PRO AT WORK - WOJCIECH ŁUKOMIAK

At ARNON, employees can participate in an exchange, where a worker can change their work location for a certain period, for instance, for a project. Wojtek has participated in Arnon’s worker exchange eight times, and all those times, he visited Finland; three times in Turku, once in Tampere, and four times in Kauhava.

The work trips to Finland always brought new challenges for Wojtek but, of course, in a positive way. The trips teach you to think out of the box and grow your skills.

Work exchange broadens the knowledge about the company and customer projects. It works as an opportunity to share best practices through Arnon’s different offices.  Work exchange brings people closer and helps us understand various cultures.    

Before becoming an Arnonian, Wojtek attended a technical college where he studied electronics. After graduating and temporarily working for a company with paints, he started to work at ARNON Poland. He started working at the old location, where the production team had only seven people, which is relatively small compared to today’s group. Wojtek learned everything about his job step by step, starting with how to make plugs, then metal sheets, and final assembly. Wojtek has been working at ARNON for six years now.

What is the best thing about being able to work both in Poland and Finland?

“I enjoyed working in Finland. For example, from Kauhava, I have fond memories of coffee breaks called ’the coffee breaker. The employees help each other out and share their tips. If you have doubts about your task, you can ask anyone; everyone is there to help. I can admit that the friendly ambiance at the production is like the one in Poland.”

What tips would you give someone new to coming to Finland to work?

“As for advice for employees – don’t be afraid to ask! If you have any doubts – ask! Even if you make a mistake, don’t worry. The important thing is that you know how to avoid this mistake in the future.

The second tip is that if you are not used to the Finnish sauna, especially when you are in it for the first time – do not stay in it for too long.

The last tip is that if you are in Finland when it is always bright, even at night, be aware that you may have problems falling asleep. Eventually, you will get used to it.”

Do you want to share something else personal about yourself?

“Spending my free time in Finland, I usually rested in front of the TV. What is exciting and new is that I noticed that foreign movies have an original sound and Finnish subtitles at the bottom. We have movies with dubbing speakers in Polish and without subtitles in Poland.

Sometimes I go for a walk around the area. During my stay in Tampere, I walked more often, especially in the parks. Tampere is a charming place.  In Poland, I usually work around the house or in my car. Of course, I like to go to the Baltic Sea when the weather is nice.”