MBS INTERVIEWS #6 - HEART AND MIND: THE RIGHT MIX TO VALUE THE HUMAN RESOURCES AND TO BENEFIT THE COMPANY
16/07/2020
category : MEP Business School
The experience of Ms Patrizia Buttazzoni, head of Human Resources at MEP, present within the company for 40 years.
Intelligence Quotient versus emotional quotient or vice versa? "Neither. Both are important, as I was able to find out in my 40 years within the company. Of course, the sensitivity and personality of each person has to be taken into consideration; personally, I am naturally inclined to take interest in people as a whole, not only to deal with their bureaucratic dossiers».
Patrizia Buttazzoni, head of Human Resources at MEP, Macchine Elettroniche Piegatrici SpA, thus enters a debate that is rather widespread today in the context of management, highlighting the added value created by a good human relationship with the workers for the maintenance and overall development of a company.
«Recently - she says – I’ve also dealt with the management of Organizational Development, in coordination with the MEP Business School, with the HSE Sustainability Manager and with the Top Management. This type of teamwork is necessary to involve all employees and to transform the daily activities into Professional Masterpieces». The MEP Business School played a significant role in improving interpersonal relationships within the Company. Founded 4 years ago, the School managed to involve all the organizational actors in various manners, organizing many courses, from the most technically-oriented to the linguistic and psychological ones. "The progress we have all made has been evident," states Ms Buttazzoni.
She entered the company when it counted 35 employees; she "grew up with the company", witnessing its evolution step by step. «As a woman I always felt at ease in any context; I developed such a strong relationship with the employees that they now see me as a reference figure, contacting me for personal matters as well. I immediately felt in tune with the CEO Dr. Rotondi, who arrived 6 years ago. Thanks to him we have all grown a lot, given the organizational innovation he has brought". Work has always been intense and it has changed over time, "but I have never faced insuperable problems. Dealing with issues as they arise has always come natural to me."
This was also the case when the Covid-19 pandemic arrived. «After the initial shock, we rolled up our sleeves with our distinctive Friulian - and also Carnic, given my origins – attitude, which gives me more strength. We followed the protocols, we created manuals to adopt the correct behaviours as the Business School developed a programme on that specific matter. The bureaucratic procedures to activate the payroll subsidies were a bit complex, but we adapted quickly and we were able to implement smartworking in a short period of time thanks to our ICT department and, once again, thanks to our School, quickly making the required platform available. I was very often physically present within the company, since I felt I was more useful that way, given my role. From a business point of view, I would say that we reacted very well to this unexpected event - continues Ms Buttazzoni -. Now we are travelling to reach our foreign customers again. MEP is lucky enough to conduct business with 128 countries around the world, each with very different customers».
According to Ms Buttazzoni, what will remain of the bewildering early 2020 will not be the considerable effort needed to manage the unexpected emergency: "I was struck by the people who died alone. I lost my mother in September 2019, always being able to stay close to her, and this experience made me more vulnerable to the numerous lonely deaths of others who suffered from the pandemic; those images are difficult to forget."
Reana del Rojale, July 16th, 2020
Here is the link to the complete video interview:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWKcv3Za0sY