Get to know Erik Zotter 👋
Position: VP of People, Organization & Communications ‑ North America
Ellab family seniority: 6 years
Q: What is the most exciting part of working at Ellab?
A: Working at Ellab since 2018 has been truly thrilling. There’s never been one day that I haven’t bounced of bed ready to contribute. In the past six years, the company has experienced tremendous growth while maintaining a family-like culture, reminiscent of the days when we were less than 200 globally. Interacting with our carefully selected team members, each bringing something special to the table, is a highlight. What excites me most is the equality and inclusivity practiced here; every individual, regardless of role or seniority, is valued equally. This fosters a collaborative and positive environment, making Ellab an exciting and fulfilling workplace.
Q: How has Ellab US - and you - grown in the five years?
A: We were less than 200 people globally in 2018, now were more than 200 in US alone, 800 globally and still growing. My role has evolved since inception. We needed scalable infrastructure to support that growth. I made it my mission to build our PTO, Benefits, Recruiting and Onboarding systems to be functional and streamlined with companies offering best in class customer service.
Seeing our HR team grow globally has been amazing. We all met in Helsingor, DK this past November and worked out our plan to continue to develop Ellab as a great place to work with an engaged team and inspiring leadership. That sounds simple but it requires a dedicated, empathic team to deliver. Spending those days with our team solidified my confidence in HR globally. Jan Fledelius is in an incredible global leader, he was able to see our individual strengths and utilize them to build an awesome plan. I left that summit feeling like I had been at a family reunion and truly miss them all.
Q: What is your most important job?
A: With such high growth goals globally, I think the most important part of what I do is to make Ellab an awesome place to work. The only way to do that is through authenticity. You build structure and a culture that makes sure everyone can just focus on what they are good at, knowing they’re taken care of and have a path forward. If you accomplish that then getting people to want to work here becomes the easy part. Word of mouth is huge; having an army of happy employees speaks volumes.
Looking toward the future and my new role; it brings IT under my wing as well. The goal is set at providing a seamless approach to HR & IT. That means every employee and recruit gets white glove service: Solid hardware, software & support; A carefully crafted, industry leading benefits package, and competitive compensation are just the beginnings. This year we’re striving to automate our annual performance review process, build career paths and tie in training for leaders as well as technical roles.
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