When Zandra Eriksson took on the role of Area Manager for Malmö and Ystad, she inherited a team that for several years had been divided into two different geographical areas, with different managers and ways of working. Her main focus from the start was to bring the group together and build trust in her as a new leader.
Building trust takes time, but I am glad I invested a lot of time in strengthening our sense of community and creating a safe environment where we feel comfortable with each other. We are taking big steps forward as a team, with growing cohesion and a workplace where culture is just as important as what we deliver.
A service agreement that became a milestone
One agreement Zandra has worked extensively on is the newly signed service contract with Malmö City Network. The agreement is the result of strong relationship-building efforts together with project designer Hampus, combined with a team that delivers on its promises, takes responsibility and maintains high quality.
Zandra sees the agreement as a major success for the area and clear proof that they are doing the right things. The contract has only been active for a few weeks, and the team is still learning – something she finds both exciting and motivating.
Building a team from the ground up
Team spirit is a recurring theme when Zandra reflects on the past year. One of her first priorities was to bridge the long-standing gap between construction and service, which had been deeply rooted in the organization.
Step by step, the group has become more united – helping each other, sharing knowledge and daring to trust one another’s skills. Change is not easy, but according to Zandra, the results speak for themselves: better collaboration, more openness and a more positive tone in everyday work.
Daring to show emotions
As a young woman in a male-dominated industry, Zandra has sometimes been questioned. There are still prejudices about women in technical roles. She is clear about where her focus lies.
My job is not to fix faults out in the field, but to make sure my employees have the right conditions, feel well and that we reach our goals.
She sees clear differences between women and men and is convinced that mixed teams are stronger. With many years of leadership experience, she feels secure in her role. She values respect, clarity and honesty, and emphasizes the importance of humor, humility and daring to show emotions.
That is when we grow as a team and learn from each other.
A daily role filled with decisions
Zandra describes the role of Area Manager as broad, complex and sometimes demanding. It involves everything from customer agreements, invoicing and local business development to employee conversations, prioritizations and difficult decisions.
One of the biggest challenges is balancing a tight budget with the ambition to improve the work environment and give technicians the right conditions.
My task is to make everyday life easier for my technicians and project designers, which sometimes requires difficult trade-offs to stay within budget.
Living the company values
Zandra often returns to Transtema’s core values – Think New, Show Respect and Take Responsibility – and explains how she applies them in her daily work.
- Show Respect means being present, accessible and showing appreciation.
- Think New is about encouraging ideas and seeing mistakes as learning opportunities – something the industry needs to get better at.
- Take Responsibility means standing up for my team and my decisions.
What are the success factors in field operations?
Zandra sees a clear development in the industry towards broader technical skills and believes that increased digital maturity will be crucial going forward. The generational differences are significant, and the ability to learn new things and broaden one’s competence will be essential – both for individuals and organizations.
A strong driving force for her is the feeling of contributing to society. When major disruptions occur, it becomes clear how important their work is for customers and the community. She often joins field work to better understand the everyday reality of technicians and project designers, even though she wishes she had more time to do so.
Boxing and time with her children recharge her energy
The role of Area Manager is intensive and sometimes lonely. To recharge, Zandra leads an active life outside of work.
Training is key. I used to box and have two brothers. When I need to clear my head, I call them and we train boxing together – very effective.
She also spends a lot of time with her two daughters and the family dog, often at the stable.
Zandra highlights the support of her colleague Thomas as crucial during her first period at Transtema.
It is incredibly important to have someone to discuss ideas, challenges and thoughts with – especially someone who has been in the same role and truly understands what it involves.
