Thursday evening. Crisp and cold, clear and beautiful. Walking through a Christmas-decorated Liseberg, with millions of lights and thousands of people. I watch a few minutes of the ice show, before I head out the main entrance.
It’s the perfect evening. And I have one of those, what I call my Pinch-Pinch moments. I feel like I am the luckiest person alive, having the job I have, where everything makes sense, and I could think of no other place to be.
I think most people in my role would agree, that this job is not that glamorous. My side of the equation is far more focused on the logistics, discipline and long workdays than the expectations, experiences and memories our guests have.
But these rare Pinch-Pinch-moments, where everything makes sense, compensate for just that.
A few months ago, I had a to make a choice: Did I want to stay, or did I want to pursue a new opportunity, which I was offered. And this process – besides being extremely stressful – was in fact very healthy. Because I was forced to recalibrate what I value about my current role – and what I might gain – or loose – from transitioning.
Very simplified, it was basically choosing between love … or money.
One the characteristics of working in this industry, is that we are the first employers of the coming generations of professionals. While waiting for the post-Millennials to enter the arena, we are still working with a generation of employees, for whom work life balance, social consciousness, meaning making, creativity and team-work is far more important than compensation and career opportunities.
And I guess I identify much more than these millennials, than I thought.
Because I chose love. Staying where I am, with the company that I have grown to care so much about.
Pinch-Pinch. And Happy Holidays!
Andreas
