In the US, retailers will reap $20 billion in sales by the time the holiday is over and in the UK £1.37 billion.
Valentines Day however dates back to the Roman pagan festival of Lupercalia when people would honour the gods of agriculture and fertility. During Lupercalia women were whipped and animals were sacrificed - thankfully the event has evolved somewhat!
We spoke with our Friisberg people around the world and it seems they all have their own traditions to celebrate love.
The Feast of San Dionisio is celebrated on 9th October in Valencia. Much like Valentine’s Day (which is also celebrated in Spain as El día de San Valentín), the Feast of San Dionisio is a celebration of love and romance in the name of the patron saint of lovers and has been observed since around the 18th century. Gifting scarves full of marzipan is a sweet custom (Mocaorà) Women who receive this gift should keep all of their scarves to show how long the couple has been together.
The tradition of Gaekkebrev - the sending of a humorous love poem - is still very much alive in Denmark and Norway. They are written on hand-decorated cards or letters that resemble paper snowflakes and are sent anonymously. If the recipient of the poem can guess who sent it, then the sender must buy them with a chocolate egg for Easter. If, however, the sender remains undiscovered, then the recipient must buy a gift for them when their identity is revealed!
In Norway, rather than roses, friends and sweethearts exchange pressed white flowers - Snowdrops.
It's been said that the first Valentine's Day card originated in France when Charles, Duke of Orleans, sent love letters to his wife while imprisoned in the Tower of London in 1415.
Today, Italians celebrate Valentine's Day with gifts and romantic dinners. One of the most popular Valentine's Day gifts in Italy is Baci Perugina, which are small, chocolate-covered hazelnuts wrapped with a romantic quote printed in four languages.
Finland and Estonia opt for a friendlier celebration called Ystävän Päivä in Finnish and Sõbrapäev in Estonian instead. Here, February 14 is all about celebrating friendship, and people exchange presents and cards with the greeting ‘Happy Friends Day’.
Since 2016, Friisberg & Partners International has been represented by Qualia Executive Search in Romania, a well-known executive search company on the local market.
After 6 years, Floriana Enescu, the Managing Director of Qualia Executive Search, has formed a new company, Friisberg & Partners International, Romania, and to end her collaboration with Qualia Executive Search. She said,
“I am grateful for all the experiences I had at Qualia Executive Search in the last 17 years. It meant a lot for my personal and professional growth, and for that I deeply thank my clients and my colleagues, especially to my colleague & co-founder, Ionut Balintoni, from whom I learned so many things that brought me to what I am today.
"Sometimes, after so many years, it is better for friends & partners to follow different paths. I am sure that Ionut will lead Qualia Executive Search to continue to offer the best services to its clients and partners, in the most ethical way.
"I started this new journey with a lot of enthusiasm and I thank my Friisberg & Partners colleagues for all their support. The world around us is changing and it embodies our deep dedication to client success and relationships, wherever our clients do business. Friisberg has a determination to never stop leading the way in innovation and thought leadership, so recognising that we were already so well aligned philosophically with Friisberg, we are genuinely delighted to now be Friisberg Romania.”
Zoltan Petho, Chair of Friisberg & Partners International, welcomed the opening of the new office. “Despite a global pandemic and economic crisis, Friisberg remains focused on its strategy to expand and innovate to connect clients to talent, internationally. We have made it our purpose to grow with our clients, as individuals and as a team, and Romania further strengthens our already significant presence in Central & Eastern Europe.”
Floriana Enescu is a psychologist with 20 years’ experience in recruiting and Executive Search.
Over the last 17 years, Floriana has coordinated searches for clients such as: Heineken, Beiersdorf, Allianz Partners, Phillip Morris, Danone, BNP Paribas Real Estate, Lagardere Group, Carrefour, Ikea, CB Richard Ellis, Hipp International, Coldwell Banker, Marks & Spancer, PayU, Signal Iduna, Tractebel, Siemens, Cushman & Wakefield, Vastint, Bionorica, Syngenta, Interbrands Orbico, Pinebridge, and Delamode.
Having strong and quality leadership has proved to be a major asset in recent turbulent times. It is not a secret that companies who invest in leadership development perform better than those that do not and they are much more adaptable in periods of crisis.
Quality leadership is a combination of skills, traits, attitudes, and mindset - things not typically innate and therefore necessitating fine tuning.
One of the indicators of how valuable quality leadership is to an organization is the time the company invests in training and development for their leaders. The observations on the local market show that those companies who do invest usually dedicate between 12 and 30 minutes per month - in medium-sized businesses, and about 5 hours per month in larger organizations. The approaches vary from short online chunk sessions, through specialized development programs and individual coaching. The predominant focus is on first-line managers and aspiring leaders and much less on top executives.
Typically, outcomes are based on improved relationship between manager and direct reports. Much research though, indicates that more beneficial impact is on organizational outcomes. That’s why all leadership deserves to be developed. Every level of management in the organization needs to build, master, and nurture the relevant leadership skills in order to be prepared, resilient and alert.
A wide-ranging leadership and management development program includes offerings for all levels of leaders: new, middle, and senior.
Although focusing leadership development is always a good idea, there are some typical situations and stages in the life cycle of the company in which it becomes a must:
When a company cares about their leadership, it actually provides the opportunity for leaders to invest their time and energy back into the organization.
Whether in business or politics, there’s a tendency to select leaders on the basis of their confidence rather than their competence. When our main criterion for appointing leaders is how good they think they are, we will inevitably end up with people who are not very good - except in their own mind.
When hiring for a leadership role you might be overlooking one of the most important traits:
Perhaps humility isn't the first trait that comes to mind when you think about great business leaders. Instead you might think of someone who is a visionary, who is courageous - someone who is overtly charismatic.
Humble leaders tend to understand that they are not necessarily the smartest person in every room. Why? Because they don't need to be. Instead they actively encourage other voices, welcome challenge and run with the best ideas - regardless of whether they originate from a board member or from a junior.
When things go wrong, humble leaders admit their mistakes and take responsibility. When things go right, they shine the spotlight on others.
When leaders lack humility they often make avoidable mistakes, blaming others for their poor decisions, and overestimating their own talents to the point of losing touch with reality, preferring instead to surround themselves with ‘Yes People’.
In leadership, few traits are as indicative of incompetence as arrogance.
I have met all sorts of leaders some of whom are the loudest in the room while others are more introverted. Some really are creative geniuses while others are complete pragmatists.
But when it’s time to make a hiring decision, how do you assess Humbility?
We all tend to be impressed by charismatic people with powerful personalities and a commanding presence. My advice however is to always look a little closer.
Look for quiet confidence, a focus on others, ability and humility.
Lorri Lowe
Partner UK
After a challenging but very successful 2021, we look forward to 2022 with confidence. Sure, the pandemic is not yet over, but we also see great opportunities. The transformation of the industry is in full swing:
Digitization has received a tailwind from the pandemic.
It holds enormous potential, for example, in trade, industry, administration, education and healthcare.
Decarbonization of the industrial sector.
This poses the question to everyone of how they can bring CO2-neutral products to market. One factor: system integration of hydrogen.
Demographic change has affected the entire economy.
The situation in the care sector is dramatic. Solutions are needed from politics, business and education. Approaches could be: Use of robots, optimization of dual training, improved compatibility of family and career, and skilled labour immigration laws.
Decentralization or shortening of supply chains.
Increased sustainability and resilience of supply chains is a lesson from pandemic, along with travel restrictions and the blockade of the Suez Canal.
Overcoming these obstacles and seizing opportunities requires C-level digital expertise, but also decision-making power.
For the second year in a row, our office in Budapest has once again been confirmed as the number one Executive Search firm in Hungary.
We are honoured to be recognized for making an impact that matters for clients and candidates.
Our commitment to responsible business leadership, diversity and a positive culture is only part of our success.
Árpád Németh, Managing Partner in Hungary, said, "We are absolutely delighted. This award is true recognition of the fantastic people we have working within our business. This recognition is testament to our continued hard work, dedication and real relationships we always build with our clients. We remain very appreciative to our client because with their continued support, commitment and votes, we are once again recognised as the number one firm in Hungary. Thank you so much.”.
Friisberg & Partners International realises that our people are our most valuable asset. We are proud to have such highly engaged teams who believe wholeheartedly in our vision – despite the incredibly challenging times we have all faced over the past two years.
This is the result of the current study by WirtschaftsWoche - with around one million readers WirtschaftsWoche is the largest and most up-to-date business magazine for decision-makers in Germany.
We won this award covering two sectors:
Since the HR Consultancy ranking is based on customer reviews, we are all the more pleased about this award!
In the future, we will continue to do everything we can to select the right leaders who will make the difference in companies in these challenging times.
The hope is that 2022 will end the nightmare of Covid and enable us all to re-start our social relationships that have been paused over the past two years.
We have all learned so much and we strive to move forward with a positive attitude.
There is no doubt that a lack of face to face contact has had an impact on our attitudes to work.
Major European leaders, with caution, are united that 2022 will prove to be the year of the end of pandemic for 4 reasons:
No one wants to halt the global economy again, so companies like Friisberg are working hard with business leaders around the world to re-configure their structure, create digital platforms, manage their HR structures and solve problems quickly and effectively - especially at the moment those linked to the re-opening of local economies and work places.
Since September 2021 we feel very positive that the global marketplace has 'woken up'.
We will continue to contribute, helping to build strong bridges within teams, building on new expectations and business needs around the world.
Aureliana De Sanctis
Associate Partner, Milan
Due to remote working, many organisations have hired employees who are only tied to their working community by virtual means. This makes it easier for employees to leave their working community behind.
No one can yet say for certain how society will open up during the coming months or whether there will be new setbacks. There is an ongoing discussion at workplaces and especially in expert organisations on how to proceed as the remote work recommendation is removed after the long period of uncertainty we have all faced.
There are certainly more choices available: the employee is allowed to come to the workplace and there are different quotas as well as other models based on alternation, individual preference and common expectations. The need for automation in one’s own work may well have been increased and organisational hierarchies reduced. Everything will slowly fall into place, which may take months, maybe even years.
There is one thing of note that has seen very little discussion:
Organisational culture plays a key role in an employee’s commitment to their organisation, especially as things stand currently. It lays the foundation for the operations of the entire organisation and constitutes a part of the employee’s work performance - even when working alone.
Organisations have not stopped hiring new employees during this exceptional period. Many newly employed people have been a part of their new working community only by virtual means. Many companies have invested an enormous amount of time and resources in personnel well-being and commitment during the pandemic.
We have also discussed these issues extensively in our own company, pondering whether we have made the right decisions. It is hard for me to say, but I naturally hope that we have.
I like to believe that an ideal working community provides its members with opportunities to work flexibly, respecting different approaches. Workplaces are now trying to find the balance between freedom and, on the other hand, approaches that relate to the needs of the clients. If a client wishes to meet the team in person instead of through virtual means, this should be weighed against one’s own individual wishes.
If the employee does not have real workplace relationships, physical and intimate working community and thereby the experience that humans need as social beings, they are unlikely to be as committed to their current position as before the start of the pandemic. In this case, they will have an easier time leaving their employer and working community behind and simply working remotely.
Of course, there will be exceptions. In such a case, something has been done differently – perhaps intuitively, or maybe the interaction between the employees and management has been very successful. I believe that the new guidelines for organisational culture during the pandemic are not enough for management to keep its organisation functional. Simply giving orders from above will not do either, as there is likely to be a backlash.
The appreciation of the employee experience is growing. A strong feeling of commitment to the work and organisation can better motivate people to stay than salary or other financial benefits. A high degree of commitment to one’s work not only maintains continuity, but also decreases sick leave rates and improves performance and efficiency at work.
Now is the time to invest in listening to the teams and allowing them to participate. We need to take measures through which our personnel can be brought together at the workplace in a safe manner as soon as possible, and give everyone the chance to become part of the working community instead of just working remotely. There is value in being present at the workplace at least from time to time.
Mika Rossi
Managing Partner, Helsinki
The past year, 2021, has provided many lessons for us all within Friisberg.
We have learned to live with the changing and challenging environment, and we’ve seen that while it may have seemed very difficult at times, we can always optimize, improve, and move forward with our business operations. In many countries this was done incredibly well, with many of our offices able to grow and declare a strong year.
Sadly we lost our founder, Jørgen Friisberg, who died last month. He will be greatly missed by all of us. We are proud to continue bearing his name and one of his legacies will be the continued growth and global success of Friisberg.
In 2022, Friisberg will introduce new Consultants and new Partners, we will open more offices around the globe and our international business opportunities will reach new heights.
Particularly over the past six months, I have received a great deal of positive feedback from those who work within Friisberg and directly from our clients that our strategic direction is sound - but as with all business it is its people who make a firm truly great.
We are extremely fortunate to have so many experienced and professional Friisberg consultants operating all around the world. Individually and together we strive to exceed our client expectations and together I know that we can expect to have an exceptional year in 2022.
Zoltan Petho,
Chair
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