Sweco moving forward through change and leadership

Jessica Petrini is Sweco's HR Director.

People and development plus business and results. As HR Director at Sweco, Jessica Petrini is part of the answer to this equation. Here, the employees are vital for results.

It is no coincidence that Jessica Petrini ended up at Sweco some ten years ago. An interest in human resources and business in combination with the company’s unique culture was a perfect match for her. For the past three years she has been HR Director of Sweco, with 5,300 employees in nine countries.

What are you doing to define leadership in all parts of the company and in all countries?

In recent years we have undergone rapid international expansion and have therefore developed a compass – The Sweco Leadership Compass – that has been shaped together with leaders in all countries and at all levels in the company. The idea is for this compass to define expectations for the company’s leaders and function as a source of guidance for both leaders and employees at Sweco.”

What are the desired qualities of a leader at Sweco?

“At Sweco, leadership is focused on developing both our business and our employees. We are working actively with our corporate values – curiosity, commitment and responsibility – which are at the core of our leadership style. By clearly defining what we require from our leaders, we also let our employees know what they can demand and expect. Through good leadership, we foster commitment and motivation among our employees.”

How do you build commitment?

“We are a large and globally active company, but much of what we do takes place in small groups. This means that the employees themselves take far-reaching responsibility and have a major influence on our day-to-day work. And we have something that we call Sweco Talk, a process for performance reviews where we together examine each individual’s development plans and goals. With Sweco Talk we have developed a model that is used throughout the company and created a structure to ensure that the reviews are actually carried out and followed up. It is vital that these uphold the same high quality in all parts of the company.”

How would you describe yourself as a leader?

“People probably see me as forward-looking. At the same time, it’s important to have a sense of how difference decisions will affect the situation here and now. In decision-making situations, my leadership style is a combination of brains, heart and gut feeling. I am also very result-oriented and dedicated to the projects we undertake. By being prepared to roll up your sleeves and get involved, you can inspire confidence among your staff.”

What part of your job do you enjoy most?

“I would have to say development work – having a vision and then working to realise it. For me, change is something positive and there is a sense of security in knowing that we are constantly moving forward.”