So, let’s dive into our conversation with Estere without further ado.

1. How long have you worked in Scoro, and what is your mission there?

I joined the Scoro Riga team about a year ago, in the summer of 2022. Still, the abundance of incredible experiences and variety of my role makes it seem like I’ve been here much longer!

I work as a Recruiter/Office Manager; therefore, my mission is twofold. As a recruiter, I identify and attract talented individuals who share our values and contribute to our company’s growth. Secondly, I take care of the Riga office, ensuring a positive and productive work environment for our team.

2. Can you tell us more about the Riga team?

The Riga team at Scoro has been a part of the company since 2014, and currently, we have 15 members. Most of them work in Product Engineering or Customer Services, but we also have people from Operations and Sales. This mix of individuals from various teams brings a unique dynamic to our work environment. It allows everyone to learn about different aspects of the business.

We have a beautiful and cozy office in the heart of Riga with a big terrace offering fantastic city center views. You can even see the Monument of Freedom, Milda! We work in a hybrid style and occasionally gather in our office.

A fun fact is that, in addition to our daily snacks and fruits, it’s a must to keep a stock of cheese, ham, and bread for making cheese sandwiches. It’s a sweet tradition of the Riga team.

3. What are some team-building activities or traditions that the Riga team enjoys?

There’s something beautiful about our close-knit group of 15 people, as it allows us to easily come together and spontaneously plan activities outside the office. Whether grabbing lunch together outside or kicking off the summer season with cold soup (trust me, it’s better than it sounds)! 

Besides our spontaneous ideas, we also have some traditions that happen regularly. For example, a quarterly team breakfast or volunteering on free Fridays, as, like the rest of Scoro, we have a 4-day work week. Giving back to the community brings us great joy, and we always try to make these volunteering experiences in Riga memorable. Most recently, we had the opportunity to roll up our sleeves and help maintain the animal habitats at Riga Zoo. 

4. How often does the Riga team collaborate with colleagues in other locations?

We work hand in hand with our colleagues from Estonia, Lithuania, the UK, and US daily. All the people in the Riga office have team members in other locations, and most communication happens via Zoom and Slack. We have a mindset of always using cameras to feel closer when apart.

Additionally, we have many activities to foster collaboration across the entire company throughout the year. Some monthly activities are online quizzes that challenge our brains, all-hands meetings to ensure we’re all on the same page, and activities organized by our well-being hub to ensure our bodies and minds are cared for. We place a great emphasis on a healthy work/life balance at Scoro. We have learned about budgeting, investing, body positivity, sleep, nutrition, etc. That’s how we roll at Scoro – always striving to improve, inside and out, at work and personal life.

Last, but certainly not least, is every Scorer’s favorite event. Twice a year, we have what we call a Global Week. It’s like the ultimate reunion where everyone across all Scoro locations gets together in Tallinn for a week. We all eagerly await it, like kids waiting for their birthday party.

It’s the amazing people, who make working at Scoro’s Riga team a pure joy. The professional and hardworking atmosphere with fun and friendly people motivates and makes me want to come to the office every day. On top of that, being the only foreigner in Scoro’s Riga team, I always feel included in daily office life. - Demi Avaliani, Software Engineer

5. Can you share a fun story from your time at Scoro?

Oh yes. It happened during Global Week, which, by the way, was my first week at Scoro. As I was meeting many people for the very first time, I was already feeling a bit stressed and nervous. 

I made a rookie mistake and forgot to pack socks for the trip. Since we had a “Simple Life” themed party where I planned to wear long rubber boots, going sockless was a big no! Fortunately, my colleagues, who I met for the first time, were incredibly kind and helpful. I felt comfortable asking them for a pair of socks, and they came to my rescue, showcasing their welcoming nature. 

6. As someone who juggles responsibilities in both recruitment and office management, your days encompass a wide range of tasks and duties. What’s the most helpful feature of Scoro, the one thing you use daily?

Firstly, it’s important to highlight that we all use Scoro internally, thus acting as our product ambassadors, so let me tell you what rocks my world daily.

• Task Assignment, or as I like to call it, the – Task Ninja. With this feature, I can assign tasks to the team or myself, and the overview helps me to see how much I have done so far! Say goodbye to chaotic to-do lists! It’s like having a superhero sidekick for my office management and recruitment projects.
• User-friendly calendar interface, which is the best I’ve used so far. It gives me a clear visual of my schedule and automatically tracks my time to see where I spend those precious hours. This calendar was a game-changer for me.

What I like about working in the Riga team is that we’re a very fun bunch of people and it’s definitely never boring in the office. We also support each other on work matters very closely with advice and experience - Rudolfs Kadakovskis, Account Executive

7. If Scoro had a theme song, what would it be, and why this specific song?
Cha Cha Cha – Song by Käärijä, this was a hard one to think about, but I made this based on our last team event on Parnu.

8. Why should ambitious, highly-skilled people consider joining Scoro’s Riga team?

The reasons why people should join the Scoro team are very similar wherever you are, and don’t depend too much on any location. Rather than geography, it is the values of our people. We are looking for people who are structured, easy to work with, and driven to make a difference.

However, I have to emphasize that, at the moment, a team of 15 is big enough to feel surrounded by people, yet small enough to know everybody and grow together as a team. This is a close-knit bunch of people who are open-minded toward newcomers from different cultures and backgrounds. And it’s not a secret that the vibe at our Riga Office is amazing. Everybody always wants to visit the Riga office, and we are more than happy to welcome Scorers from other locations.

If you want to be part of this journey, check our Open Roles and send your application today. If you cannot find a suitable position, save your interest on our Connect page, and we will contact you when a job that matches your profile opens.

We chatted with our Head of People Operations, Annika Albert, to hear more about the competition and conclusions. 

What has Scoro done to become a finalist in the Dream Employer competition?

This recognition is a result of a combination of factors. First and foremost, it is a reflection of our company culture. We are committed to creating a culture where work is not just about working. We believe in fostering a sense of purpose, work-life balance, personal growth, and supporting relationships. By doing so, we aim to build a work environment where our employees feel fulfilled, inspired, and engaged, ultimately leading to better outcomes for our customers and our organization. And our perks certainly play a role as well. We are one of Estonia’s pioneers in implementing the 4-day work week.

What did this recognition mean to you personally as a Head of People Operations in Scoro? 

Being recognized as a finalist in the Dream Employer competition is meaningful to our team and me. It is a validation that our initiatives and tactics have been impactful. And, to be honest, although I could not be prouder of the recognition, reading our team members’ feedback about their experience at Scoro is something that truly brings me joy and a feeling of accomplishment. It is the reward that helps us stay motivated and inspired to continue our efforts to create a great workplace. 

In addition, participating in competitions like this allows us to benchmark ourselves against other top organizations and find areas where we can do better. Being recognized like this also helps us attract the best talent who want to work in a place that really values its employees and offers opportunities to contribute to an exciting mission.

You had to ask for employee feedback to participate in the Dream Employer competition. Based on the survey, what were the main things they value about Scoro as an employer? 

According to the survey, I have identified three main areas our employees value the most about Scoro as an employer.

1. Flexibility in their work. They value the freedom and autonomy to work in ways that suit their unique needs, whether remotely or with more flexible work hours. Also, working four days a week gives our team members more control over their schedules, allowing them to balance their work commitments with their personal life.
2. Reliable and supportive team. This culture of support and collaboration creates a strong sense of belonging. When challenges arise, our team members know they have people around them who are ready and willing to lend a helping hand.
3. Product with a mission. Scorers are proud to be a part of a company that creates solutions that change how people work worldwide. They are passionate about this mission and are committed to making a positive impact through their work.
   
   
   

How would you describe Scoro’s mission in a way that every employee could relate to in their daily work life?

At Scoro, we aim to help people work smarter, not harder. We do this by providing powerful work management software that helps teams streamline their workflows, improve collaboration, and boost productivity. Our software empowers our clients to achieve their goals more efficiently and effectively, freeing up time and energy for the things that matter most.

Every employee at Scoro plays an essential role in achieving our mission. Every task we undertake serves our broader goal of helping people work smarter and save valuable time, from developing and refining our software to providing outstanding customer support. By working together as a team and staying focused on our mission, we can continue to drive innovation and inspire positive change in the world of work. In addition, everybody in our company uses Scoro daily to manage their own time and can experience the real value of the product themselves.

But our mission is about more than just software.

We believe that work-life balance is essential for our team members’ well-being, and we’ve made the 4-day work week a core part of our company culture. By showing that this is a viable and sustainable way of working, we aim to inspire other companies to prioritize their employees’ well-being and embrace new ways of working.

Scoro is a global company with a team spread across the UK, USA, Estonia, and Latvia. What do you do to promote teamwork and collaboration among its employees?

At Scoro, we recognize the importance of teamwork and collaboration, mainly as our team members are spread across multiple countries and time zones. To promote these values, we’ve implemented various initiatives and practices to help bring our team members closer together.

One of our most important initiatives is our bi-annual Global Week, when team members from our global offices travel to Tallinn, Estonia, to work and socialize. It is an opportunity for team members to get to know each other better, collaborate on projects, and share their experiences and insights.

In addition to our Global Week, we hold regular all-hands meetings and send newsletters to keep everyone up-to-date on the latest news and developments. We use Confluence as a company-wide knowledge base to ensure everyone has the same information. Suppose there are online participants in the meeting. In that case, everybody must join the Zoom meeting with their camera to ensure everyone online is equally included in the conversation.

We also foster communication and collaboration through online events and local get-togethers. We actively encourage and promote an environment where employees can share ideas and lead different initiatives. It has resulted in remarkable social activities (playing volleyball, getting together for wine-tasting, etc.) and regular virtual/hybrid events like the Scoro Quiz event series, well-being discussion groups and Slack challenges.

How do you reinforce that positive environment as the company grows globally?

Developing a positive company culture as the business grows requires effective leadership, transparent communication, clear and consistent values and goals, engaged employees, adaptable policies, and a commitment to inclusivity.

Emphasizing these factors helps to retain a positive culture that supports competitiveness and reflects their values across the organization.

How do you measure employee satisfaction?

We place a high value on maintaining a positive work environment and fostering employee engagement. To achieve this, we have implemented several initiatives that promote a strong feedback culture. For instance, we conduct non-anonymous surveys to gather feedback on various aspects of our employees’ work experience, including team happiness. We also conduct bi-annual extended happiness and leadership surveys, which help us to identify areas where we can improve and take corrective measures.

Moreover, our managers regularly meet with employees to discuss their work, career development, and concerns. It ensures that employees feel heard, supported, and valued, contributing to their job satisfaction and motivation.

By regularly seeking feedback from our employees, we can identify issues early and promptly address them. In turn, this helps us to maintain a positive work environment, improve employee engagement, and promote the overall success of our company.

What are the goals and future developments to ensure present and future Scorers have the best possible experience working here?

We aim to ensure that present and future Scorers have the best possible work experience. We are committed to continuously improving and developing our practices to achieve this.

One area of focus is improving the hybrid work experience, as we recognize that many employees now prefer a combination of remote and on-site work. 

Another priority for us is to continue promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and increase awareness among our team members. We have already implemented a few initiatives to create a more inclusive work environment, such as unconscious bias training, which is also a part of our onboarding program. We will continue prioritizing DEI in our hiring, promotion, and leadership development practices.

By continuing to invest in our employees and improving our practices, we can create a positive and fulfilling work experience that attracts and retains top talent.

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If you want to be part of this journey, check our Open Roles and send your application today. If you cannot find a suitable position, save your interest on our Connect page, and we will contact you when a job that matches your profile opens.