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for talent and an attractive place to work. It had to
be somewhere that resonated with our PageGroup
values and culture. We had to dig deep!
After several consultations, in-depth evaluations
supported by an external consultant, and visits
to multiple locations, we weighed up the pros
and cons of all the possibilities. The management
board carefully considered every angle and we
were increasingly pulled by the attractiveness of
Barcelona as a city.
Barcelona has a growing international and
local talent pool – young, adventurous, skilled
professionals with multi-lingual skills. This was so
important for us, with diversity at work as a key
part of our employer value proposition. Salaries
were competitive and Barcelona’s location by the
Mediterranean Sea means employees are never
far from the beach or the mountains – a benefit
that money can’t buy. Essentially, in Barcelona, we
were more likely to attract and retain talent and
the city really embodied what we were looking for.
Our choice was made easier by the Government
of Catalunya, which actively supports companies
who are establishing businesses in the region. It
just had to be Barcelona.
And my personal view? Well I’m so committed
to what we have built here, that I relocated to
Barcelona from our office in Geneva. This meant
uprooting my family to a new country, where
we’ve learnt a new language, bonded with
locals and explored the extensive landscape that
Catalunya has to offer. Barcelona is a city where
people tend to feel at home rather quickly. It has
a great sense of ease, rich cultural traditions,
events and expat communities – all of which are
great for helping us retain our talent. During our
transformation, we’ve relocated people from
PageGroup offices across Europe, and the city
has meant that more often than not, very little
persuasion is needed.
Our vision for our SSC was a multicultural workforce.
We wanted to offer a great office location with a well-
supported infrastructure. On average, we have about
200 visitors a month passing through our Barcelona
SSC doors, with senior leadership Executive Board
meetings, training sessions with colleagues from
across Europe, and visits from colleagues from other
regions of the world. These past few months have
been particularly busy with guests who are really keen
to visit. They love the atmosphere we’ve created and
what we represent as a business. A well connected
international airport as close as a 10 minutes taxi
ride doesn’t hurt either!
I’m now proud to work with almost 300 people at our
Barcelona SSC, who represent over 20 nationalities
and a vast range of skills. The sheer growth and
diversity is a testament to the success of our business
and I am excited about what we’ll continue to achieve
going forward.
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