“I am from Malaga although I have been enjoying Madrid for more than 15 years, a city that I love and that has been the scene of great opportunities and growth both professionally and personally for me. My journey at Spotahome began in January 2020, when I joined an exciting expansion and growth project. During these 4 years, I have gone through different phases and acquired valuable learnings that have enriched my experience. Today, I feel very fortunate to be part of this disruptive company in the proptech market, dedicated to long and medium term residential rentals. What motivates me most about Spotahome is its vibrant culture: a company with a distinct personality, an extraordinary and diverse talent pool, and a constant commitment to evolution and innovation.”
As Chief People Officer at Spotahome for more than 4 years, could you explain the link and involvement that this position has with employees' mental well-being?
1. As Chief People Officer at Spotahome for more than 4 years, could you explain the link and involvement that this position has with employees' mental well-being?
A top priority for me and the People team has been to foster listening and support for employees’ mental well-being within our organisational culture. In response to the impact of the pandemic and our transition to remote working, we have recognised the critical importance of emotional balance to job performance, employee satisfaction, and the creation of a healthy and collaborative work environment.
Emotional well-being is fundamental to fostering creativity, the generation of new ideas, and the determination to see them through – vital in a startup environment such as ours to ensure medium to long-term success. My role involves implementing policies, programmes, and resources that support our employees’ mental health, known as “Spotters”, and promote an environment where they feel supported and valued.
To achieve this, we have prioritised creating an environment of safety and trust where mental health issues can be addressed openly and respectfully. This approach has been supported by our CEO, Alejandro Artacho, who has demonstrated active engagement in raising awareness of mental health challenges among entrepreneurs and our leadership and management team, who play a key role in promoting mental health and well-being across the organisation.
One of your initial values has caught our attention: "We Trust in Trust". What pillars do you see as the basis for this trust, at all levels of the organisation, and even horizontally?
2. One of your initial values has caught our attention: "We Trust in Trust". What pillars do you see as the basis for this trust, at all levels of the organisation, and even horizontally?
Our value “We Trust in Trust” is based on several fundamental pillars. We promote transparency and openness in communication, encouraging employees to express their views and concerns in an open and flexible environment where we can all contribute to constructive dialogue. Moreover, leaders strive to provide an environment of support, trust, and professional development, offering constructive feedback and opportunities for growth. Across the board, we promote collaboration, mutual respect, and equal opportunity, fostering an organisation where every voice is valued and respected.
This value is also fundamental to our business. Trust is the foundation on which we build strong relationships with our customers. We work with integrity, which means we are honest and straightforward in all our interactions, whether with our customers, with our results, or with each other.
In short, our reliance on trust manifests itself through our integrity and transparency in all our relationships, both internal and external, and guides our actions to deliver exceptional service
Putting people at the centre of corporate culture is crucial if we want to build a more human future. What strategy are you implementing within People to make this possible?
3.Putting people at the centre of corporate culture is crucial if we want to build a more human future. What strategy are you implementing within People to make this possible?
In Spotahome’s case, it has been key to promote a culture of transparency and two-way communication through different tools and feedback channels. This has given us valuable information and a solid foundation on which to build and implement a series of policies, initiatives, and resources to improve the daily lives of Spotters.
By monitoring engagement and analysing quantitative feedback we receive from our employees, we have adapted our policies to the changing needs, growth, and resources of the company. We aim to implement people-centred strategies to foster an inclusive and safe working environment where everyone can participate, develop professionally and personally, and feel valued. This includes training and development programmes, work-life balance policies, well-being initiatives, and team-building activities that strengthen the bonds between employees and promote a sense of belonging and community.
“We aim to implement people-centred strategies to foster an inclusive and safe working environment”
Since its beginning, Spotahome has been an international startup, with a large multilingual team, distributed in different locations. Did this motivate you to choose a solution like ifeel to take care of your team's mental well-being? And the fact that it is completely online?
4. Since its beginning, Spotahome has been an international startup, with a large multilingual team, distributed in different locations. Did this motivate you to choose a solution like ifeel to take care of your team's mental well-being? And the fact that it is completely online?/b>
The international and multilingual nature of our team at Spotahome prompted us to look for innovative solutions to address mental well-being in an inclusive and accessible way. Ifeel stood out as an ideal solution, as it offers access to various emotional self-care tools and resources, as well as qualified therapists online, allowing our employees to receive support anytime, anywhere.
In addition, the online platform adapts perfectly to the dynamics and geographical distribution of our team, offering a flexible service with multiple options according to individual needs and in the native language of each team member. This is essential when looking to optimise communication in a diverse and globalised working environment. We were also enthusiastic about the idea of having a partner to design and deliver training and workshops related to preventive activities in the work environment, team management, and personal development and growth, all of which are necessary aspects of the range of training we want to offer for the development of Spotters.
“We were also enthusiastic about the idea of having a partner to design and deliver training and workshops related to preventive activities in the work environment”
It has recently been 1 year since the beginning of our collaboration. What would you say is ifeel's most striking feature and why? How was the initial uptake - and subsequent use - of our solution, by your staff, during this time?
5. It has recently been 1 year since the beginning of our collaboration. What would you say is ifeel's most striking feature and why? How was the initial uptake - and subsequent use - of our solution, by your staff, during this time?
Ifeel’s most outstanding feature is its personalised and accessible approach to emotional well-being care. During this first year of collaboration, we have seen a very positive response from our staff. The initial reception was excellent, and over time we have seen an increase in the use of the platform for different purposes ranging from self-care, personal development, or prevention of mental health problems. This demonstrates the trust and effectiveness of the service. Ifeel has undoubtedly contributed to improving our employees’ emotional well-being by providing them with a safe space to address their concerns and receive the support they need for their mental and emotional health.
A team with strong emotional resources is fundamental to maintaining high levels of motivation, engagement, and productivity. Therefore, we believe that providing emotional well-being tools to our managers and employees is not only good practice but also a strategic investment in the success and sustainability of our business.
