Angi: Hi Svein, welcome and thank you so much for answering my questions today!
Svein: Hello, thank you! I'm really curious about those questions.
Angi: Then let's start with the first question: Can you describe to me where you live and what you like about that place?Svein: I live in a little village called Søgne, which is 15 min drive from the office in Norway. It is a quiet but beautiful area with a great ocean view to the south and hills and forests to the north. The town is quite close to where I grew up, and after about 15 years in Oslo, it was the obvious choice when we decided to move south again.
Angi: That sounds very lovely. What do you like the most about both places you have lived in?
Svein: Oslo was a great place to live -lots of pubs, bars, and concerts -but also a short distance to some great skiing tracks (Nordic skiing) which I used pretty much during winter. The place I live in now suits a family life better -it is quiet, with lots of beautiful nature just at the doorstep. And whenever I need a cold beer with some friends, Kristiansand is just 20 minutes away.
Angi: Great work-life balance! Speaking of work... Tell me a bit about some interesting aspects of your career.
Svein: I have had similar positions in similar setups at Identec Solutions in all my jobs since graduating. This means finance management in small, but global companies which is great. The companies are widespread across the globe, which gives the feeling of something big, but also smaller companies give you the feeling that you can make a difference, and what you do and how you do it has an impact.
Angi: That always feels great if you get the feeling you did something great and had a positive impact! So, what exactly do you do here at Identec Solutions and when did you start?
Svein: I started in August 2015 in the Finance department, mainly for the Identec Solutions Norway entity, but also helped out with global functions, such as f.ex., HR360 as well as I handle local functions related to HR and QAHSE.
Angi: What do you like the most about your job?
Svein: Varied tasks and good colleagues are what first come to my mind. The flexibility we have which among other things gives me the chance to plan my work day/week is also a very big plus.
Angi: That's what I highly appreciate here at Identec Solutions as well! What was the biggest challenge you have faced working here and how did you find the solutions for it?
Svein: We’ve been through a few tough down-sizing processes over the years which have been challenging. Not only because we had to let good colleagues and friends leave the company, but also because the law and regulations in such processes are very strict, and one small mistake can cost a lot, emotionally for the employee and financially for the company. We got through it by keeping calm, and strictly following the rules, not letting the job get affected by emotions.
Angi: That's a very important message to keep a clear goal and calm mind when solving problems together. Do you have a guiding principle at work?
Svein: Be pragmatic, and find the solution that is most beneficial to the company as a whole, not just the person/entity/department. Also, sometimes I use words I don’t understand so I can sound more photosynthesis.
Angi: That's also a way to widen your vocabulary hahaha. What is the most rewarding part of your job?
Svein: Telling someone that I was right and they were wrong. No just joking hahaha. When we implement new functions, which make us more efficient, and they work -that is rewarding. Hopefully, within 2023 I will get that feeling with HR360, we will see…
Angi: Fingers crossed! At Identec Solutions, we have 5 core company values – Visionary, Open, Responsible, Leading and Global. Which one is for you the most significant and how do you live it?
Svein: Open. By having the proper flow of information -not having people go around in the dark not knowing things they should know about.
Angi: What do you do in your free time – any hobbies or passions?
Svein: Spending time with my daughter and wife takes up most of my time. But I also love orienteering, you know -the sport where you run around in the forest with a map and a compass trying to find markers as fast as possible. Night orienteering is especially fun, and challenging. I also love music and football, but unfortunately only in a passive mode – listening and watching, not playing myself.
Angi: Wow that's a great sport and especially helpful if you get lost and don't know where to go - you would still find an easy way out of the forest. Have you ever played football?
Svein: I played football a lot when I was younger. So much that I should have become a professional. I must have been totally without any talent whatsoever. It was great fun anyway, even though I probably scored more own-goals than goals. Well actually as a kid I became my team's top scorer in a tournament in Denmark. I scored all our goals. We lost 10-0, 10-0, 9-0 and 5-1…. Wonder why the Barca scouts never called me up.
Angi: hahaha but still it was fun which is all that counts right?
Svein: Yes, of course!
Angi: Svein thank you so much for your time today - it was very interesting!
Svein: Thank you for having me!