Bjarne Hansen- CFO

Management approaches and leadership of International team

Bjarne's story is about his reflection on his management and the lessons he learned during his work experience. He is sharing valuable advice and methods on how to appreciate your team. Bjarne answers how is it possible that the finance department has the highest number of international employees.

Finance finance finance

How did you start in DynamicWeb?

Today, we have the opportunity to speak with Bjarne, DynamicWeb's CFO. As Chief Financial Officer, Bjarne plays an important role in the company's financial operations. He collaborates closely with other executives and departments to make strategic decisions that shape the company's financial health and future direction.

When asked about his daily tasks and working approach, Bjarne emphasizes his commitment to forward-thinking financial planning. "My goal," he explains, "is to focus on finance planning and looking ahead instead of looking back." 

Bjarne oversees finance, HR, and administration, with his primary focus on finance. "Naturally, finance is one of the most crucial aspects for the board and owners," Bjarne affirms. He continues, "HR constitutes a significant portion of my responsibilities, and I find great satisfaction in it as it allows me to positively influence my colleagues' workday in a different manner."

“Forecasting, budgeting, and strategic planning consume much of my time, as these activities are paramount for our financial stability and growth. Fortunately, I have a capable team that handles various other tasks, lessening the need for me to be concerned about day-to-day accounting or ensuring immediate results,” Bjarne says.

There are numerous methods to guide them effectively. Moreover, remember to acknowledge their good work as frequently as possible, on various occasions.

Bjarne Hansen- CFO
What does a good manager look like?

Reflection on past mistakes

As the team grows, so does the responsibility of managing it. Today, the finance department consists of 3 full-time employees, 1 part-time worker, 3 student workers, along with canteen employees and facility management, totaling 10 individuals. 

Teja, a student worker from Lithuania, reflects on her experience: "It's my first job as a student worker in a company, and I never expected to be led by such a strong and motivated management team. Working here has instilled confidence in my abilities, allowing me to set higher goals and embrace new challenges without fear." She credits Bjarne, her manager, for his support and encouragement. "Bjarne always knows when to tap on your shoulder and say how proud he is of us,” she adds gratefully.

Bjarne reflects on his early years in management. "Looking back, I realize I made some common mistakes, like micromanaging and shouldering too many tasks myself," he admits. "Rather than delegating interesting tasks to my team, I often took them on myself, thinking they were challenging. Unfortunately, this approach left my team feeling demotivated, and me with too much work," he reflects with a smile, recognizing the valuable lessons he learned from those experiences.

Mistakes are learned over time. Now, Bjarne avoids micromanagement, leaves the responsibility to each employee with their own tasks, and tries to be available for guidance. “I try to make sure they take responsibility for their own tasks, “he says.

Bjarne shares the valuable advice he received from his consultant during his previous work experience: "You should never express anger towards your employees because it doesn't benefit the company. Instead, find alternative ways to correct them. There are numerous methods to guide them effectively. Moreover, remember to acknowledge their good work as frequently as possible, on various occasions."

Embracing linguistic diversity is not only advantageous but also creates a diverse environment and interesting culture with people with different backgrounds.

Bjarne Hansen- CFO
Internationals in finance team?

Creating a diverse and interesting choices

The finance department boasts the highest number of international employees. We asked Bjarne how is that possible, shouldn’t the finances be handled by Danish employees?

"At every workplace I've been, there has been a prevailing tendency, and even my own strong belief, particularly within the finance department, that fluency in Danish is essential to assume responsibility in Danish companies. This is because of the involvement of government agencies and other factors that necessitate proficiency in the language,“ Bjarne admits. 

"However, upon joining DynamicWeb, my perspective shifted. My student worker was from Lithuania, his Danish wasn't perfect, yet everything worked out seamlessly. Language was not a barrier at all. Later, I had an intern from Slovakia who didn't speak Danish at all. When I proposed hiring her to the CEO, he was more than excited to onboard her. This experience taught me that embracing linguistic diversity is not only advantageous but also creates a diverse environment and interesting culture with people with different backgrounds. As a result, we've committed to maintaining this approach."

Currently, the finance department at DynamicWeb has a kitchen assistant from Austria, an HR student worker from Lithuania, and a finance student worker from Moldova who handles Tax or VAT issues. This diverse composition has not posed any challenges. DynamicWeb has always been open and diverse in this sense.

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