It’s important to have fun at work

Magnus Hall

Age: born 1959

Family: Wife Mona, three children, a dog and two cats

Interests: My job takes up much of my time, so being with my family is the main focus of any spare moments. I also enjoy boating and cross-country skiing.

What does the forest mean to you: The forest means everything, our whole business is based on it. On a personal level, it’s a place of relaxation. I like the way that the forest has different faces, that its appearance varies depending on where you are – it’s exciting.

What is the best thing about your job?

Firstly, I like getting to meet so many people. Secondly, it’s exciting to be able to influence our business through these meetings with people. It’s stimulating. My work is never dull, ranging from minor issues, perhaps to do with our office in Stockholm, to drawing up core strategies for our key business areas.

What makes working at Holmen special?

It varies, depending on the job. But generally speaking, I think we have a good corporate spirit. I’m proud to work here, and I know that most other people are too. We operate in a traditional industry, but we put a great deal of effort into redefining the business. We’re constantly driving Holmen forward.

Why is it important to be able to develop and make a career within Holmen?

It’s an important driver. If you know that you can develop and take on more advanced duties, as long as you do a good job, that increases your motivation. I can draw parallels with my own Holmen journey – it was encouraging, of course, to feel that I was being invested in.

It’s usually more efficient to use the talent that we know we have internally. And then we have to be careful when recruiting, so that we take on the right people with the right expertise.

We need a mix of profiles – some people want to develop and take on more personnel responsibility, while others are specialists looking to improve in their chosen field. The important thing is that our employees want to develop in their area of interest, and that they feel they’re able to do so.

Why should people work for Holmen?

We have both interesting jobs and interesting products. We work with sustainable products of the future, and we have a good atmosphere. I think it’s important to have fun at work. And we do here. We’re a company strongly committed to change, and there’s always something going on all the time. Driving our business and our thinking forward is a conscious choice on our part, it helps us to maintain our competitive edge. If you’re thinking of applying for a job at Holmen, all I can say is: Do it!

What makes you proud of your job?

Working for a successful company with so many great employees and investing in the future. We’re in the most sustainable of industries, based on our fantastic forests. And we’re not afraid to tackle the problems and changes needed for us to move with the times.