The way a team should be
Vera Camozzi’s new position at GF presented her with the opportunity to experience how openness and authenticity can foster unexpected positive outcomes.
When Vera Camozzi moved to Biel/Bienne (Switzerland) in April 2022 to become Head of Supply Chain at GF Machining Solutions headquarters, she was looking forward to a new array of experiences. “There was a sense of anticipation in the air,” Vera recalls. “I was excited to establish a lasting presence in this environment, which proved to be a real adventure.” Upon stepping into her new role, Vera faced the consolidation of employees from three different Swiss locations into the new Biel site, a transition that began at the end of 2019. This presented an opportunity for renewed collaboration. Amid a mix of departures and arrivals, Vera encountered a team in the process of forging stronger bonds. But for Vera, challenges went beyond organizational change. Although Vera is fluent in German, Swiss German – the predominant dialect in the region – presented her with a linguistic puzzle. “Although I had worked for GF for almost 10 years, coming to Biel was like starting all over again.” Her previous experience was in Losone (Switzerland), where the main working language is Italian. She found it much harder to integrate into a foreign-language team.
© Uli KnörzerVera Camozzi
Position: Head of Supply Chain
Division: GF Machining Solutions
Location: Biel/Bienne (Switzerland)
Joined GF in: 2013
Vera decided to face the situation head on and got to work. She moved into a studio apartment just minutes away from the office. She showed she was available and that she cared. “I’m used to working with people, so I tried to get to know everyone on a personal level.” With a team of about 40, this was no small task. But Vera applied the GF value that “learning is about having an open mind.” In the following weeks, she made appointments, listened to her colleagues, learned about their work and sometimes also about their personal lives. When she opened up about her own struggles – her elderly parents needed care – her colleagues also shared theirs.
“During our conversations I told them, you teach me the know-how of the job and I will take care of building a team,” Vera says. Within weeks, her coworkers realized she was here to stay and made small changes to help her. For example, they would switch from their local dialect to standard German as soon as she walked into the room. They recommended a swimming pool for her exercises and revealed where to find the best live music.
Vera says she is a born optimist, but even she was surprised at how much things improved once she started to work on laying a foundation of mutual understanding. “I was reminded that people really do make a difference. Because once you get to know them and make connections, things always get easier.” Everyone’s work now benefits from this process. Trust and confidence were built. Coworkers communicate better and more often, discuss challenges and find solutions together. Just the way a team should be.