The first step is to ensure the right work-life balance and increase the quality of time spent at work

Evelina Velikova is the manager of dm Bulgaria with the departments "Training and Development" and "Sales Region". She has been part of the company's management since its foundation in Bulgaria in 2008.

Ms. Velikova, you have been part of the management of dm Bulgaria since the company was founded in 2008, and you are currently responsible for the "Training and Development" and "Sales" departments. How has the company evolved as an employer brand over the years?
The development of dm as an employer has been an exciting adventure that began before the opening of our first store in early 2009 and continues to this day. In the beginning, our main focus was on team building and product training to familiarize employees with the specifics of our huge assortment. This was very important, since already with our entry into Bulgaria, we offered a completely new business model - a variety of over 10,000 specialized drugstore goods at that time, cozy stores, and consultation from well-trained colleagues.

In the following years, we continued to upgrade by introducing several specialized trainings based on the established know-how of the parent company and our experience in Bulgaria. An example of this is the training for "drugstore workers" for our colleagues, which is based on the Austrian program but takes place in specialized high schools in the country. In addition, we constantly work to build the so-called "soft skills" of colleagues and to create a friendly atmosphere in the company.

It is gratifying that our colleagues appreciate all this and are the ambassadors of dm as an employer outside the company. The result is that today we are one of the most desirable places to work. It is no coincidence that with our debut participation in the Employer of Choice survey, we took 15th place among the most preferred employers in Bulgaria. In addition, dm was also ranked as one of the top companies in the drug trade in the Graduate Survey ranking, conducted among students.

What are the most important initiatives that you are currently developing in terms of human resources and the positioning of dm Bulgaria among attractive and innovative employers in our country? Share your best practices.
For us, as a good employer, it is extremely important to help the development of our colleagues not only as excellent professionals, but also as individuals, and we have implemented several campaigns in both directions. Regarding the first of these, we continued our active training program. Of course, the pandemic has forced us to change our methods and be flexible and innovative. We quickly moved to the now popular online learning. We conducted our seminars remotely, created an electronic platform for internal training, and even filmed training videos.

An important part of the professional development of the people at dm is the opportunity to participate in interesting and diverse projects both in Bulgaria and with colleagues from other countries. In addition, the right people must be in the right place in the company. That is why we support employees to change departments and take on different responsibilities. Thus, everyone can find the most suitable position for them and feel happy at work.

For us at dm, the personal development of our colleagues is no less important and we organize interesting training in this direction. For example, how to work with clients, resolve conflicts, manage projects, and many other skills that are useful not only in work but also in life.

These are just a few of our HR initiatives that we have recently brought together under the motto "Live Your Work Differently". We want to provide a whole new experience to both the people who shop in our stores and colleagues who serve them. I can tell that the people at dm appreciate our efforts and that is why our company has low staff turnover. One of the reasons is the good working conditions, and another – is security and care for our employees. This was especially evident in the last two crisis years when we did not release a single colleague due to a reduced volume of work.

What stands behind the motto "Live your work differently"?
This motto expresses dm's philosophy of being a company that brings change and is a good example. This change must start within the company. Live your work differently' is our aspiration and commitment to create a unique working environment where our employees feel happy and coming to work brings them the same pleasure as coming home.

According to our survey, it turned out that for nearly 70% of people, life begins after the end of working hours. We want to change this so our colleagues feel joy when they are in the store, in the office, or our logistics center. The first step is to ensure the right work-life balance and increase the quality of time spent at work. The working hours in the company are tailored to the individual needs of the employees. We are sensitive to the needs of young parents, offer flexible options for those wishing to study at university, and are ready to respond to any case and support our colleagues.

In this regard, for 2022 we have planned various trainings and seminars to inspire our colleagues and motivate them to become a better version of themselves every day. Our first initiative in support of this goal is a series of meetings with psychologist and psycho-physical therapist Madeleine Algaffari, which will take place in our office.

You also work actively with young people, developing a dual training program with students. Tell us more about this.
Dm Bulgaria has participated in the dual training program of the Austrian Embassy in our country since its start. For us, training in the profession of drugstore worker or, as it is officially called, "Consultant in cosmetics, perfumery, biological products, and household chemistry", is very important. This specialty was introduced as our initiative in the academic year 2019/2020. Today, students in two cities are being trained in a promising profession that will give them many opportunities in the labor market.

We are happy that Bulgaria is the first country in the Balkans to start specialized training for drugstore workers. Students in our country will complete a 5-year high school course, grades 8-12, within the framework of the dual education system. Along with established general education subjects, they will also study specialized subjects such as chemistry, botany, pharmacognosy (the science of medicinal plants), animal science, pharmacology, toxicology, cosmetology, biology, and entrepreneurship. In addition, not only the composition of cosmetic, biological, and chemical products but also their impact on the human body will be studied in detail. The children will also gain valuable practical experience thanks to the application of the Austrian model after the start of vocational training. Already in the 11th and 12th grades, in the form of dual education, they will be able to work with signed employment contracts and attractive remuneration.

This training will make students competitive in the job market, as there are tens of thousands of products in the field of human care that are constantly evolving. A part of them is offered in the drugstore sector, as the assortment of dm Bulgaria alone is more than 16,000 items, where innovation and development are a continuous process. That is why the profession will become more and more popular - customers are becoming more and more demanding and are looking for competent advice, and the drugstore consultant is the one who can point out the novelties and recommend the most suitable cream or shampoo according to the specific needs of the customer, as the consultant will know the ingredients and their impact. This is how dm drugstores will make the difference between a good and an amazing customer experience.

In the system of dual training, dm Bulgaria actively participates in the professional training of students in two other professions - "Economist" and "Shipper-Logistics". We currently partner with 14 high schools in 9 cities, and 79 students have chosen dm to do their internship for the program.

This year, dm Bulgaria turned 13, you are about to open your 100th store, and the organization employs over 900 people - still wonderful achievements, part of which you owe to your continuous investments in the personal and professional development of employees. Is this where the key to successful human asset management lies? And where else?
Yes, our success lies in putting the person at the center of our activity. For us, the pursuit of development and improvement is something natural, as is our belief that people should be happy at work. That is why we not only offer competitive remuneration and social benefits but have made it our priority to ensure an excellent balance between work, personal time, and development opportunities.

I can say that we are successful in achieving these goals. For example, our remuneration is higher than the average for the FMCG sector. Our colleagues also have very good prospects for development in the company. Those who show passion and desire for a career can rise to store managers, and regional managers, take up positions of responsibility in our head office, or even move to another country where dm stores are present.

Already there are examples of successful colleagues abroad. Here it is very important to note that we are happy to observe the reverse process - young people who have worked in Austria or Germany return to Bulgaria and apply for a job in the company. This shows that dm Bulgaria is a known and preferred employer.

What challenges does the HR professional face these days? And what are your basic rules and tips for motivating people in your organization?
The challenges are in several main directions. Primarily to motivate and retain people in these challenging times. Thanks to our support programs and the healthcare package, we manage to cope and people feel safe at work. Next comes employee skill development. Our sector is constantly evolving and only those companies that manage to deliver an excellent customer experience based on knowledge and good attitude will earn the trust of customers.

As for the basic rules and tips, I can say that the most important thing is continuous improvement. Lifelong learning is extremely important to me. This applies to both our employees and the managers in the company. All of us together develop as professionals and individuals and thus drive positive change within the company and are an example for society as well. Therefore, the most important advice I can give is: to study and work with heart and enthusiasm.