“These unexpected responsibilities make me proud”

“Five years ago, I never expected to be where I am now. For the last three years I have been working through Staff Service Group at a large company that makes staplers. I help with the accounts administration, I am an illustrator for the company catalogue and also perform other tasks related to the catalogue. Sometimes I train new colleagues.

My work is so diverse that at times I wonder which department I actually work for! I am 29 years old and didn’t expect to have this much responsibility already. I am really surprised at the progress I’ve made since I joined Staff Service Group."

"I used to work as an aesthetician, but I had my doubts about how long I could and would continue with the job because I had to work as a self-employed worker. I wanted to work less with my hands, more with my head. I got in touch with Staff Service Group and they helped me enormously in finding the right job. I had no experience in an office position, but through Staff Service Group I was able to start without any office experience."

First Staff Service Group gave me the proper training; after that I was ready to start with my job. The help, the training and the fact that I could start immediately as a full-time employee were important reasons why I chose Staff Service Group. They still give me a great deal of help.

Once every two months a counsellor from Staff Service comes by to hear how I'm doing; we talk about work, my private life and my future plans. I am always thankful for this talks, because I can talk about my true feelings, sometimes with tears." 

The tasks I’m given are at the limit of my capabilities. It's a game for me to get the best out of it.

"I hope to be able to work for this company for a long time to come. I would like a role as a trainer of new employees to help the company forward. When I just started working at this company, there wasn’t really a manual or guide for new employees. So I developed one and initiated introductory lessons. It makes me proud that I can take on tasks like that, and be given this much confidence by my manager.

Since I occasionally train new entrants, I’ve learned to look at the way colleagues should interact with each other and learned whether I wasn’t treated impartially and unreasonably in my previous jobs. I want to be someone who is consistent."

"When I’m not at work, I like to cook and I keep myself busy with interior design in my own house. These hobbies make me happy. I try to decorate and cook in the best way possible with limited resources, within the existing conditions. This brings out the best in me. And I can use this in my work.

At our company we also have to be creative; we want a lot, but we can't have everything at once. I don't see my work too much as work. The tasks I’m given are at the limit of my capabilities; they’re challenging. It's a game for me to get the best out of it."

"I love my work but I also make sure I have enough time to do fun things, like having a drink with my friends, who are very important to me. I can really relax with a book or a movie: when I’m reading or watching a movie I feel submerged in someone else’s life, so I don't think about work for a moment.

The last time I experienced this was with the book 'Forbidden to broadcast', a really great book because of the surprising plot twists. These twists remind me that it’s good to have a flexible attitude and that you shouldn’t get stuck in preconceived ideas. I certainly see a link with my work there!”

Click here for the Japanese translation of this story (pdf.)