To take advantage of talents
Not too long ago, Vår Gård 's CEO Kadi Upmark and I were sitting in the kitchen of my home - I had just had my third child. She had come to congratulate us in the family on behalf of the staff and to hand over a small flower. The conversation revolved around innovation and how fun it is with interior design and projects.
Around the same time as my parental leave was over and it was time to start working again, we in the staff received the good news that Vår Gård would undergo a journey of change. A project that would really make us a modern meeting place, with new meeting areas and restaurants, and I would get to be a part of these projects.
At the same time, the pandemic broke out and it became more important than ever to gather all the power, knowledge and talent that was in the house. It has also become one of my most important lessons. If you dare to involve your employees and have trust, you will be rewarded many times over.
Kadi had caught my interest in color and shape somewhere during that conversation in my kitchen. I was incredibly grateful for the confidence to be involved and realize all these visions. At the same time a bit irritating, how would we proceed and what would be the result?
Together with colleagues in the house who have control over color and shape, we have twisted and turned fabrics, color samples, tiles and woods. The fact that we have such broad competence in the house has meant that I have, for example, been able to get advice on measurements and standards from a colleague, technical tips from another and help with different material choices from a third. Although I am to some extent the spider in the web, this extensive change, renovation and modernization is something we do together.
"If you dare to involve your employees and have trust, you will be rewarded many times over."
Together we are so much stronger.
Something special happens when everyone dares to trust the process and each other's skills. If you involve the staff in times of crisis and use the knowledge that is available, you save resources and also have a lot more fun together. I try to transfer the trust I have gained to my colleagues by giving them responsibility and letting them grow with their tasks.
The conditions look completely different for us now, so we have quickly adjusted to adapt to the new conditions.
Today we are a hotel for private guests as much as we are an inviting place for inspiring meetings and conferences. We have more new projects underway. Next in line is a series of new double rooms with sea views. We are not done for a long time, and that is the excitement. For who wants to be finished? Susanne Larsson, hotel & conference manager at Vår Gård