Combining family and career

Many parents both pursue their career and raise their family, but far from everyone finds a balance. Having children can be as demanding as a full-time job – and easily lead to stress. But at Metso Outotec, it is important to see the full picture – and help employees create that balance in life. Elisabeth Lundmark, Head of Mechanical Engineering, based in Skellefteå Sweden, is one of many at Metso Outotec that can testify to that.

“We are in many ways a modern company. Not only because of the service we provide, but also when it comes to the company culture. We work in a sustainable way on different levels. Feeling good mentally is at least as important as anything else. Here you can influence how your working life should look like.”

Flexibility is key

Elisabeth Lundmark started working at Metso Outotec when her children were two and five years old. During this period, she chose to travel less.

“Since we are a global company, we have great opportunity to travel for work. I love to travel but during the period my children were young, I chose to travel a two to three times a year. And even then, only for a couple of days at a time. In most roles it is not necessary to travel. If you decide not to travel or travel less, it is not seen negatively or as disloyalty. And this goes for all employees, no matter if you have children or not."

"We usually work in project teams, and therefore we can cover for each other and distribute the tasks in different ways. Flexibility is a key and we have an opportunity to create a balanced life.”

Supportive environment

Today Elisabeth Lundmark’s children are twelve and fifteen years old. As they have grown, she has pursued her career at Metso Outotec and is now responsible for a team of 16 employees. However, taking the step to become a manager of a team was not self-evident.

“I don’t think I would have applied for a position like this in another company. Here, I had the courage to do so, as Metso Outotec is in many ways a very supportive workplace."

"I knew the company, the people and that this is a safe environment for me to grow and develop. The company culture at Metso Outotec is key for attracting new talent”, she continues.

“It makes a big difference. My experience is that the younger generation has new demands. Many want to perform at their best, but not at any price. Health is important and you should not have to push yourself over the limit to advance your career."

Original article from Skellefteå Works