Aušra Kalinauskienė
Compensation & Benefits Specialist at SEB Global Services Vilnius
The more you collaborate, the stronger your team bond
Valuing relationships and enjoying working with people – that’s what defines Aušra. With over seven years at SEB, she now serves as a Compensation & Benefits Specialist and is the initiator of the HR OK community. Aušra emphasizes that everyone has their unique communication style, and it's essential to be open, listen, and engage with each person. Feeling supported by the company, she is dedicated to creating a friendly, trustworthy atmosphere within the HR department, knowing that true power lies in collaboration.
Tell us more about your career.
I have been working at SEB for more than 7 years. Previously, I held positions as a Senior Delivery Specialist and Process Expert. Currently, I am a Compensation & Benefits Specialist in the HR department, working on various HR projects and processes, including the job architecture process, salary reviews, annual financial reports, employee programs, and other HR initiatives. Additionally, I serve as a Scrum Master for the Baltic Compensation & Benefits team.
How do you unite people in HR?
In both the Riga and Vilnius departments, we have around 100 employees, which is quite a lot. We want everyone to have the opportunity to meet, collaborate, and have fun together, so we created the HR OK community, where current employees, new hires, and even those on leave can participate and organize events. In recent years, we thought it would be nice to create new traditions in addition to FIKA and Christmas celebrations to further unite the HR community. One such tradition is 'School Start' at the end of summer, where we encourage HR employees to attend workshops and webinars, productively starting the new season together. In winter, we have the 'HR Breakfast,' where everyone can enjoy food and mingle. 20th of May celebrates International HR Day, our department initiated this celebration and together celebrates this day – the aim is to meet everyone from Riga and Vilnius and have a day together. Now, we are focused on maintaining these traditions.
It can be challenging to create enjoyable and cozy events for such a large group because it requires extra preparation. However, rather than thinking it will be hard, it's better to see it as a way to have a good time together. It’s also a great way to welcome newcomers and give them a space to express themselves and meet colleagues, which highlights the importance of relationships at SEB.
Is there something that attracts you to working with people?
I enjoy working with people. I like creating value for both the company and its employees. So, when I see an opportunity to make people’s lives better, I consider it a goal and pursue it. This work also adds value to my personal growth, career development, and collaboration opportunities.
As someone who works in HR and as a Scrum Master, what does the power of collaboration mean to you personally?
We live a very short time on this planet and have various relationships with people around us – partners, children, managers, friends, etc. We collaborate with each of them because it's how we survive and develop in this world. SEB understands that relationships are important to me as a person, and this pillar is significant because I feel supported by the company. It creates an environment where I can develop and grow, thanks to the encouragement and support for collaboration among employees.
How does SEB create a collaborative environment?
In my opinion, SEB fosters this through inspirational managers. For me, having professional and motivational managers is crucial because I need to trust my manager, and they must also trust me. At SEB, I’ve always had managers who believe in me and provide opportunities for collaboration with HR colleagues and growth, by assigning projects that make me step out of my comfort zone. I’m very grateful for that trust.
Do you feel that people at SEB are willing to collaborate?
There are different kinds of people, and each person decides how they want to collaborate. In my opinion, everyone has both extroverted and introverted qualities in different proportions, which means collaboration styles can vary. Even if someone is more introverted, there will be moments at work when collaboration and communication are necessary. There are different kinds of people in HR as well, but you can have a nice discussion with each of us. The key to a good conversation is being open, empathetic, and a good listener. I think most people at SEB are kind and enjoy collaborating. The more you collaborate, the more relationships you build, and the more you feel that SEB becomes your family.
Are there relationships that mean the most to you in your work?
Yes, both my former and current colleagues are my friends, and I don’t limit myself to just one or two friends. I am always open to everyone because you never know who can make a difference and turn your life in a new direction.
In what ways do colleagues show respect for each other?
In our department, respect is shown by always having someone to talk to about both work-related and personal things, such as anxieties and worries. We listen to each other and are not afraid to speak up, share our thoughts, or discuss issues because we know that our managers and colleagues will not judge us. We feel comfortable expressing our feelings and emotions when needed. There is mutual trust among everyone, and I value these relationships a lot.
I would say that the ability to listen is one of the wonderful skills that are important in a modern networking environment. However, with remote work and advanced technology, I feel like we may miss out on face-to-face interactions. Of course, we should take advantage of technology, but maintaining good basic social skills and being sincere is important. This helps you feel more connected with colleagues, fostering better teamwork.
How do you encourage people to participate in events?
We only organize live events, but with the remote policy, it’s harder to get people to come in. We try to encourage attendance by planning creative and fun events, but it takes more effort to come up with ideas that attract people. Working from home is convenient for me as well, but I miss the days when everyone was in the office and you could easily reach any colleague.
What are the traditions and things you do with your team to encourage collaboration?
My team works in different countries, so we don’t meet each other daily. We usually meet in person twice a year for business planning, workshops, meetings with other teams, and other activities. However, we also have online traditions. We created a monthly FIKA where we play different kinds of games to get to know each other better, with a different team member organizing the event each time. For example, we’ve had games to learn more about each other’s personal lives, quizzes to test our geographical knowledge, and other fun topics. Our team is very creative, and we spend this hour online building teamwork and collaboration.
