Building Our Team in Lisbon
Back when Maria and I joined Cazoo we didn’t have much experience in high-growth tech companies. We were unaware of the obstacles that we would face as HR Business Partner and Talent Recruiter,, and our biggest fear was disappointing our new colleagues. One of the key reasons for this was that we were unsure about what would be expected of us. However, Cazoo has given us the freedom and support to learn and experiment, allowing us to develop as part of this amazing team.
The Lisbon team was acquired by Cazoo just a few months before we joined. The first thing we noticed upon meeting everyone was the resilience and team spirit that they had during this process. Often when companies are acquired, uncertainty is the most common feeling after the lack of trust, but not for them, the team trusted the vision and were open to the new world we were all entering with Cazoo. It was amazing to see the team come together as one and jump into this new challenge, embracing the changes and supporting each other.
From day one, we set out to understand the team and their needs as both people and employees. As an HR function, we decided to focus on meeting everyone individually and getting to understand their needs and vision for the future. We asked for their input about how Cazoo can be an even better place to work. We took this information and spent our days investigating strategies for increasing engagement and workplace happiness, we knew that the benefits were a right fit if we could determine they would be 1. used and 2. would have a good impact on the team. In terms of engagement what worked really well was to start involving the team in the organization of these events — by asking to share ideias, to help us with the planning and organization of these events.
Being part of a company like Cazoo was a new challenge for both of us, one that turned out to be one of the best rollercoasters of our lives. Getting started wasn’t easy as we faced the key challenge of adapting to remote work given we joined during the pandemic. But this amazing team saw what we were trying to do and brought the energy we needed to pivot our thinking. Everyone was super welcoming and open to giving and receiving feedback, demonstrating the kind of psychological safety that is a really important part of being able to build an incredible culture. We will talk a bit more about our culture in our next article, so stay tuned!
Alongside the challenge of getting to know the team, we also had to hire and develop the people in Lisbon. As Cazoo at the time was only based in the UK, practically nobody in Portugal knew about the company. Maria needed to spread the word about who we were and talk about our amazing market-leading proposition, benefits, ways of working, teams, and culture.
One of our main focuses, which turned out to be quite a fun challenge, was to ensure we had a competitive list of benefits to offer in Lisbon. We investigated new partnerships and offerings and took an agile approach by listening to feedback from the team we manage to fulfil a range of perks that we’re proud of! Our go-to method for success: listening to our colleagues, trying new approaches, putting into practice new techniques, knowing how to work with a team, and most importantly being the person that you would like others to be to you.
Next up we needed to create awareness of the Cazoo business model, getting people to know and love the product enough for them to want to come to work with us. A funny thing about hiring in Portugal is that from the moment you start approaching people, word travels fast and everyone gets to know you and the company you’re hiring for (the perks of being a small country).
The best advice that we could give HR professionals / Recruiters starting in a new location and team is to make people feel comfortable with you. Create a safe space where people don’t feel judged and can share their ideas. The best way to grow a team is by giving constant feedback and allowing people to be themselves. We know that communication isn’t easy, but we encourage our team to practice every day and keep growing this team we’re super proud of!
So, when are you coming to visit us?
Adriana and Maria
