After moving from India to Belgium, she was welcomed by her Popay colleagues with open arms. With a healthy dose of experience in HR consultancy and her drive to resolve issues successfully, Gowthami always knows how to help clients. Friendly, sharp and hugely motivated. Meet Gowthami!

Nice to meet you! Who are you and where are you from?
“My name is Bodedla Gowthami Sanskruthi and I’m from Hyderabad, India. I moved to Belgium in 2022 because my husband worked here. I decided to start a new life in Europe. We now live in Aalst.”

Quite a bit of travelling behind you, then. How did you end up at Popay?
“I was looking for work in Belgium. In India, I worked as an SAP HR consultant for Deloitte. I enjoyed that work and because of my experience, I was looking for a similar job. When I came across a LinkedIn ad for a similar role, I applied at Popay. I started in December 2022.”

That must have taken some getting used to. What kind of welcome did you get?
“Since the country was new to me, I didn’t know what to expect from the work culture. But it’s wonderful here. The team has been incredibly supportive in helping me adjust to life in Belgium, its culture and the environment. I was welcomed with open arms.”

That’s terrific! What does your work day look like?
“I’m an HRIS consultant and my work involves supporting clients with a range of needs and issues. I usually start my day by checking emails and then prioritising my tasks. It’s a similar routine, but every day is different.”

How do you empower your customers?
“I speak to clients about what exactly the problem is and what they need, I analyse the information and then come up with a solution. I understand the input and why the issues they face are so important. I add value by helping HR teams do their work efficiently and without disruption. I also help them work in a simpler and more pleasant way.”

What defines you in your work?
“I enjoy working on HR solutions from the IT side. One thing that is important to me is gaining the customer’s trust. So my passion is accomplishing all of my tasks successfully so that the customers feel satisfied.”

What is the biggest compliment you have ever received from a customer or colleague?
“That I’m a fast learner and understand things quickly. Also, I often hear that I don’t give up easily; it’s in my nature. I also enjoy building friendships on a professional level, that’s certainly appreciated.”

Nice compliments! What do you want to mean to your colleagues?
“I’m still quite new at Popay, but I’d like colleagues to see me as a resourceful person they can trust and rely on to get tasks done.”

What really gives you energy and what is something that you absolutely can’t stand?
“Finding new solutions to problems gives me energy and I’m delighted when we complete projects successfully. I can’t deal with people who don’t take responsibility for their work.”

What are your ambitions, what are you striving for?
“My ambition is to grow professionally. I would love to be able to use my knowledge of Oracle HR to solve problems for clients within the next year or so. This is something I will definitely be investing time in!”