“This is
such a good
investment!”
An efficiency training that takes it to the next level!
Effektiv Nu has been providing training for the Operation department at Academic Work since 2021. In an interview, Sofie Hillborg and Sara Sjöberg share their experience of the training and its impact on their employees and organization.
Sofie is the Training Manager at Academic Work, responsible for everything from introduction and onboarding to competence and leadership development. Sara is an Operation Specialist tasked with understanding the Operation organization’s training needs, both in terms of internal and external training.
What were the challenges before the training? Why did the training feel relevant to you?
Sara – “Within the Operation department, we have a wide range of tasks. Therefore, we wanted to provide our employees with good conditions to handle the broad role by offering support in Time Management and finding a good work structure.”
Sofie – “That was our starting point, but also because Linn Heuberger, whom we have previously worked with at Academic Work, pitched this to us based on her own experience working within our organization at Operation. She knew how much there is to handle and how much it has helped her. Another aspect was that we are very good at training within our internal sales processes, interview techniques, and so on, but we lacked training that doesn’t focus on our specific area but rather on improving overall job performance. How can you create better conditions for yourself? So, it was a complement to what felt very interesting.”
How did you experience the training?
Sofie – “I was very positive about it. I already consider myself a structured person, but discovering how I can make small adjustments in my job to increase my efficiency was an eye-opening experience! I also found it very valuable to gain insight into how this can contribute to well-being and to receive tools to dare to say no or not always answer when the phone rings. Moreover, from my role, seeing the numbers of what this means in terms of business impact, that by freeing up a certain number of hours, it translates to these savings for the company. That was an interesting perspective that I took with me. This is such a good investment to make for our employees. Both from a financial perspective and a well-being perspective.”
Effektiv Nu has trained 176 people at Academic Work since its inception. In our evaluation, 77% of the participants reported experiencing less stress in their work situation after the training. The evaluation also shows that, on average, 1.1 hours per day per employee has been freed up.
Sara – “Just like Sofie, I entered the training with a fair amount of confidence. I believe I am good at prioritizing and have good Time Management and structure. But it was incredibly valuable to start reflecting on and asking myself, am I truly working efficiently? Yes, I had found a way that worked for me, but being able to raise the bar and realize that I can become even more efficient! It’s like unlocking another dimension that I may not have discovered on my own. Especially in terms of allocating time for ‘Priority 2 tasks,’ that’s something I have truly taken with me. Setting aside time for Priority 2 tasks and knowing that I will be able to address all these things I need to work on. It has made a huge difference in my daily life and work.”
What internal reactions have you received? What effects have you seen from the training?
Sara – “Very positive, I would say. Many people are very happy and grateful just for the technical aspects, being able to set rules in Outlook or create a meeting from an email. Those are things that have been talked about. They may be basic for some, but I think they have become ‘hacks’ in everyday life that have made a big difference for quite a few people. From the dialogues I’ve had, I also feel that people feel more in control. They have better conditions to handle this broad role. It feels like they have started to find their way of working.”
Sofie – “We have also decided that the training should be included for all newly hired employees within the Operation department. However, we are also receiving requests from many others who have heard about this training or whose team has taken it and would love to participate. That’s a testament to how positively it is being talked about.”
How do you feel the collaboration with Effektiv Nu has worked?
Sara – “Fantastic! Linn truly understands our organization, and that’s usually something we need to focus more on when starting with other external partners, making them understand what Academic Work is and how we operate. She understands our everyday life, and it’s very easy to work with her.”
Sofie – “She has a background knowledge that we can’t reasonably expect from our suppliers, but in this case, it’s fantastic! I also feel that she is very accommodating and eager to understand how our business has evolved, allowing her to tailor the training to our needs.”