Tomislav Gradiček has been part of our team for almost 13 years and currently works as a secondary lines technologist. He has had an incredibly interesting journey within our company, continuously progressing from day one until now, having passed through a total of six different positions. As an ambassador at Knauf Insulation, he primarily focuses on communicating with employees to increase their job satisfaction. "For me, this company is more than just a job," says Tomislav. Read on to find out more about what he told us.

How long have you been working at Knauf Insulation and do you remember your first day? What was it like?

I currently work as a secondary lines technologist, and I've been at Knauf Insulation for almost 13 years. Before joining Knauf, I worked as a civil engineer on construction sites, which means I started from scratch when I joined this company. In the first six months, I performed the tasks of an ordinary worker, after which I further developed my knowledge at America and participated in the launch of three new production lines. From that first day until now, I have been constantly progressing, going through a total of six different positions within the company - from production to the process and quality department, where I currently work.

Knauf Insulation is known as a company with many benefits. Which benefits would you highlight the most?
For me, this company is more than just a job. I've been connected to it since childhood because my father spent over 40 years in the factory. Therefore, I see this company as my second family. Among the benefits I've received along the way, there is education in America and London, as well as learning English, which is necessary for my job.

We believe that during your 12 years at Knauf Insulation, you have experienced many pleasant moments. Could you share some of them with us?
My best memories are tied to moments when I can help my colleagues or cheer them up with a small token of appreciation. As an ambassador at Knauf Insulation, I suggested to our director that we give employees gifts for their birthdays, and for the third year in a row, I've been successfully implementing this idea. We mostly give male colleagues a pack of beer and flowers to female colleagues. I've developed a well-established system: the day before each birthday, I get a notification to ensure I don't forget anyone. The happiness I see on the faces of my colleagues when I give them a gift is what makes me the happiest.

How would you describe your role as an ambassador?
I primarily work on communicating with employees to increase their job satisfaction. I want to achieve that everyone at Knauf Insulation feels like a member of the family, or rather, I strive for other employees to experience similar feelings to those I associate with the company.

What are the two things that working at Knauf Insulation has taught you?
First, Knauf Insulation has taught me the importance of being systematic in work, which was a significant change after my transition from the construction site. I learned the importance of time tracking and tasks planning. The second is communication between departments, but also towards end customers. Together with our sales representatives worldwide, we actively cooperate with customers to present them in detail with the advantages of our products. I am particularly proud of the success of my department because, precisely due to communication with customers and gathering useful information about their wishes and needs, we have managed to improve our products.

You mentioned cooperation between departments. Can you tell us a little more about the dynamics with other departments? Do you share experiences and knowledge with colleagues from other departments?

In short, we cooperate excellently. I work in the technical department, which consists of four departments, and we are all located in one large open space. We are always in contact with each other, and of course, sometimes there are minor disagreements. Despite that, positive communication prevails, and we all help each other. Team spirit is the most important thing after all, and we further develop it at team building events where we improve our relationships as colleagues and as friends outside of work.

Is there any skill or part of the job you would like to further develop?
I've just finished one education, so now I'm taking some time off and not thinking about new ones. However, I regularly go to education every year. For example, this summer I completed the B2 level of English, which I think is enough for everyday communication. Also, on December 1st, we finished a period where a colleague and I switched jobs, which was both a challenging and educational experience.

What are your interests outside of work? How do you spend your free time?
My hobby is actually that I've been the president of a children's soccer school for seven years. I enjoy working with children and organizing activities within the soccer school.