE AG)

Thorsten Marquardt, Associate Partner, Germany
As part of the series "Shapers of the Energy World 4.0" for energate.


We spoke with Marcin Majchrzak, General Manager Haier Group Poland, Baltics & Ukraine.

Congratulations on your promotion, please tell us how the company's business in Poland has been so far and what have you changed?

Thank you very much. Of course, it was a big change both for me and for our two companies in Poland at this time.

I am afraid, I won’t say anything revolutionary: always in such a situation, the first task is to build a team. Experience, knowledge and belief tell me that if you have a good team, you can achieve any goal. The beginning was not easy. Relatively quickly I found people with great potential and knowledge, but also with an appropriate value system. The challenges were in all possible areas, from relations with business partners, through improperly selected products, lack of communication with consumers, to the profitability of both companies.

Together, we defined who we want to be and what we want to achieve. We developed a new business model and then the perfect execution of the plan became the key to success.

Simultaneously, we were working on the changes in the structure and merger of the companies, developing new methods of operation on the consumer and client side. Today, we know a lot about our consumers, that enables us to communicate effectively with them. I gives me great satisfaction and joy that as a team we have created a friendly and stimulating workplace. We have a unique culture which translates into commitment, constant development and searching for new ideas how to develop a business.

You had the opportunity to work in various markets in previous organisations, now you have taken over the Baltic countries and Ukraine. It is a huge challenge how to approach it at all and the expectations. Is it hard to plan anything in advance?

In the current situation our action plan is twofold. First, Ukraine - our main task there is to evacuate our employees and ensure their safety. We are also in constant contact with our clients. Some of them are active and we help them whenever possible.

The Baltic countries, on the other hand, have some similarities and differences compared to the Polish market. Modern retail chains operate similarly to the best players in Poland. The preferences and expectations of consumers when it comes to household appliances are slightly different. At this stage, I cannot reveal too much, but we have an idea and we see great opportunities to develop our business in all three countries. We certainly have a lot to offer consumers as well as distributors.

What will you focus on, and pay special attention to, in the context of product development in the coming years - and why?

I think that today nobody has any doubts that the future belongs to modern digital solutions, thanks to which we simply live more comfortably. All our new devices can be connected to the hOn app and use functions that make our daily activities easier. Artificial intelligence makes our equipment quickly adapt to the consumer's lifestyle, making it easier to wash, cook and store food. At the same time, we put great emphasis on pro-ecological solutions. For instance, our washing machines are certified with the highest energy class at affordable prices. Candy RapidO offers comfortable and quick washing with very low energy consumption. Exactly what consumers expect today. To this you need to add aesthetics and design as household appliances have become an element of interior design today.

Our goal is to improve the quality of life of consumers. To make daily activities easier or even take them off customers’ hands. That is why we focus not only on modern solutions based on artificial intelligence, but also create an ecosystem together with various partners. As a result, we will provide consumers with a comprehensive solution in a modern way that makes life easier. Even today, using our wine cooler, you can easily check what we have in stock and order your favourite wine through the aforementioned hOn application.

How do you approach ESG? How do you bring this idea to life in your organisation?

This is a very good question, especially in the context of Haier's values. Since the day the company was established, its culture has been built on three pillars: entrepreneurship, close communication and cooperation with consumers, referred to in our company as Zero-Distance-To-Consumer, and the construction of the aforementioned ecosystem.

At Haier, we act as company owners. This is also the most sought-after feature in potential candidates for our team. I used to work in a company with a "highly corporate culture”, focused on internal goals. We always look at the reality around us through the eyes of the consumer. Therefore, when creating the ecosystem, we do it based on local partners. Thanks to this, we support the local community but also better respond to the needs of consumers.

In your opinion, what is the most important thing and key to its success?

This is a kind of logic puzzle. People are the most important. A properly built team with a wide range of experiences and skills is able to create and implement ambitious plans. Naturally, under the right conditions. My role is to build this team and create the right conditions. We promised each other two years ago that we would create together a workplace where we will be able to pursue not only corporate goals but also our own goals, especially those related to development. In order for the team to function efficiently, it must have the right conditions. The combination of these two elements gives you a chance for success.

Nijolė Kelpšaitė, from our office in Vilnius, shares her experience in recruiting CEOs for family-owned businesses.

She lists three key insights every business owner should remember when starting a Search:

  1. More factors than usual need to be considered
  2. Cultural fit is a must
  3. Drive for faster business results with long term success

How to avoid mistakes when hiring CEO for the family business for the first time

As the business grows, owners of family businesses face a challenge to transition towards more structured management, rigorous strategic planning and the need to bring in new skills to improve efficiency and profitability.

Oftentimes it means a search for new CEO with strong track record of leading growing enterprises and success in international expansion.

What makes the search different? 

In the majority of cases, recruiters have to consider more factors than usual, including a company history, family dynamics and core values, traditions and expectations of the workforce.

Furthermore, it is critically important to ensure that the owner and candidate share a joint vision regarding the owner's involvement into decision making once the new CEO is in place.

Cultural fit is a must

For an external CEO to be successful in a family businesses he/she needs to build strong relationship with the owners. It is impossible without shared values and beliefs- these are as important as professional skills and competencies.

In fact cultural fit is a critical element that makes or breaks long term future collaboration. Therefore the sourcing of candidates should include a particular emphasis on the candidate‘s ability to connect with the company’s values and mission.

Faster does not mean better

How fast does the the owner want to reach the targets?  How is the timeline viewed by the new CEO? How long and what errors will be tolerable? When and how will both the owner and CEO know their relationship works? Both sides tend to rush and to forget that expectations should be specified in great detail and efforts should be made to establish a realistic rather than an optimistic timeline. A time buffer should be in place bearing in mind that the owner knows what they want, but knowledge transfer does not happen in a couple of weeks.

Why getting external help in hiring is important?

To understand the candidates' market is not an easy task for those who never dealt with it. Hiring for family owned business requires deep expertise and abilities to facilitate the dialogue between the owner and potential hire to ensure the match. Furthermore, it requires a well detailed on-boarding process which often gets forgotten. Experienced consultants should be the advisor to both parties in order to ensure an optimal outcome.

We spoke with our team in Milan about Christmas traditions in Italy.

There are Christmas traditions in Italy that are widespread practically everywhere in the country, such as the Christmas tree and the nativity scene. To be fair, however, the Christmas tree is much more common in the north of Italy, while the nativity scene in more common in the centre and south.

In some areas of northern Italy, it is not Santa Claus who brings the gifts, but Saint Lucia. This tradition persists, for example, in the provinces of Cremona but also Brescia, Bergamo and Verona. In particular, the tradition of Santa Lucia is very much felt in Lombardy and Veneto: in Verona it is said that during the holidays of 1200 in the city an epidemic spread that affected the sight of children and that, to avert it, the mothers decided to make their little ones go on a pilgrimage asking for the grace of Saint Lucia, protector of the blind. To persuade the children, they promised that the Saint would have them find gifts on their return. From that moment, on the night between 12 and 13 December, Veronese children, like the Lombards, are waiting for Saint Lucia to carry the gifts on the back of her donkey.

A typical custom of Trentino Alto Adige  is that of the Advent Wreath. Each family makes a wreath with fir branches and intertwined red silk ribbons, inserting 4 candles on this wreath. Every Sunday before Christmas day, families gather to light one, waiting together for December 25th.

In the centre of Italy there is another widespread custom, that of bagpipers - that is, musicians who roam the streets of the villages playing typically Christmas songs with their bagpipes. Sometimes they even knock on doors, cheering with their music in exchange for an offering.

When it comes to Christmas traditions regarding food, while in some regions there is a tendency to celebrate in style during the Christmas lunch, in others the most noteworthy event is that of the Christmas Eve dinner on December 24th. Just think, for example, of the Christmas traditions in Sicily: in some mountain villages, on the night of the 24th, bonfires are lit to warm the Child Jesus. Furthermore, many families, after the usual dinner, tell tales and legends to each other, to entertain the children waiting for Santa Claus.

Of course, these are just some of the Christmas traditions scattered around Italy. While not covering all regions, however, they represent an excellent starting point for a symbolic journey which, we hope, can help to put our international Friisberg family into a merry Christmas mood.

Merry Christmas to all of you!

We spoke with Floriana, from our office in Romania, about her plans for the holidays.

Christmas holidays have always been a reason for joy, for children or adults, even if during Communist times the religious meaning of it was not significant.

Communists believed there is no God, therefore the Son of God did not exist and was not born. But they could not erase completely Christmas Holidays and the joy they brought, so they tried to erase the religious meaning of it.

Therefore, they renamed “Old Father Christmas” and he became “Old Man Frost”, St. Nicholas became “Old Man Nicholas” (most of us still refer to him as this).

For us, Christmas Holidays start at the evening of December 5th, when the tradition says that good children will receive small gifts from St. Nicholas in their boots (some good adults get gifts too), but only if they have been good, otherwise they will get a stick instead!

In Romania we have many traditions that we practise in the hope of wealth, prosperity and luck with their origins going back to medieval times.

My personal favourite is Santa's Eve Caroling, but there is also Goat Walking, Capra, - a custom that usually lasts from Christmas to the New Year, it is the name given to a traditional Romanian dance, usually performed by a young man disguised as a goat, with a fur on his back. The goat and her companions go from house to house, dancing at everyone’s door, on New Year’s Eve;

Little Plough, Pluguşorul, is a poem which is performed by boys who visit the community with a little plough made of wood, bells and a whip in their hands and it describes the myth of the nation's creation;

Sorcova where a stick or twig decorated with artificial flowers of different colours, which children use to gently hit their parents or acquaintances in the morning of New Year, wishing them, in special verses, health and luck.

Usually at Christmas, families have lunch or dinner together, mostly eating traditional food like Piftie or Sarmale.

2021 was in many ways a good year for us, but more than anything I wish 2022 will take us back to normality. What I miss the most is the connection between people and the time we spend together.

We spoke with Andrea, one of the Partners from our office in Prague, to ask her how she spends the holidays.

Unlike many other countries, our main Christmas celebration is on Christmas Eve  and it is called Generous Day (Štědrý den). A Christmas dinner is served just after the sunset and as everyone dines, Baby Jesus (Ježíšek) brings presents and leaves them under the Christmas Tree coming through the open window.

The tree is in a different room from the dining table and when children hear the bell ring, it means Ježíšek has been there. After the dinner, we gather around the Christmas tree to sing carols and open the presents. Dec 26th and 27th are days of visiting extended family and friends, or just relaxing.

Is it true that Czechs place fish scales under their plates for the Christmas dinner? Why?

Yes, it is believed that having a Carp scale under your plate, and keeping it later in your wallet, will ensure good fortune.

Czechs have some pretty unusual traditions connected with this fish.

Fried carp and potato salat is a typical Czech Christmas dinner and, in the week leading up to Christmas, there are massive tanks full of carp in front of supermarkets. Customers choose one of the fish, and it is killed in front of them and packaged to take home, or they can buy a live fish and take it home. Traditionally, families bought their carp a week before Christmas and let it live in the bath. It was to keep the fish fresh and to clean the carp and get rid of the slightly muddy taste it gets from the pond.

While many families including my own happily abandoned this tradition years ago  - and I try to avoid mere sight of the tanks - still many people like it and it can be a source of shock for foreigners witnessing the carp sale in the streets.

What’s your favourite holiday tradition?

It is not a particular tradition, it is the Christmas atmosphere I love. Prague is especially charming after Dec 24, when the shopping and all Christmas preparations are over (and the carp tanks disappear!). People slow down, we all try to be kinder, reflective and that makes it “the most magical time of the year”.

Looking back on 2021, was it a good year?

It was definitely challenging, but it brought many new opportunities and turned out to be a really good year work wise. There was a surge of innovations and high demand for new leadership among technology-driven companies and I am very happy there was a strong shift in priorities of our clients towards sustainability, purpose and social responsibility.

What are you most looking forward to in 2022?

Every little joy it brings - ideally without a need to keep a distance and wear a mask.

We spoke with Gadea Zumarraga to ask about her holiday plans…

In Spain, we have some interesting holiday traditions! For example, it is customary to wear red underwear on New Year's Eve to ensure you will be lucky the following year. Also, eating one grape every second in the last 12 seconds of the year, and wishing everybody around you a happy new year while you involuntarily spit some pieces, means you will have a good year!

What’s your favourite holiday tradition?

On the 24th of December, after dinner with the family we all open presents that the Infant Jesus brings. I still believe, as I did as a child, only for that day!

How do you usually spend the holidays?  

We love spending our Christmas with our family and friends, so eating, drinking and talking takes up most part of our holidays mainly from the 24th until the 1st of January. We celebrate 24th December at dinner, 25th at  lunch, the 31st at dinner and we party until late into the night. On the 1st of January we have a big lunch, and then finally the on the day of the Three Kings day  we have breakfast with our closest family and lunch with the rest. So we end up putting on an average extyra weight of over 3 or 4 kilos each holiday season!

Also, people love mountains and sports, mainly skiing, and we have nearly 40 ski resorts in our country. Many people spend the first week of January skiing in Spain or France on the beautiful Alps!

Looking back on 2021, was it a good year? 

2021 was exciting but exhausting. We have had a booming year regarding business - our clients have been really active after a “paralyzed” 2020

We have worked in so many different industries, which means that the economy is growing and there are many opportunities in Retail, Pharma, Real Estate, Financial Services, Industry, Professional Services, Entertainment…I could go on!

What are you most looking forward to in 2022?  

Consolidating new businesses including our HR consulting and AI tools to help our clients make the best decisions for all people related matters.

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