An environment of inspiration and learning

It is not about the place or the building you work in, although they are both important matters, it is more about the people you’re working with and most importantly the culture of the company.

I have worked for several companies so far. When I applied for a job, I never paid much attention to the work environment. My desire to get a job and earn money was so strong that nothing else really mattered. Since I’m working for Three Mountains, I am starting to see how important a good working environment is to feel at ease, have fun and develop myself in my work.

For example, at Three Mountains we start the weekly ‘Monday morning meeting’ with an inspirational quote that one of the team has selected. Later in the week, the same person also prepares a short English language lesson for everyone to take part in – how great is that?! At first, these quotations didn’t trigger any reaction in me; they were just inspirational quotes, like the ones we all see on social media. But when I started to relate them to my work, they started to make sense to me. For example, the quotation: “When nothing is going right, go left” at first glance just sounds funny, right? But it made me realize that there are many ways I can deal with an issue I am facing. Sometimes I just need to be a little bit more persistent and sometimes I need to take more risks.

What I like about working at Three Mountains

The two most amazing things that I like about working at Three Mountains are: working with a team that gives you honest feedback and sharing lunch every day with the whole team. These two factors help me feel comfortable and connected with my colleagues. You don’t find these things in many workplaces.

A positive work environment is not only about having a nice desk and nice colleagues. Also, the content of the work creates an environment.   For example, I’m now involved in developing a new e-course on how to apply for a job. For this course, I was asked to visit some other companies and interview their recruiters. During one of the interviews, I heard an outstanding piece of advice for job seekers. Denise Umunyana, the co-founder of Right Seat Ltd, said: “I always tell graduates to apply for jobs that they feel comfortable doing; a job that speaks to them. A good working environment is as important as the job you do, so don’t be so desperate when searching for a job to a point of saying ‘I can do any job.”

Here’s my advice: before applying for a new job, check out the working environment of the organization, read their website, see what people say about it on social media and try to speak with some people working there. When you are invited for an interview, make sure you can picture yourself being happy working for that organization.

Nadine Nirere