Career Athlete Spotlight #1: SANtastic Way of Working

I had the pleasure of sitting down with Kai Lie Stacher, the Chief HR Officer at SAN Group, and discussing SAN Group’s incredible philosophy and achievements. And more importantly, I was lucky enough to pick Kai Lie’s brain about what makes this company such as fantastic (or some would say SANtastic) and unique place to work for employees. I was amazed at the passion that transpired every time this leader talked about SAN Group and the company’s commitment to always do better. 

In fact, passion is one of the most important drivers for SAN Group employees. 

"SAN Group invests greatly in health innovation and sustainability for its employees and clients. We believe that our passion for what we do, our focus on the future, and tremendous R&D efforts to always be one step ahead is what differentiates us from our competitors."

SAN Group’s approach is all about creating an energizing company culture designed to ensure employees thrive in both their professional and personal life. And as a testament to its people-focused approach, the business has implemented initiatives such as sports or mental health programs and invested in ergonomic work equipment to prevent health issues, thus providing employees with the tools and support they need to not only perform but thrive.

The company is so supportive of its employees that the marketing team created a name for the fantastic work approach the organization promotes: SANtastic! 

And everything related to employees’ health, from specific mental health programs to sports initiatives, is categorized under the SANactive umbrella. 

According to the leadership team, passionate and happy employees lead to profits, and that’s why choosing the right people to embark on the SAN Group’s journey and nurturing them is so critical to the company’s success. At SAN Group, profits are seen as the natural consequence of nurturing employees and keeping their passion alive.

"We encourage employees to come up with unconventional ideas."

And while the company has won many prizes over the last couple of years, including “great place to work,” Kai Lie explains that SAN Group’s goal isn’t about winning prizes and adding them to its corporate social responsibility report. It’s about validating the company culture and ensuring the business is heading in the right direction when it comes to nurturing its employees. If there’s one thing set in stone at SAN Group, it’s that the company is always looking to improve and challenge the status quo. That’s why the organization regularly requests anonymous employee feedback, always seeking to harness opportunities to do better.

"We invest in our talent by pushing them outside of their comfort zone and giving them high-stake projects."

SAN Group’s talent strategy hinges on empowering its employees by pushing them out of their comfort zone while providing strong mentorship to allow them to succeed in their high-stake projects or missions.

Where some companies would see costs and risks, SAN Group sees an opportunity for personal and professional development and a future positive ripple effect. 

"Mentorship is a key tool to motivate and empower employees."

For Kai Lie, mentoring others is as much about listening to them and allowing them to find a sounding board as it is about helping change their perspective on things and embrace the SAN Group’s journey as a team. SAN Group is still young, and as such, there are hurdles and uncertainties. And for the passionate HR leader, it’s all about embracing the challenges together, learning from any setbacks and moving forward as a team.

"There was a time in my life when I worked a lot and stopped taking care of myself. I felt exhausted and knew I had to change something."

Kai Lie candidly admits that she hasn’t always taken care of herself the way she should have to perform at her best. Although she explains her workload was never the issue, she knew that not exercising, taking rest as much as she should or not having balanced meals would lead her to burnout. 

She knew she had to change something when it came to her daily habits.

Exercising and walking in nature (rain, hail, or shine!) are two things that really help the ambitious leader manage her stress levels and reset. 

What’s more, Kai Lie explains that eating healthily is another thing that helps fuel her energy levels and power through the day. For her meal planning is a lifesaver when it comes to living healthy and managing a busy and demanding career. That’s why she always stocks up on fresh food. This way, she can always whip up a healthy meal no matter what.

What I find even more fascinating and inspiring is the fact that Kai Lie isn’t just adopting energizing habits for herself. She wants to be a role model for the rest of the company too. And that’s why she recently enrolled in a half marathon sponsored by SAN Group. She also always tries to participate in sports events organized within the company, such as volleyball sessions. 

But that’s not all Kai Lie does to inspire others in the company. 

The passionate leader is also about to organize a day in the vineyards where employees will be helping with the physical work. It’s a great way for them to gather field knowledge about the company’s different products and services and experience how they’re produced. 

And, of course, although she is one of the company’s top leader, Kai-Lie will be getting her hands dirty, just like the rest of the team! 

Despite a busy schedule, this leader makes it a point to exercise these days as part of her daily routine. She particularly enjoys CrossFit because it’s challenging and allows her to push her own boundaries. Just like in her professional life, Kai-Lie loves to challenge the status quo and grow. Once she’s done with the workout, she feels proud of herself and reenergized, and she loves that feeling.

When asked what makes her truly happy, the sparkle in her eyes as she mentions dogs says it all! Coming home after a long and difficult day to a dog that’s always happy to see her is priceless. It brings her joy and helps her stay mentally fit.

"I can’t resist French fries."

But dogs aren’t the only thing that brings her joy! Give her a plate of delicious French fries, and you’ll make her really happy ;) In fact, she’s such a French fry lover that her brother printed her picture next to French fries on a T-Shirt for her bachelorette party!

And, of course, as the caring team player she is, being surrounded by positive people is one of her favorite things in the world. 

As we wrap up the interview and I ask Kai-Lie whether she wants to mention anything else about what makes her happy and helps her lead a fulfilling life, she immediately mentions SAN Group and its future-focused, sustainable approach. One of the projects she’s really proud of involves using sustainable energy and organic matter to grow food in the desert in the UAE in a fully sustainable way. The idea is to green the desert!

Yes, it’s obvious to me; SAN Group walks the talk when it comes to nurturing its employees and the planet and challenging the way we live.

If you're curious to find out how the SANtastic way of working is revolutionizing the future, head to their website and be inspired!