In our #PeopleOfAccace series, we will take you behind the scenes of Accace through interviews with our colleagues. You will find out how new services and solutions are created, who has been with Accace the longest and what positions they went through over the years. But most importantly, you will get to know our amazing people. In this interview, we will introduce you to Petra Podstavek, who is part of our Payroll team as an HR Outsourcing Specialist.

What do you do at Accace?

Currently, I am part of a small independent unit within the payroll team with one other colleague. We focus solely on HR, including everything from employment law through benefits administration to HR consulting. We have a relatively wide range of responsibilities, and our workday often brings all sorts of interesting surprises. For example, we recently worked with a client to resolve a situation where an employee was (unjustifiably) unhappy with their wage, refused to leave the workplace, and threatened to call the police on the employer. In the end, everything turned out fine, but not everyone would be able to react calmly in such a situation.

How did you get such an unusual occupation?

Simply, I attended a job interview, and it worked out. At that time, Accace HR Outsourcing was already up and running to a certain extent, and some things were set up well, while others needed to be improved. So, I joined the company with the expectation that I would face quite a few challenges, but at the same time, I would be given a free hand for self-realization, which was exactly what happened.

What is the difference between HR outsourcing vs. when a company manages this agenda internally?

Our typical client is a small company where they would not be able to fully utilize a HR Specialist. In my opinion, HR outsourcing is a great solution in cases where a company would otherwise have to force this agenda upon someone who is usually neither interested nor has adequate knowledge. By utilizing HR outsourcing services instead, they have a wholehearted professional at their disposal, who can advise with joy and navigate through the intricacies of human resources. We can adapt the services provided to suit the specific client needs – for some clients, we provide HR from A to Z, somewhere we prepare solely payroll inputs while other clients use only ad hoc services such as consultations on the Labour Code in practice.

How do your clients benefit from HR outsourcing?

I think the biggest benefit of HR Outsourcing is taking off their shoulders the burden of all the rules and regulations that are inherently linked to HR. Thanks to us clients don’t have to think about it. Furthermore, we can also be a good addition to an internal HR team in case of special events or tasks – for example, when a company suddenly needs to hire a foreign worker and no one in the team has experience with such a process.

Working with people can be quite demanding; how do you recharge in your free time?

I mostly spend my free time with my husband and our dog, a Shiba Inu named Foxi. In addition, I enjoy reading, travelling, and learning foreign languages. And as my colleagues in the payroll department already found out, I love all board games and I usually win in them.

What do only a few people (so far) know about you?

A few years ago, we bought a house that my husband and I are working on together. Thanks to that, I can, for example, mix adhesive for ceramic tiles or concrete in a cement mixer. So, if my career in HR does not work out, I can make a living in construction. Do not miss also our previous #PeopleOfAccace interview with Peter Pašek, Managing Director and Partner of Accace Slovakia!