In a highly competitive environment of providers that are seemingly alike, it is challenging for decision makers to select a competent and reliable EOR partner on the way to international business expansion.
As a committed, transparent, and people-first company, we are here to give you an in-depth idea of how Acvian operates in a series of conversations with our key players. Let’s take a look at Acvian’s internal kitchen and learn about the processes, principles and personalities behind the outstanding EOR service that we provide.
Tanya Golovatyuk, Head of Operations at Acvian
Tanya Golovatyuk knows exactly what a successful remote team needs – she joined one of Ukraine’s prominent IT companies as an Operations Manager 8 years ago and first discovered EOR from the employer’s perspective. Her former position involved rigorous networking, frequent business trips, and in-depth research on umbrella companies to potentially collaborate with.
With an extensive contact base accumulated, Tanya reached a milestone in her career where she had to either stay in a snug spot with not much to learn or move on toward a leadership role. She picked a more challenging path to match her proactive and inquisitive spirit, and this brought her to the internal realm of EOR. Tanya completed a course in Project Management and has been leading Customer Support and Operations departments for the past 5 years, with nearly 3 years as Head of Operations at Acvian.
In this article, Tanya is sharing her perspective on the importance of well-attuned processes, soft guidance vs. micromanagement, and the most frequent client expectations in EOR. As a regular traveler and a master of remote managerial work, Tanya also offers a few insights on work-life balance – the state we all seek.
Hi Tanya! Let’s kick off with your personal history in the EOR business. Could you take us back in time and explain how your past experiences shaped your working style at Acvian?
Hi! I feel like you’ve introduced my background quite accurately, but I’d love to tell you more. I first found out about EOR services and how those function as an upgraded version of outsourced HR when the IT giant I was working for requested to set up an on-site team in Germany. At the time, the company had offices in Belgium, the Netherlands and the States, so I had to research relocation methods for IT specialists in the EU. This is how I discovered 2 providers that remain Acvian’s trusted partners to this day.
To upgrade to a managerial position, I had to take a break from full-time work and dedicate a year to a training program. After all, learning non-stop is the way to stay relevant in today’s professional world. My first experience as a team leader was eye-opening: with the team growing and the processes getting fine-tuned, I learned about the importance of the human factor in a seemingly mundane line of daily responsibilities and requests. For a smooth and non-stop run, each team member has to stay involved and motivated. As Head of Operations, I am committed to creating an environment that facilitates proactivity and prevents burnout.
And how do you ensure that?
(Smiles) I trust my team, I rely on my team, and I keep up with my team. Complete absence of control is a big no for me, but so is micromanagement. A pushy, omnipresent leader with their eyes on each employee creates a heavily supervised system that collapses the moment they are out the office door. In the beginning, I was a bit afraid of passing as too soft, but now I see that giving room for proactivity and personal responsibility pays off. When I’m away, the work in my team goes on as efficiently as ever. To build rapport and mutual trust with each member, I arrange one-on-one meetings frequently. Personal feedback helps me evaluate individual strengths and delegate further tasks accordingly.
Since you’ve been on the client’s side, you must know exactly what a business expects when reaching out to an umbrella company. Could you share a few popular requirements?
Companies that turn to EOR services expect expertise, responsiveness, and a caring attitude toward their employees. Outsourcing solutions you cannot personally provide is a sign of true concern for your talents, and whoever you partner up with has to deliver a service worth paying for. It all comes down to helping humans with human problems. I personally prefer to use the term customer care instead of customer service or customer support as it aligns best with Acvian’s people-first values. For example, if a client’s employee has medical issues or ends up in complex circumstances, it is our job to take care of them and minimize the impact of the situation on their professional life AND personal well-being.
Secondly, whenever a client has a request, quality EOR service is able to deliver a timely and highly informative answer. Ideally, to foresee and solve a problem before it arises. It is only possible with EOR professionals who possess the necessary core and soft skills as well as conflict-solving abilities, and who know and enjoy what they are doing. Our workplace satisfaction leads to client satisfaction.
What are your techniques to achieve workplace satisfaction and maintain balance between professional and personal life?
I’ve personally experienced burnout upon reaching a glass ceiling at my first workplace, and it took me a while to rediscover my purpose and heal through traveling, working out and spending more time with my loved ones. Though Acvian provides space for daily professional growth, I acknowledge the importance of sufficient rest and quality time away from the work laptop both for myself and my team. The practices that work best for me are:
- Taking workations and going through my daily taskload by the lake at the seaside. Beautiful and restful places do not distract me, on the contrary, I get a productivity boost.
- Being and letting be flexible with work schedule. The result is key, and four hours spent in a comfortable environment often deliver better results than a full day in the office.
- Going hybrid when possible. Remote work gives immense freedom, but deprives of social interaction, and this isn’t good for us long-term. I find it important to connect to colleagues face to face. Since I’m lucky to live in the same city with some of Acvian peers, I enjoy an occasional day together at a coworking space as much as a day spent in the comfort of my own home.
What do you find most fulfilling about working at Acvian?
Communication with clients and what it brings along: the human connection, the knowledge exchange, the energy to charge my social battery. When I receive positive feedback, when a client is fully content with our work and expresses appreciation, I know I’m on the right track.
In your opinion, what is one big reason a company should go for remote employment with EOR?
It’s a tailored solution for your business with the quality of service that cannot be obtained through other means and that makes you and your employees feel cared for.
