Individual treatment, support and daily recognition of contribution - this motivates people to grow and be part of our organization
– Mrs. Bozheva, you have been part of the FANTASTICO GROUP for 17 years now, and this year the company celebrated its 33rd anniversary. What is the basis of success?
– Persistence, consistency, focus on relationships in the team, fairness to partners and responsibility to customers – this is the basis of success. We are always guided by how people in the organization would perceive the change and the next step, we discuss in detail the possible consequences and impact. Obviously, this gives results, because the 33-year history of the company shows that we continue to adapt, and success is a consequence of our development in parallel wiht the pace of changes in the world, in people’s attitudes and thier expectations.
– We have created different communication channels specifically to better hear the people in the team. They are often a generator of very good ideas, revealing points of view worth thinking about.One of the ways of direct contact with the company’s management is a specially created email.Together with the operational president Vladimir Nikolov and the executive director Svetoslav Gavrilov, we meet with the teams on the ground in the supermarkets, the logistics center and all other sites. People share everything vital to them, ask questions, we discuss proposals for optimizing processes in their daily work. For us, this is important because the colleagues who communicate with our customers every day know best how our work can be even more effective.
A new project “Team Hour” has been launched for a few months – an activity aimed again at communication with people. It provides them with another opportunity to share different aspects of work and the way they feel.
Live meetings and direct contact are a priority, but we also actively use the specially created digital application, through which colleagues have immediate access to strategic documents, rules for working with various food products, current news, interest clubs.
– What are the most valuable qualities you look for when selecting the team?
– When a person has the attitude of being part of a community, it is recognized at the first meeting. This is extremely important, because although belonging is formed over time, consistency in the professional path and a desire to be part of a team are necessary.Sometimes we meet perfectly prepared experts who are not ready to rally,motivate,inspire teams. This is wholly understandable and part of professional development. It takes time to take on the responsibility of running, for example, a supermarket with a team of tens of people and reaching thousands of customers. We strive to support colleagues so that career development happens at the right time when they are ready for the next step. But we always encourage inner growth.
– Individual treatment, support and daily recognition of the contribution to the overall success of each colleague – this motivates people to grow and be part of our organization. We are constantly investing in training, only for 2023. they were nearly 21,000 hours long. Every month we reward our “employees of the Month”, we have annual “Colleague of the Year” awards with an emotional ceremony.
– This event is one of the most exciting for us. These are people who have written a large part of the history of Fantastico Group. We are constantly interested in what motivates them to stay with the company for so long and remain so dedicated. The answers always have to do with the team and the relationships within it, with the corporate culture, values and security they feel in “Fantastico Group”. With their professionalism and dedication, they are a true inspiration to us all.
- In the first place for us will continue to be the individual treatment of people and the development of their potential, by increasing investments in training and new projects related to the upgrading of skills in teams. We very precisely plan the investments in the expansion of our commercial network in Sofia and the country, we continue to renovate objects and develop the digitalization of the processes in the company.
– Yes, we received one of the most valuable recognitions. For us, this award is an indicator that we are following the right direction – the one that supports important causes for society. In the past year, the contribution of “Fantastico Group” to various social causes was worth over BGN 700 thousand.Together with donations made by customers and colleagues, the total contribution exceeds BGN 1 million. For us,donation is not just an act of providing means or products,but is an expression of our belief that every cause is a step towards positive change.
– Recently, we discussed with our partners the challenges that every employer has, and they were impressed when I shared that we are very lucky to have such wonderful people in our team. A large number of colleagues participate in various initiatives, recognizing the company’s causes as their own.
This weekend, another volunteer initiative is being held in our supermarkets in partnership with the Bulgarian food Bank – “Kilogram of Kindness”. Our colleagues participate as volunteers, and the company will double every kilogram of food donated by our customers for people in need. In the company, we have a club tourism and an amazing football team, which this year won the Business Cup in the Dimitar Berbatov Foundation tournament. The team-mates were together in the UK to enjoy some of the most remarkable matches of the Champions League. This is a gesture of recognition from the company to people who support various causes.
– The most valuable for me are the causes that are aimed at people’s health and prevention. We are seeing the results of the Caring for You campaign, which we launched together with the Nana Gladwish – One of 8 Foundation as a breast cancer prevention initiative four years ago, but now includes examinations and research on the most common diseases in men and women.Sometimes there are results requiring immediate medical intervention in some of the colleagues. But the good news is that more and more colleagues are participating in the initiative and even if a health problem is detected, timely therapy is started. And this is most important, prevention and regular examinations are an extremely important factor for a full life.
How does Mrs. Bozheva evaluate potential team members beyond their professional expertise?
Interview between the Editor of Time.news and Mrs. Bozheva, Expert at FANTASTICO GROUP
Editor: Good morning, Mrs. Bozheva! Thank you for joining us today to share insights from your notable 17-year journey at FANTASTICO GROUP, especially as the company celebrates its 33rd anniversary. What do you think has been the cornerstone of this sustained success?
Mrs. Bozheva: Good morning,and thank you for having me! Our success truly hinges on several factors: persistence,consistency,and a strong focus on the relationships we build within our team. We emphasize fairness to our partners and take our responsibilities to our customers very seriously. Importantly,we actively engage with our employees to understand how changes will impact their work and their perspectives on our strategic direction.
Editor: It sounds like you put a significant amount of thought into how your team perceives changes. Could you elaborate on how that interaction plays out in practice?
Mrs. Bozheva: Absolutely. We’ve established various interaction channels to ensure that every team member feels heard. For instance, we have a dedicated email for direct communication with management, and we regularly hold meetings with teams at different levels—from supermarkets to our logistics center. Thes interactions allow our employees to voice their concerns and share ideas for optimizations, fostering a culture where everyone can contribute to the discussion and improvement of our processes.
Editor: That’s fantastic to hear! I understand you’ve recently launched a project called “Team Hour.” What does that initiative entail?
Mrs.Bozheva: Team Hour is a new initiative aimed at enhancing our communication with all employees. It’s a space where team members can express their thoughts on various aspects of our work and share how they’re feeling about their roles.This kind of open dialog helps us stay connected and responsive to our team’s needs.While live meetings are vital, we’ve also developed a digital application that grants teammates easy access to strategic documents, working rules, news, and interest clubs. This ensures that everyone is in the loop,irrespective of where they are.
Editor: It’s clear that FANTASTICO GROUP is committed to fostering a strong team culture. When you’re evaluating potential team members, what qualities do you prioritize?
Mrs.Bozheva: the key quality we look for is a sense of community. A person’s attitude towards being part of a team is often apparent from the very first interaction. While expertise is important, the ability to inspire and motivate colleagues is equally crucial. We understand that professional growth is a journey, and sometimes individuals need time to develop their leadership skills. Thus, we are dedicated to supporting our colleagues at the right moments in their career paths to encourage their inner growth.
Editor: That balance between support and professional advancement is fascinating. Lastly, how do you ensure that each member of your team feels valued and recognized for their contributions?
Mrs. Bozheva: Individual treatment and daily recognition play significant roles in our association.We strive to recognize each colleague’s contributions to our overall success, which motivates them to grow and feel integral to our mission. Regularly acknowledging efforts, whether big or small, ensures that everyone feels appreciated and encouraged to excel.
editor: Thank you so much for sharing these insights, Mrs. Bozheva. Your commitment to fostering a supportive and dynamic workplace is truly inspiring. here’s to many more years of success for FANTASTICO GROUP!
Mrs. bozheva: Thank you! It’s been a pleasure to discuss our journey and values with you today.