Majda Berislavić, Head of Marketing Promotions at Atlantic Grupa
Majda Berislavić is Head of Programs & Promotions at Atlantic Grupa, one of the leading food and beverages companies in the SEE region, employing approximately 5300 people in total.
Having worked at Atlantic Grupa for 18 years. you must have seen some significant changes?
Huge changes have happened since I started working for the company! Atlantic Grupa was originally created from the distribution business and then grew into a regional company through acquisitions of production companies.
At first, there was a stronger focus on sales, but then it shifted to marketing. With each acquisition, the complexity in terms of process and organization expanded, so departments were formed that dealt with some joint activities. One of them was Central Marketing, which lead to the Marketing Academy. The Academy is Atlantic Grupa’s inhouse training for all marketers, and for our distribution colleagues who benefit from having that knowledge.
That’s also why I’ve been with the company for so long. It’s been constantly changing, so I’m always facing fresh challenges. Which is so important: it’s how projects evolve. New people with new knowledge came - no two days are the same, no two months are the same. We are constantly changing and so am I personally.
Can you tell us about one of these changes?
One of my biggest eye-openers was when I was given the task of leading the Marketing Academy. Up until then, my experience was exclusively in marketing. The view from the learning and development side was completely different, and this started a greater journey of exploration for me.
At the time, I was also undergoing a very difficult period in my business and personal life which had me feeling that I was at the lowest point.
What changed my view was completely outside my field of knowledge at that moment - it was about digital marketing. Just understanding something that I have no experience with opened me up to other new and unexplored things in my life. And this is how I find new activities even now – I have to try something completely new and unfamiliar, then connect that with the learning needs that we have identified.
And with employee attrition at an all-time high, what advice would you give to other L&D professionals?
Good education is an excellent retention tool. But you have very clear criteria for who goes to what. Strike a balance between giving staff relevant training and giving them the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues they don't normally work, as that’s the best way to transfer knowledge, interact and feel a sense of belonging.
What are your top 5 learnings from organising the Marketing Academy?
Group collaboration and assignments are essential. They ensure knowledge doesn’t get siloed and create a sense of belonging and cohesiveness across teams.
Virtual presentations are invaluable and accessible. Lunch& Learn sessions can be particularly valuable sources of inspiration.
Self-paced education is not for everyone. For it to work effectively at scale, it has to have strict goals and assignments.
E-learning is viable but it needs to be interactive with real people, or in a very short form.
Internal training is hugely useful. There is always someone in the company with that great ability, knowledge and charm to present something to others in a way that resonates. And everyone likes to see a familiar face. External training is best used as a way to inject new perspectives and cover new topics that no one in the organisation has experienced.
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