Sapna Gore, Head of HR, leads the HR department at Orion’s India office. She has solid experience of various human resources roles in the pharmaceutical sector, but as an Orionee, she is still quite new.
When Gore was considering whether to join Orion, the first thing she did was find out about Orion’s values. They felt good and natural, and already in her first interviews it became clear to her that the values were not just words on paper, but a part of being an Orionee and of everyday work.
“During the recruitment phase, many people visit the website to see how the company operates and what kind of culture it conveys. That’s what I did, too. When I got to talk to the recruiters, I discovered that the values were reflected in the behaviour of Orion’s people. That’s when I knew I wanted this job,” Gore says.
In Gore’s view, there is little difference between Indian and Finnish working cultures. When there is a consistent value base, the working culture will become similar to this on its own.
“I don't think there are Finnish or Indian Orionees, there are simply Orionees regardless of which country they work in.”
Gaining talents with powers of attraction and retention
Gore is responsible for managing the human resources and developing the HR team’s skills in the Indian organisation. My role is to ensure that the organisation’s workforce is aligned with Orion’s strategic objectives.
“We work hard to attract and retain employees and to foster a good working culture and opportunities for professional development. We want to attract and retain talent,” Gore says.
Orion is not as well known as a brand in India as it is in Finland or Scandinavia, which is why Gore and her colleagues want to focus in particular on employer image and brand awareness.
“We want people who are committed, open-minded, curious and eager to learn. If you have the right attitude, you will learn the job. I want every new Orionee to feel that Orion’s values are their own because then they will enjoy their job and be committed to their work and feel that it is meaningful,” says Gore.
Curiosity and learning from mistakes as springboards
Gore has worked in various HR roles in different companies in the pharmaceutical industry for well over a decade. Courage and perseverance have driven her career forward.
“Sometimes you succeed and sometimes you make mistakes. If I fail, I always try to learn from my mistakes and analyse what went wrong,” says Gore.
Gore says she values the freedom and psychological safety that her employer offers. In particular, Gore praises the Indian organisation’s management team:
“My workplace has an equal and supportive atmosphere. My first few months at Orion felt like a rollercoaster – there was so much to learn. The members of the management team encouraged me and helped me to find my role.”
The four best aspects of my job – Sapna Gore:
- Professional, committed and innovative colleagues who are a pleasure to work with.
- Freedom to express your own opinions and ideas. Ideas are listened to and also put into practice. People appreciate my opinions and me.
- A strong focus on well-being at work. Flexible working hours and hybrid work help me balance work and leisure. In addition, a respectful and open working culture provides motivation and brings warmth and humanity to the workplace.
- Sustainability and meaningful work. We contribute to Orion’s Sustainability Agenda through our own actions. We focus on employee well-being, professional growth and ethical practices. We also make sure that the CROs we use operate according to the standards of Orion’s Code of Ethics.
