The dynamic nature of the work means that I am never bored. Kasia from BackOffice on her 15 years at AUCTANE

Meet Kasia, who has been an integral part of the AUCTANE team for 15 years, contributing not only to the day-to-day running of the company, but also to its development. In a short interview, Kasia talks about her career, reveals what has kept her at AUCTANE for so long and talks about the exciting challenge she has recently taken on.

How does it feel to have worked in one place for 15 years? Do you notice the passage of time, or does it just fly by in the whirlwind of daily responsibilities?

When you think about it, it’s pretty cool. On a day-to-day basis, you don’t feel it, you do your job and give it your all and you don’t even notice the passage of time. Especially in a company as dynamic and changing as AUCTANE. When such a moment comes and someone tells you that it’s been 15 years, you pause for a moment. Reflection, retrospection and the feeling that it has been so long. It’s very pleasant to remember the beginnings – what the company was like before and what it is like now, my role in it, the responsibilities, the team… everything has changed. In the AUCTANE team, the people who made it up 15 years ago are still working with me. When we talk, we like to go back to ‘the beginning’. Today, looking back, we are all in a different place and the experiences of the past are building up and are an invaluable support in the daily work of a dynamic team. We keep on going 😊.

Your role within the company has certainly changed. Tell us what your position was like at the beginning and how it has evolved.

I started my adventure with AUCTANE many years ago as Assistant to the President, while I was still a student. It was in a different office from today, where the company looked very different. I was the fourth woman in our team in Zielona Góra! At that time, the whole team consisted of about 40 people (today there are about 200), and my duties were mainly administrative, combined with direct support for the CEO. I was also responsible for basic personnel and financial matters. So it was a very responsible role right from the start.

Over time, as the company grew, my responsibilities began to change and evolve. I became an assistant to the whole team and the management in Poland, as well as supporting the management and colleagues in our other locations.

An interesting period came when I had to take a short break for personal reasons. When I returned, the company was already in a different location. Since then, my responsibilities have remained mainly in two areas – administration, office management and finance. The HR responsibilities were handed over to a colleague who, over time, built up the HR department in our company, which is now flourishing.

That’s when I became a manager. My position was no longer an independent, one-person job. The growth of the company influenced the development of the back office, the multi-person administrative team that I had the pleasure of creating and which I still manage today. The fact that I have been able to create a team that works efficiently and effectively, that is trusted and that is constantly growing and sailing into ever wider waters is my greatest achievement over the years. Of course, this is not just down to me, but also to the people I have the pleasure of working with. I am very proud of my team and would like to thank them for the years we have worked together.

Our current structure and way of working means that I can also focus on other important areas, such as finance. This is now a large part of my job. By managing the work of the whole team myself, I am able to devote more time to related tasks, working both with external companies and colleagues from our other locations on a daily basis. When we implement something in Zielona Góra that is related to finance in the broadest sense, it is also in my hands today.

There are many stereotypes associated with the work of the office manager and the administrative team, but in reality it is much more complex than it appears. Do you feel that they value your work?

It’s true. Administration today is not just about office management and management support, it is much, much more. Even behind these words there are tasks that people who do not work in these positions usually do not know about. Just take a look around. Everything you see around you that is available to employees, from the provision of supplies to the organisation of work, business and team meetings, but also and above all what you cannot see – that is our work.

Working in the office/facilities area, you have to be ready for anything and be able to cope with the variety of tasks, the time pressure and the responsibility that comes with it – especially working with the Board of Directors at an international level. Legal or financial aspects are also a constant part of our work. And is it appreciated? Well, to be honest, it varies. I try to make the whole team aware of it, through daily conversations, induction meetings – it helps. The longer someone works with us, the more they see, understand and recognise. And that’s something I’m very happy about.

I also always say there are no stupid questions, I encourage discussion and I’m happy that our colleagues don’t hesitate to ask for help. It’s important to me that the team can come to us with any issue or problem they may have and not know where else to turn, and that they can trust us. After so many years of work, there is really nothing that can surprise me 😉.

Is there still room for new challenges? What tasks are still ahead of you?

Definitely yes, there is always room for new challenges. If there wasn’t, I probably wouldn’t be here today. Change and new things mean that I’m always learning and developing, and I don’t get bored at work by focusing on the same thing every day. Monotony can sometimes be a killer, but I can’t complain about that, which is something I really enjoy about my job.

One of my biggest challenges at the moment is also managing an office in one of our European locations. This is a completely new thing, which involves coordinating activities remotely, but also learning how to run an office in a space that is managed very differently from our office in Zielona Góra. I had the pleasure of visiting it a few days ago, getting to know not only most of our team personally, but also liaising with the external company responsible for the space there, learning the ins and outs of how it works, but also the needs of one of our key locations in Europe, which I will try to meet.

Does such a new task cause you stress or excitement?

Not stress, curiosity mainly. Each of our sites operates slightly differently on a day-to-day basis. This one operates mainly remotely and as there is no dedicated administrative team to provide day-to-day support, it has been a new area of work for me. I am pleased that my previous experience and skills have been recognised and that I can help our global team. Despite differences in culture or working styles, some things remain the same. For me, this is an added incentive and variety to my daily tasks. On the other hand, it also gives me the opportunity for more than just professional development – I have been learning Spanish for a few years now (thanks to the courses we have in the company) and I intend to put it into practice! English is a half measure for me, and I don’t like half measures 😊.

You say that the dynamism of working at AUCTANE is a great advantage for you as an employee, but is it enough to keep you here for another 15 years?

The dynamism and variety of working at AUCTANE is one of the main reasons why I have been here for so long and still feel motivated to continue. Every day brings both new challenges and opportunities for development, which means I never get bored. I remember a few years ago when I was offered responsibility for finance, I had a moment of hesitation because I am not an accountant. In my eyes, I did not have the right training or knowledge for such a role. I learnt everything on the job, working with specialists – something I appreciate today.

But what keeps me here most, and will keep me here for years to come, are the people. I am lucky to work with some truly fantastic people. Our whole team in Zielona Góra are just lovely people who create a wonderful atmosphere and give me the ‘kick’ to work for the next 15 years.

Can you tell us more about how you work in such a dynamic environment and not go crazy? Because such volatility can also be overwhelming.

Paradoxically – calmly, step by step, focusing on the tasks at hand. In order not to go crazy and get lost in such a dynamic environment and with the specifics of an office manager’s job, it also helps to plan your work. A good plan here is a flexible plan 😉 It’s also worth keeping an open mind, both about the work and about the people. If I feel like I’m going crazy, I just take a break, go for a coffee and talk to the team. It allows you to catch your breath and distance yourself.

That’s good to hear. Kasia, thank you for 15 years of dedicated work. We hope that you will continue to accompany us in our development, and in the meantime, we are keeping our fingers crossed for your new challenge in Spain. We are sure you will manage it perfectly!

Thank you very much.