Our team at ELA Analysis is made up of outstanding professionals in their respective fields who are excellent colleagues at the same time. I feel I can rely on them even in the toughest circumstances.
How would you describe your experience of working at the European Labour Authority (ELA)?
ELA has a highly stimulating work environment, offering many interesting and engaging tasks, and a community of colleagues that are always there to help. Throughout my tenure at ELA, I have stayed with the same team, the Analysis and Risk Assessment Sector of our Authority. Nevertheless, I have had the opportunity to work on a broad variety of projects and activities, including strategic sectoral reports as well as workshops dedicated to the use of quantitative methods in the practice of labour inspectorates and the preparation of analytical reports supporting concrete cases. The variety of projects we can work on brings novelty to our daily work and allows ELA staff to develop professionally.
What aspect of your work do you find most rewarding?
I enjoy meeting practitioners from a variety of fields and economic sectors. Many of these practitioners are mobile workers themselves or work with mobile workers on a regular basis. These encounters give a human touch to our work at ELA and to the entire EU labour mobility framework. It is particularly rewarding if our projects lead to improvements in the enforcement of workers’ rights and fair labour mobility across the European Economic Area (EEA).
How has the organisation supported your professional development?
ELA provides ample support for career development and professional growth. Alongside existing online courses, the organisation has a dedicated budget to support participation in external training relevant to our work and broader professional growth. I have benefitted from these opportunities many times, for instance, by participating in external courses dedicated to machine learning and open-source intelligence methods.
What do you value most about your colleagues and team?
Our team at ELA Analysis is made up of outstanding professionals in their respective fields who are excellent colleagues at the same time. I feel I can rely on them even in the toughest circumstances. We come from different professional backgrounds and life experiences, but we clicked immediately and became a smooth and well-functioning team. Much of it has to do with the fact that all of us are willing to go above and beyond to deliver on our objectives. However, we also maintain a lively social life, which includes many ELA events, such as the famous ELA Saint Patrick’s Day celebration.
What advice would you give to newcomers moving to the city?
Be sure to visit the Danube riverbanks (both sides) between May and September. It boasts a lively party scene, with many pubs, coffee shops, street food places and green spaces. Also, make sure to discuss healthcare-related benefits and support measures. Navigating Bratislava’s health care system without a proper knowledge of Slovak might be tricky at times, but ELA does provide support in this area.