“The company’s people, global environment, and flexibility are the driving factors that have me coming to work every day with such zeal.”
The global environment Nithya speaks of is Schneider Electric Bangalore, where she works with Swedish business units, handling their vendor accounts from all over the world. Her cultural depth doesn’t stop there, as she adds “I’ve been studying Bharatanatyam choreography for more than 20 years. It has always given me joy and added meaning to my life. It has created a ‘better me’. Because work allows me to pursue my passions, including my Masters in Fine Arts this year, I am living the life I’ve wished for!”
The shared fruits of labour
“I love that my hobby unites all walks of life. People appreciate the fruits and vegetables from my garden. It’s great exercise, and it supports my community,” explains Delivery Resource Coordinator, Philippa Clayton, who shares the produce with friends, family, and beyond.
“I produce so much, I have to give it out at the office – they don’t seem to mind!” Philippa not only contributes some of her harvest (and award-winning jams) to her colleagues; she coordinates labor for the Industry Business, placing critical delivery experts in the field for Schneider Electric UK. Whether she’s taking on new service projects or preparing to sweep the prizes at next year’s May Fair, Philippa’s mentality is the same: “I like to be pushed to learn something new. Every day is a school day! ‘Not knowing’ always motivates me to do great things.”
“Schneider allows flexibility via trust and understanding. I’ve found a great life/work balance here.”
Yu’s many shades of green
An environment and sustainability engineer, Yu Siang Chieng is a voice of the company’s green mission. At Schneider Electric, Yu supports initiatives for a lower-carbon supply chain – one that zeroes in on reduced landfill waste through energy efficiency. “I’m an environmentalist who strongly believes that we need to instill sustainable living in those around us.” It’s the outdoors that motivates her to create, though. “I like to immerse myself in nature, seeking inspiration … for cartoons, sketches of people, forest scenes and such. But whether I’m painting, sketching, or working, I’m always focused on the environment. Fresh air gives me peace of mind.”
“As long as you dare to express your talents, you have a stage to shine at Schneider. Our company is evolving quickly,” she adds.
Breaking boards and work rewards
“Taekwondo is my break from the world. When I’m training, any frustration from the day just melts away,” says Sharon Mishra, a field marketing and communications expert for Schneider Electric in Sydney.
When she’s not kicking through boards or applying her athletic background in the dojo – the same training ground where she met her fiancé – Sharon strategically plans, budgets, and executes marketing events, which she describes as hard but rewarding work.
“But expression is the key. Like when I teach taekwondo, clear communication ensures productive training. The same is crucial for my role in marketing, as we are required to work with stakeholders from all over the globe. Both roles are very important to me, and both very satisfying!” she exclaims.
Making a difference and baking a difference
Brenda Sanchez lives to help people, and free cake is always a help … especially if you’re a child in need. She gives away her sweets to ailing children and their families through a charity organization of like-minded bakers.
“Being good to people is my everyday goal,” she explains. “I like to remind them that good things can happen.” Brenda is also good to her team of electronic designers around the world as the custodian of their Power Management Technologies database. But she sees techniques in engineering and baking as the same: “Everything has a recipe – I look for new ingredients and new ways to give help. It’s just that sometimes the help I give has frosting on it!”
“At Schneider, I’m not just a number. I’m made to feel like an individual. I love that my opinion is heard … that it matters,” she says.
