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[11.6.2010]
Hi to everybody!

This week was very important, as the pilot webinar took place yesterday! It was so nice to be part of a multicultural audience, which had one objective: to develop and acquire further skills through this training session. :-)

During all these days, I received hundreds of e-mails from employees who wanted to participate, from others who could not attend, from the trainer and the external provider.......everything needed such a co-ordination! Maybe this is the reason why I am so happy; everything ran smoothly in the end!

Now, I am looking forward to receiving the feedback from the participants, so as to decide what our next steps will be. I love the fact that I am involved with future planning! It is a perfect way to feel valued and appreciated!

Further to the above, I designed and ran a survey about the discount coupons project. Specifically, I asked employees within the company if they are satisfied with previous year's coupons. In this way, I gave them the opportunity to mention all these that they are thinking when they use the coupons, and they don't know to whom to refer. The findings are very interesting and they will support the changes I am planning to propose for this year's coupons.

And since I got a bit familiar with designing surveys, I got the responsibility to design and run another one! It's about the 50 years' anniversary of P&G and its celebration in Kyllini! We decided to have activities such as tennis, beach volley & backgammon tournaments, yoga, pilates and archery! (I am in to yoga for sure! :-)) Now, we need to see who would like to participate in order to book the necessary slots at the two hotels in which we will be residing; and this is the actual reason I am doing the survey. I have already designed it and it will be launched the following Monday.

As a reward for all the hard work, I will visit my hometown, Thessaloniki, and the nearby beautiful beaches in Halkidiki! :-) I can't wait!

Back to you next week with more information regarding the surveys and definitely more tanned! :-)

Margarita

[28.5.2010]
Hi everybody!

Although I have passed a couple of weeks of hard working, I am so motivated to write! This blog is not only a way of communicating to potential P&G candidates about work life in P&G; it is also a way of briefing up my friends around the world about how I am doing here! :-)

And before I start becoming too emotional, I think I should better update you regarding the projects, in which I am involved!

First of all, my main project about outsourcing L&D logistics is getting on very well. I have already conducted three companies that could provide this service to us. After I get a quote from them, I will discuss it with my manager. As two seminars are scheduled for July, I have sufficient time to pilot the first seminar and then, implement any changes to the second one! :-) By the end of my internship, the project will be delivered (hopefully) with success!

However, my main focus the past couple of weeks is the webinar about which I talked to you in my 3rd blog! We would like to pilot this webinar in some Western European countries and I was given the lead for its organization. In other words, I am the responsible to contact the external provider, to advertize the session in the organization, to communicate with the participants and to ask for feedback after the webinar. This specific project is part of a major initiative of L&D Western Europe and I feel so glad to be part of it! :-) Currently, I am filling up the participants' list; while I have communicated with the external provider to ensure about the content and the pc requirements for the webinar. As soon as it will be delivered, I will let you know the results!

Regarding the preparation of the 50 years' anniversary, we are in the stage where we have to deal with the budget and decide which of our ideas have to stay or leave. This is a difficult decision to make; and as we are 16 people, a lot of arguments are placed for and against. However, I am sure we will end up with the best combination of ideas!

Other than that, yesterday was a bank holiday. That is, we enjoyed a nice long weekend! It had been quite some time, since I had three days off and I just stayed within the limits of a city (and without any suitcase on hand)!! The offspring of a relaxed weekend? "Sleep is always good! It grants you with extra energy to enjoy anything else you do!!" :-)

So, till next time... enjoy!

Margarita

[7.5.2010]
Kalispera! :-)

This week was overshadowed from the political scenery in Greece; I hope everything will get better soon! Other than that, I had quite a lot to do to keep myself busy for the whole week!

First of all, I began the week with a project regarding the coupons that will be distributed to the employees the forthcoming July. These coupons grant P&Gers with special discount to purchase the company's products! – isn't it just great? So, I have to gather all the necessary information, go through complicated excel sheets and contact a substantial amount of people from within and even outside the company.

I started working on my main project as well, which concerns the outsourcing of certain actions done until now by the L&D coordinator. Analytically, the goal is to outsource everything done by the L&D coordinator (me, in this case) that does not add a lot of value to the role. I will give you an example! Before each seminar, I am the responsible to prepare and provide the participants all the necessary material for the course. Thus, among other actions, I need to photocopy lots of documents. My project aims to outsource this activity to another company, so that I will devote my time into more valuable activities. Although it may sound simple and it can be easily conceptualized, the reality is different. Certain issues need to be tackled, in order to ensure the success of the project. For example, I need to think which could be this company and to choose the best available choice. Moreover, I need to standardize the procedure, so that it could be run efficiently and effectively; not only by me, but by every L&D coordinator in Western Europe.

Apart from the above, the preparation for the 50 year's anniversary is progressing. I am in the team that is responsible for Friday night and Sunday morning. (As I told you the previous time, we will go to a hotel for a WK to celebrate the 50 year presence of P&G in Greece!). We have thought a lot of interesting activities, such as karaoke; dancing competition; a brief sketch; sand building and hidden treasure game!! Now, we need to consider logistics and execution – which is quite a mission as we will be more than 800 people!

Concluding, I would like to save these few lines for my friend Valentina. I had known her from her blogs as an intern and I met her at my visit in Rome. I would like to wish her all the best for her next steps, which I am sure they will be brilliant with P&G as background! :-)

Final offspring of a busy week: cease the moment...so as to smile with a reason! :D

Margarita

[30.4.2010]
Hi to everybody!

I haven't written my blog for a while, since I was a bit busy but here is an update of everything I was doing! :-)

First of all, I managed to visit my home town the other weekend! It was such a surprise for my family and friends and I really enjoyed it!

The previous week I traveled to Italy to visit P&G Rome and specifically, my line manager, Francesco! I was so excited and I discovered that the HR Rome team is just great! I received a warm welcome for everybody and I left with the best impression for the two days I stayed there!

The purpose of this trip was to discuss with my manager regarding the project I will be responsible for, the strategy I have to follow and my action plan. Unfortunately, we could not finish everything, as I got food poisoning the second day (and it was impossible for me to attend the meetings; instead I visited the medical department of the company...). I guess such incidents do happen (well at least to me!) and I am happy I am in a company that they can understand and show compassion. :-)

When I returned back to Athens' Office, I had quite a lot to do... prepare the execution of training seminars, contact the trainers, reschedule the time of some of the sessions and also work on the strategy and action plan for my project! Moreover, my manager gave me the lead to organize a webinar for some Western European countries (Greece, Holland, Austria, Portugal, Ireland, Denmark & Sweden)! I am very excited for this, but I do need to give an extra effort and prioritize my assignments/responsibilities in order to deliver everything on time and with high quality!

I also participate in the team which is organizing the celebration for the 50 years presence of P&G in Greece! We will go for a weekend in Kyllini, a very nice place by the sea and the team needs to organize certain activities for this anniversary – I actually cannot wait and I am so happy I am involved in such an event! :-)

Well, as you can understand I have a lot of interesting tasks waiting for me in my to-do list; so I need to leave you for the time being. I will come back with further details regarding my project, so stay tuned!

Have a great weekend!

Margarita

[9.4.2010]
Good morning everybody!

This week we started working from Tuesday, due to Easter holidays! We all came back refreshed, ready to have a productive and effective week (and of course with numerous stories to share during the lunch break!).

I think the Easter holidays meta-effect helped me to accomplish a lot of administrative work, such as telephone calls to public services or applications for my manager’s participation in HR conferences – suddenly people from these services seemed to answer the phone! :-)

Other than that, I reviewed with my buddy the learning seminars of the previous month – whether we achieved our target and what we could have done differently. We are going to present these results at our next HR meeting.

In addition, I started planning my visit to Rome. Not for holidays, but for business reasons! I will go there to visit my immediate manager and discuss with him the specific projects, which I have to undertake and complete by the end of my internship. Thus, I learnt a lot about the policy of P&G regarding travelling and the procedures one has to follow.

This week, I would say, I am 100% hands on my role. For instance, I initiated communication with other HR colleagues (who are responsible for employees from specific departments), in order to target more effectively certain learning seminars. Moreover, I promoted a new service available for free to all P&G employees. Specifically, we are lucky enough to access 5-page summaries of the top selling business books!! (I am so excited with this new service: you get the essence of a 200 pages best seller book free of charge!:-))

Today one of my best friends has birthday and another one is visiting my home town, Thessaloniki! So, I am thinking to surprise them and travel 500 km (one-way) to see them! :-) Hopefully, I will manage to do it; I will let you know next week!

Till then, have a great weekend!

Margarita

[1.4.2010]
Kalimera!

Since this Friday is a bank holiday, I am writing to you today. :-)

This week is a bit weird as I took three days off in order to attend my graduation ceremony in UK. Thus, I am thinking to talk about this great day!

First of all, we gave an appointment with my friends to get our robes and take some photos. I was so pleased to see them all again! Friends of heart who are now spread all over the world: from UK and Germany to Jordan, Pakistan and even further to China and Kenya!

I got excited with the robes, as in Greece (where I did my undergraduate studies) we don't wear a special attire in the graduation ceremony (we are just dressed smart). But I have to say... I did not get excited with the queues! Queue to get the robe, to take a photo, to wait for the shuttle bus, to.... to... but I guess it worth the pain (of my feet!).

Then the ceremony begun! It was held in Birmingham city's Town Hall and was accompanied by classical music. After a brief speech from the chancellor and an honorary award to a member of Aston University's Council, one by one the postgraduates ascended on stage and were nominated the title of Master of Science, in my case in Human Resource Management & Business.

After the graduation, I had to attend another ceremony for Beta Gamma Sigma (BGS) membership nomination. BGS is the international honor society for business schools accredited by AACSB International and only the top 20% students of each MSc course were awarded membership. I felt so touched during the ceremony and so happy that my efforts and hard-working were recognized in the best possible way! (yayyy! :-))

Apart from that, I would like to talk for a different type of recognition...the one to have a job that you look forward to start again after some days off! I believe it is very important for our well-being and psychological health to feel happy to go to work and have a productive day; and I am glad this is the case for me!

Now I have to leave you as I have to get prepared for the call meeting with my supervisor in Italy! I am planning to impress him with some new ideas of mine - let's see!

Till next week I wish you happy Easter holidays and ... smile! :-)

Margarita

[26.3.2010]
Hi everybody! My name is Margarita Nyfoudi and I have spent almost a month as a P&G intern! The time here passes by so quickly... maybe because you always have something to do :-)

On my first day, I realized that I would be responsible for Learning and Development (L&D) for the whole of Greece. WOW! I could not believe that I was given such responsibility from day 1. My undergraduate degree was on Business Administration, my MSc in Human Resource Management & Business and my dissertation on Learning- as you can imagine L&D is my favorite!

I was lucky enough to start my first day with a seminar- and no! I was not sitting there as a participant, but as a coordinator! With a lot of help and great tips from my buddy, Tonia, I was able to run a complete seminar on my own just two weeks later. I am so happy that I am in a company that trusts its employees and proves it with tangible actions!

During this month, I was introduced to so many different people and learnt so much! I feel that it is very important to grasp as much information as possible from the very start, and I m glad I am in a company that gives you this opportunity. In our first HR meeting (on my third day in the company!), I remember that my manager said: "Margarita, whatever you don't understand, just ask, and ask and ask". And I loved it!

My buddy started my onboarding straight ahead and for the whole of month my calendar was full of meetings with colleagues from HR and other functions, who informed me regarding the company's pvp, structure, processes, roles and departments.

And talking about meetings, I just received a reminder for my next meeting, which starts in about a quarter of ah hour! So I have to say goodbye for now...

See you all next week,

Margarita