As part of our 70th anniversary celebration, we’re meeting some of the employees who have been our colleagues the longest. Read about their career journeys, experiences, and how the daily work has evolved over the years!
Say hello to Hans-Erik Hermansson!
When did you start working at Thomas Betong AB?
I started on January 18, 1982.
What was your first role and what is your role today?
My first role was as an accounting assistant and janitor substitute. Today, I work as an IT Technician.
“That variety and the opportunity to grow have made it easy to stay.”
What does a typical workday look like for you?
I work in first-line IT support. That means helping users with everything from passwords and computers to printers, phones, and subscriptions. I set up and remove users and manage the access control system.
Tell us a little about yourself.
I’m 63 years old and live with my wife just outside Gothenburg. We enjoy traveling, although we haven’t taken any long trips in recent years, New York in 2019 was the last one. Last year, we took bus trips to Berlin and Hanover instead. My biggest interest is pétanque (boule), something I actually started playing on the plant grounds at Ringön. My best result is 9th place at the Swedish Championships and qualifying for the elite series!
Share a strong memory from your early years at the company.
I remember my first day at work. The first person I met was Mr. Flink, who greeted me by tipping his hat and saying ‘good day’. Later, we were going up to ‘the girls in invoicing,’ which, as a young and newly hired person, I thought might be interesting. However, they were around 40, which felt old at the time, but over the years, we developed a great connection, and the age difference no longer mattered.
Tell us about something unexpected that happened during your time at the company, and what it led to.
It didn’t happen directly at work, but thanks to us starting to play pétanque in the yard, I actually got a role in a feature film that later won several Guldbagge Awards.
How would you briefly describe the company when you started working here? What is the biggest change compared to today?
When I started, a merger had just taken place. Previously, each plant was its own limited company, but we became one unit that was later split into subsidiaries and then merged again around the millennium. Today, we have a common brand and a unified global profile, which makes it easier to work across borders. Back then, the headquarters in Gothenburg occupied two floors with small offices and shared rooms. Today, we have the entire six-floor building and still struggle with space.
How was the company culture then and now?
In many ways, it was more formal back then. For example, not many people used first names with the founder Martin Thomas, it was ‘Director Thomas.’ If you were going to speak with him, ‘the chief’ as he was sometimes called, you put on a jacket and tie, which often hung in the closet just for such occasions. At the same time, it was more relaxed in other ways. We were smaller and divided into small companies, which created a family-like feeling. Today, we are a multinational group, and the small company has grown large, which affects collaboration between departments.
What has made you enjoy and stay for so long?
I’ve had the privilege of trying many different roles, from accounting assistant to cashier, CFO, and IT technician, and even private chauffeur and pool caretaker! There has been a strong sense of community, appreciation for what I’ve done, and good collaboration with colleagues. Also, it’s always been fun to follow technological development, from paper and pen to digitalization. I’ve learned most of it myself, but I’ve also taken several enriching courses. That variety and the opportunity to grow have made it easy to stay.
