Meet the Team — Nikola Schulz, Event & Office Manager

Having a team that spans across the globe introduces a number of exciting attributes to a company, whether it is the multiple different cultures and backgrounds mixing between employees, or the ability to represent our vision around the world. This potential double-edged sword can also bring about unique challenges — but with the help of Nikola Schulz, GRID’s Event & Office Manager, the GRID Team is cohesive and engaged despite the distance between us.

Continue reading to learn about Nikola’s role on the GRID, the development of her position since joining the Team, and how she works to keep our team connected.

As GRID’s Office & Events Manager, do you find yourself traveling between the German and Poland offices frequently or primarily working at one location in particular?

I primarily work from the Berlin office. I have helped a little with the new office in Poland but only remotely. I would love to be in Wroclaw more frequently and there might be times in the future to do so if Aga (GRID’s People Lead Poland) needs my support.

Can you walk us through a day in your position at GRID?

Most of my day I spend planning upcoming events and researching better ways to get a remote team involved, better connected and engaged. I also help out anyone that needs support. There is a lot of documentation involved and constantly updating spreadsheets.

I also take care of ordering and sending swag to new employees as well as new equipment which comes with keeping track of invoices, etc. Another part of my job is to take care of the office, keeping everything clean, fully stocked, and running.

Your position often requires you to connect with multiple people, and sometimes the wider team as a whole. What do you enjoy most about speaking with so many people?

Speaking to so many people as part of my job is actually pretty interesting. I get to hear all sorts of different perspectives, which really broadens my own understanding. Hearing everyone’s story as to how they ended up working for GRID is really fun to me. Everyone brings different experiences and everyone is so passionate about what we do here!

It’s rare to work in such a supportive and positive environment where everyone cares so much about the quality of our product and the value it brings to the gaming world. It is really unique and inspiring!

Are gaming and esports something you enjoy outside of work, and does working in an esports company introduce any unique aspects to your role?

Before I joined GRID I had recently discovered the world of gaming and realized how much I enjoy connecting with people through playing games. I love to play Valorant and Slay the Spire and I have been discovering so many amazing games through connecting with colleagues.

Working with all these esports-passionate people here at GRID really inspires me and gives me more energy and enthusiasm to foster a positive work environment and create meaningful moments for everyone.

You joined GRID 6 months ago, has your position evolved over this time? If so, in what ways?

6 months already! Feels crazy to me how fast time has gone by. When I first started I was really just working in the Berlin office as the office manager, taking care of all office-related things and putting on events for our Berlin team mainly.

As time has gone on and I have gotten more familiar with how we work at GRID I have started to focus more on the events side of my job. I am now hosting more online events to reach everyone working remotely and also helping plan and organize team events coordinating with everyone involved.

What are some goals you have for the future at GRID? Have you achieved any goals already?

Our team is spread out across the globe, there is so much diversity as we have people from every part of the world working together remotely. My goal is to really create moments of intentional togetherness to make everyone at GRID feel well connected, included, and valued as it is so important for everyone’s well-being and mental health to feel safe and appreciated at their place of work.

After all, we spend most of our time in a week working together! Closer connections between individuals and teams also allow for a rich exchange of ideas and insights, which ultimately contributes to more and better collaboration as well as a dynamic work environment.

I have started a Coffee-Roulette to randomly pair two people together to find time to sit down and get to know each other. I try to pair people from different teams so everyone gets to know someone they might not talk to on a regular basis. So far, I’ve gotten lots of positive feedback. The success of this initiative makes me very happy since I also have the opportunity to meet the amazing people I work with on a more personal level.

We have quite a diverse group at GRID with many different interests. What are some of your favorite hobbies outside of work?

I go bouldering quite often and I enjoy being outside and reading. I also like doing tattoos as well as painting and playing games of course!