Construyendo N 49 English - Skanska

The Value of BeingConnectedIn a workplace where initiatives and aproactive attitude by all collaboratorsfind constant space for growth, quantityand quality of achievements are, with adoubt, more demanding. To provide aclear example related to the importanceof communication and the value of beingconnected as a team, the Systems teammaterialized this initiative by developingan internet space to publish updates onthe project’s progress, as well as informationon management, policies, trainingschedules and news related to everyone inthe team. Marcelo Silva is the leader of thiscommunication forum, and as a proudDoer, he recalls, “Right from the earlystages of this project, we sensed that sharinginformation on the project’s progress anddaily news had to be a priority for us all.Thus, with the support of Carlos Magno,we developed the site. All of the team sectorsare involved. Each of the areas has anexclusive space, with pictures and electronicaddresses, fostering direct communication.In addition to information on managementand procedures, we also have a sectiondevoted to showing the project’s progress bymeans of photographs. In this way, we feelwe are role players of each of the steps givenforward as a team.”The site shows pictures that are updatedon a weekly basis, logged by EversonDos Santos, a member of Marcelo’s team,and then displayed on the home page.This excellent initiative will be soonreplicated in the De Vale Do Acu SteamPipe Line Project, in the State of RíoGrande do Norte.When Career-Development isBoundless: Professionaland Cross-CulturalExchangeBy means of the Cross Business Unit ExperienceProgramme, the project incorporatesa two-month participation periodfrom Brynjar Finstand from Skanska Norway,and Martin Bergström from Skanska LA,in order to exchange experiences with thelocal team on the way a project is managedin Norway. Thus, everybody has a chanceto acquire a better understanding of thebusiness,” remarks Brynjar 32-year-old CivilEngineer with over seven-year experiencein Skanska, currently Project Manager of hisBusiness Unit.Martin Bergström reached Skanska Swedenin 2005, as a Supervisor, and is now as aProject Manager. He decided to apply toparticipate in the exchange programmeand selected our region as destination, “Ihave already been in several areas in theproject, and have had contact with the dailychallenges each must face and how they addressthem. The major benefit of this experienceis the great legacy of knowledge wehave created during this short stay.” Martinis also a Civil Engineer, and his experiencewithin the company developed mainly inthe construction of bridges.Both of them agree in that it is an experiencethat goes beyond the professionalsphere, since the cultural differences existingbetween their countries of origin andBrazil are ever-more enriching.Construyendo Latinoamérica Nº 49 | March 2008 11