Employees at BME

At the moment, I am not exclusively dedicated to client management, as our team is involved in the development of three new products for the Swiss market. I am engaged in establishing the groundwork for these initiatives. In order to carry out this project successfully, we are working in an interdisciplinary way with different teams, such as marketing and the legal department. The goal is to create a solid foundation and facilitate future sales of our products in Switzerland.

Well, when you work in an international environment, you inevitably learn about your colleagues' cultures, primarily through languages, words, and perspectives. This knowledge becomes invaluable in my current position, where adaptability is key. Having proficiency in multiple languages is a significant advantage. Conversations with colleagues in their respective native language not only help in clarifying details but also contribute to creating a friendly atmosphere.

In September this year I reached a big milestone: I ran my first marathon in Berlin. That’s my biggest achievement so far and I’m still processing the whole thing; it’s pretty overwhelming. Prior to this, I had participated in half-marathons. My marathon journey officially began two years ago when I started training with a coach from Madrid. Six months ago, I officially registered for the Berlin Marathon. That’s when the real challenge began, with intensive training sessions geared towards conquering the 42 kilometers.

At the same time, I embarked on a personal initiative rooted in my post-pandemic resolve. I started Instagram challenges. For instance, I committed to activities like practicing yoga for a month or exploring habits like daily journaling. These challenges weren’t just about pushing my limits; they were opportunities to extract valuable lessons and gain new perspectives. Whether it was enduring cold showers or keeping a daily journal, each challenge provided insights. The goal was to step out of my comfort zone, prioritize the challenge for a defined period, and then reflect on its impact. The cool part about that is that you always have something to gain – whether it’s experience, a lesson, or even a new hobby.

When I joined SIX, I was introduced to various communities and opportunities within our organization. It was during this time that I discovered the SIX running community team. A marketing colleague informed me about a 6-kilometer run event in Zurich, which immediately caught my interest. Given that my primary team operates from Madrid, I often found myself running alone. However, participating in events like the 6-kilometer run provided a sense of belonging. I discovered that running with others not only boosted my motivation but also helped in improving my pace.

While my focus had been on preparing for the marathon, this interaction inspired me to get to know the people within the running team better. I observed that many colleagues went for runs along the Limmat river during their lunch breaks and then utilized the shower facilities at our company.

I really, really don’t have an answer for that right now. There’s a quote that I truly like. The quote says that “once you conquer a mountain, you start looking for the next one.” So, I’m that type of person. Right now, the marathon is the biggest challenge I’ve tackled, and that’s why I think I need a little more time to process it. But I’m pretty sure I’m going to plan something new soon.

Connection, Community, and Experience.

Challenging and exciting. As a member of the legal team, continually adapting to the constantly changing regulatory and legal landscape is key in delivering our legal advice and cementing our position as the best business partner. As a deputy, I view my responsibilities as an opportunity to support the team in any aspect where I can contribute to fostering a better working environment, creating opportunities for professional growth and development, and facilitating daily legal tasks.

The most important wisdom learned (or rather, my core belief) is that we are human beings above all, immense in significance and dignity, and equal even though each of us holds different roles or positions. We need to practice self-awareness of our virtues and weaknesses in the ongoing search for the best version of ourselves as people. We are not just professionals in a working environment. We all have our own personal dreams, interests, goals, families, hobbies, and skills. We all need to achieve our purpose and to attain fulfillment both professionally and personally. Respect, consideration, gratitude, generosity, and empathy are needed. A work-life balance is essential as well.

Our company offers a good set of helpful measures such as the possibility to cut back working hours, employment flexibility, and a strong commitment with a culture rooted in values such as “Ownership", "Trust", "Customer Focus" and "Collaboration". However, when your responsibilities and your professional commitment increase, how you attain a sustainable work-life balance depends very much on your personal limits, priorities, and organization. Combining all of your different roles in a satisfactory way sometimes becomes almost a heroic undertaking. I pay homage to all those people, particularly women, who have succeeded in this challenge.

There’s still a lot to be done, and all of us should be part of it. Raising awareness of the need to protect a work-life balance becomes imperative because motivated, personally fulfilled, and well-balanced people have proven to be the best professionals.

Take the job, join us. A job at SIX can offer you a solid horizon for growth and development. I nonetheless would also tell someone who is considering joining SIX that we need to be able to count on you and on what you can offer us as a team, your approach to solutions, your views, your energy, your enthusiasm, and your commitment. New joiners need to partake in the opportunities we offer, but we all need to learn from them and to benefit from their fresh contributions, and to then follow our common journey for growth together. This is a win-win arrangement!

Commitment, opportunities, and an exciting future! 

After a few years in IT, I decided to switch to Internal Audit in 2016. Two years later, I went back to IT. At the time of the merger of SIX and BME, I had the opportunity to join a merger project. I was the first Spaniard on the project, and I served as a kind of bridge between the Swiss and the Spanish. Having worked at BME for so long, I know almost everyone. I am a very open person who likes to talk to people. This skill was very useful in establishing the link between Spain and Switzerland.Within the project I also worked for the culture workstream; we talked about the values of SIX and we encouraged teamwork.

Every Saturday afternoon I volunteer at Casa Santa Teresa, a convent that helps elderly women with disabilities. I started working there seven years ago, after my daughter’s school asked for support with the Social Work subject.

I support by preparing various accessible activities that we can enjoy together: We either go for a walk, do sports or even have sleepovers and go on weekend trips. The goal is for them to enjoy themselves in a safe space where they are supported and taken care of.

The main motivation is my desire to help people. I am a person with a lot of initiative and drive. When I started, I thought about what I needed to do, how to plan things, and how I was going to help them. The truth is, they have helped me more than I have helped them. They teach gratitude, patience, and teamwork. I feel very loved, they never ask for anything. They take what you give them without asking for anything in return. So, for me it’s a feeling of giving and receiving. 

That same drive and initiative I apply to my job every day. The new perspective they give me helps with my personal and professional growth. Getting out of your comfort zone improves your ability to view challenges from different angles.

When you volunteer, you see that there are lives completely different from yours, making you realize the value of having a family, a job, and good health.

Above all, you realize that it’s about gratitude. You start to value everything you have and everything they have, because you realize that there are people who are very happy with very little. 

SIX and BME have made one working day per year available to their employees for a volunteer assignment. I would recommend that every employee take part in such a volunteering day. Maybe other employees will find their way to volunteering in their free time.  

Passionate, diverse, and global.