Manufacturer of wooden packaging since 1995
Chief Human Resources Officer
For the third “I am KRONUS” conversation we were joined by Pāvels Linkēvičs, who has been with the company for two years and is currently a Teamleader and Warehouse Manager in Salaspils.
Pāvels worked in the service sector for a long time, but has been building his career in manufacturing for some time. We also discussed his leisure activities and learned more about his job responsibilities and communication within the company.
It’s hard to really pinpoint anything in particular. In general, I associate KRONUS with great teamwork, because if even one employee is missing, the next process will not happen and the chain of events will continue. There are a lot of people involved in the work of the company.
It was the early days of Covid-19; before that I had worked in the service sector – in cafés, restaurants, bars. Of course, when the first wave of the pandemic started, all that closed down and I had to look for another job. At that point, it was a choice between working as a food delivery driver and driving a car all day, which I wasn’t too keen on, or working with my hands. I was recommended to apply for a job at KRONUS. At that time there was a pilot project for seasonal work. I started working in Rencēnu iela, where I had to put together accessories for garden products. After a while, the manager offered me the chance to try working in Ulbroka, in Site 8, where we put together garden houses. I worked there for a while. Then I was offered a job as a Teamleader in the Salaspils warehouse. I have been in this position for a year now! At first, of course, I thought it was just a temporary job, but now I don’t even want to go anywhere else.
I have always liked working with people. This job is not individual, and I really like the fact that it is possible to work with everyone. It’s necessary to find a common language with each person. It’s not that I only communicate with my team – there are several parties involved.
It was probably in Jūrmala, on Jomas iela, when I was not yet eighteen. During the summer I realised that there was no point sitting at home, and that I should work. I started working in a restaurant, helping in the bar and in the hall. I gradually went from being a helper to a bartender, and later to a senior bartender. Before this job, I also went to Riga for a while to work on a building site for four lats a day.
On the first day off it’s always good to get a good night’s sleep, because the way I work is four days work, four days rest. On working days, the alarm goes off at 5:40 and I’m home only around 20:00. So I try to get out of the house on days off, but of course it also depends on the weather. I have lived by the sea all my life, so I regularly go to Jūrmala or Saulkrasti for longer walks. I also play volleyball and go to the gym. It’s also about making time for friends, as I like to know what’s going on in their lives. In spring, I resume motorbike season! I’m definitely trying to plan a trip; I want to go somewhere further than the Latvian border. I enjoy both quiet and active holidays.
With motorbikes it was something like this – all my childhood there were mopeds, motorbikes. The first motorbikes had only a frame, no brakes. As you can imagine, it didn’t end well, and then I forgot about it for a long time. Then, at 25, I got my category A licence and used rented motorbikes for about two years. Then I had a big break again, about five years. But I realised that I needed it and I couldn’t do without it. Now I’m in my fourth season on my own motorbike. I haven’t travelled far yet, but I regularly ride around Latvia during the season.
The first one that comes to mind is Tunisia. Let me also explain why: in other warm holiday countries, everything is very cool as long as you stay in a hotel. As soon as you leave the hotel, it’s a sad sight. Tunisia was a pleasant surprise for me, everything is clean. I still very much remember my first trip to Austria. We went snowboarding there, and it was my first visit to the big mountains. It was about plus 17 degrees outside, raining. I couldn’t understand whether we were going to the mountain or swimming. An already experienced traveller came along and said not to worry, that the situation would be completely different in the mountains. It was like that, with snow and the right temperature at the top of the mountain – very beautiful!
I feel financially secure here; I do my job and I know it pays off. Before, when I worked in the service industry, I always had to worry about profit – there is demand, there will be money; there is no demand, there will be no money. The salary is more than I was making before. Even if something happens, I know at some point I will have time to recover and not have to worry about finances. Whereas before I would have a day off and think about where I could go to earn more money and work, now if I have a day off, I can relax. Of course, sometimes I am asked to go somewhere to work, but I don’t have to look for anything myself. And, of course, I appreciate that every day there is a new challenge. It is always about thinking with your head!
When my line manager asked me if I would like to try to become a Teamleader, I said, “Absolutely”. And that’s still the case now – if I was offered something, I would definitely want to give it a try. Of course, I want to grow with more responsibility. I want to see what I can do, I want to step out of my comfort zone.
Absolutely! When I started working in Salaspils, there was an empty warehouse that we had to clean up. It was all completely new and unknown to me. Together with my line manager, we got everything in order! I used to call the manager every half an hour about some small thing; now I realise I could have solved it myself, but he explained and supported me anyway. He put up with my silly questions, took them calmly. I can definitely thank him for that! I also feel supported by my team. I can give them tasks and I know that I can count on them to get things done.
Of course, every day starts with me pushing the button on the coffee machine. I can’t live without coffee! Then the main thing is to get my site working. To start the whole process, it takes about an hour. Each table has its own task, there are questions to be answered. All employees have to be informed and ensure that the work is done accurately. Once everything is up and running, it’s time for the second coffee. Then it’s time to work on the computer, look at e-mails and tasks to be done. Communication with my foreman, discussing plans, orders. I’m also the warehouse manager, so I have to plan the dispatch of goods, check everything. I also have to plan the next day. I have to constantly think a few steps ahead, so the day goes by very fast!
Motion is life! It’s about moving, not sitting and doing nothing. It’s necessary to travel, even around Latvia. Set a goal and follow it. It’s about finding and keeping a balance – relaxing is necessary, but it’s also easier if you know your goal and feel good!
