Heading up the 46-strong Workshop Design team at Staticus has taught Martynas Pabrėža a lot about change management, team engagement, and communication – and every day he learns something new from his team of skilled specialists. When he is not busy guiding his team, Martynas can be found working on his own labour of love – the family home he is building with his own hands.
What was it like when you first started at Staticus? And how do you take care of new colleagues that join your team?
Starting at Staticus was both scary and exciting for me. I had previously been a project manager, which meant the teams I worked with were constantly changing. But at Staticus I suddenly had my own team. I have grown a lot here and really enjoy working with the great people in my team.
Regarding new hires, I always aim to work closely with each member of my team and get to know each person. I think having a personal connection with each person is very important. So I have several meetings with each new colleague. I try to find the balance between focusing on the specific details they’ll need to work on and giving them an idea of the company as a whole.
What is the single best thing about working at Staticus?
The fact that we are an international team. This enables us to get more experience in different countries and helps us remain flexible. I think Staticus is a modern and innovative company that is very tolerant and open, and being international really helps this. Plus, the fact that we work on big international projects means we are stable and robust.
What new perspectives have you gained while working at Staticus?
Managing personnel has been new for me – I was used to doing this in projects, but not with my own team. So I have learned a lot about change management and have researched the best ways to work together and help colleagues do tasks in better ways.
What new skills and competencies have you learned while working at Staticus?
I have learned how to stay in close contact with my team and better understand how they feel and what they are looking for from their work. I think a lot about how to engage them and support them in learning new skills.
What makes Staticus a unique place to work?
The open-mindedness. Staticus has a very modern company structure and the culture is very positive – it feels to me like a Scandinavian company.
What do you find most interesting in your work at Staticus?
I find it very interesting to communicate with my team. Right now, my team members are better specialists than I am and they know more than I do – I was working with the same processes 10 years ago so I have forgotten a lot, and it’s always interesting to learn from them.
The R&D work we do is also fascinating, creating tools and solutions to help the teamwork better. I like the fact that we are thinking about the future and asking: “What do we need to know how to be an effective team in the future?”
Which project are you most proud of?
I would actually pick an internal project. We prepared a detailed guide for newcomers so it is easier when they join our company, and we’re now working on the Staticus Academy. I really believe in the value of these projects because what is inside our culture stays for longer.
Tell us a bit about your life outside of work.
Well, I have two small kids, so that takes up a lot of my time. I am also building a house myself, a project I often spend all weekend on. I have already been working on it for 5 years, and I guess I will need 5 more years to complete it – it takes a lot of time, but I love doing it myself.