What it’s like to work at Bioland Energy Group

Trust is the foundation of a successful workplace. There is no perfect recipe or magic formula for creating a culture of trust but we rely extensively on our motto Lead by Example,” says Angela Constantinou, HR Assistant Manager at Bioland Energy Group.

There are a few essential and vital forces that hold our world together and the glue of harmonious coexistences is trust, which cements relationships and makes unbreakable connections. When it comes to workplace environments, trust in a leader allows organisations to flourish and succeed, while its absence can cause fragmentation, and uncertainty. I am pleased to discover that Bioland shares this belief.

“Leaders play a vital role in establishing trust. How?” Constantinou asks, before answering her own question. “By demonstrating transparency, honesty and consistency, they set the standard for the entire workforce. We are proud to say that our leaders communicate openly and honestly with their team members, share information about company goals and challenges and show consistency in their actions and decisions. We further promote open communication and an open-door policy, encouraging our employees to speak up without fear of retribution, whether face-to-face or through surveys.”

Bioland Energy was founded in 2012. “Our business is tailored to the solar photovoltaic industry as well as to generating energy through renewable sources such as recycling, pyrolysis and waste management,” Constantinou explains. “We can proudly say that our services are based on our innovation and expertise as well as our commitment to reducing our environmental impact by minimizing our carbon footprint.” She goes on to note that the Bioland team currently consists of 142 people, each of whom brings their own diverse experiences to the organisation. “Over the last three years, our human capital has grown by 43%,” she says, attributing this to the industry’s growth and adaptation as well as the company’s own diversification.

One of Bioland’s fundamental principles concerns employee development and it offers numerous opportunities in leadership, communication, technical skills and training on advanced tools and programmes. This opens the way to internal promotions, encourages perpetuity and less employee turnaround, sending a clear message that employees are valued and appreciated. In today’s fast-paced and often chaotic world, where people often feel expendable, Bioland proudly proclaims that employee wellbeing and work-life balance are among its top priorities. Employee benefits are instrumental in building a positive workplace culture, acting as a magnet for talented individuals seeking a workplace that aligns with their values.

“We understand the importance of creating an environment in which our employees can thrive,” says Angela Constantinou. “We have completed the construction of our training and wellness centre, where we offer fitness programmes, nutritional guidance and financial wellness, amongst others. Due to the nature of our business, we strive for fairness and consistency in working hours in order to ensure that all employees are treated equally and that there is a standard framework for performance expectations,” she says, adding, “A well-designed benefits package can contribute to the success of an organisation. We have developed our benefits package with careful consideration of the demands of the industry and our employees’ needs. It includes private health insurance, an innovative pension fund based on a profit-sharing plan, performance-based bonuses, a birthday day off, a new-born gift, employee discounts on company products as well as those from external vendors, professional development and more.”

Inspiring others and building substantial relationships, while maintaining organisational success, may be difficult but it is definitely possible, says Constantinou. “What we should remember,” she notes, “is that building trust is an ongoing process that requires consistent effort and commitment from everyone – especially from the leadership.”

(Photos by Michael Kyprianou)

(This interview first appeared in the February edition of GOLD magazine. Click here to view it.)