“A supportive culture and team spirit are essential for success”

Laia Fortuny is a specialist in transportation management and joined 4flow at the Saragossa, Spain, location in 2022. In this interview she talks about how she ended up in the supply chain industry without a background in logistics, why she is passionate about corporate culture, and how she unwinds after a busy week.

What do you do as a specialist in transportation management?
Working for 4flow management in Saragossa, Spain, I manage transportation for one of our customers. My team makes sure everything gets to the right place at the right time.

Why did you decide for a career in supply chain?
I came to supply chain by chance, enjoyed it, and knew I wanted to make a career out of it. Before I joined the industry, I had been working in office administration. I decided that I wanted to live abroad for a while, which took me to the Netherlands, where I got a job with a large transportation company. There I discovered my passion for the industry and decided that I wanted to pursue a career in transportation management.

What do you like most about the industry?
I like that there is something new to do every day. As a child I always had new ideas about what I wanted to be when I grew up. One day I wanted to be a firewoman, the next day I wanted to be a doctor. I like to try new things and continuing to learn. That’s why I’ll go back to university this year to pursue a higher degree in business administration and management with support from 4flow. I will continue working while studying. I’m very grateful and excited that 4flow is offering me this opportunity. Gaining knowledge and developing new skills is always something I look forward to.

What would you say are the most important skills for your job?
Definitely multi-tasking. There are so many topics to keep in mind at once. Communication skills are important as well because we work together with many different carriers to offer the best service possible to our customers. And you need to be a team player because we rely on each other in our daily work. Each person depends on their teammates to do a good job. A supportive culture and team spirit are essential for success.

What would you say is essential to create such a strong team spirit?
To me, it is very important to find the time to connect on a personal level, like team dinners. For example, once a week we go out to eat juepincho in Saragossa, a specific type of bread with different toppings, which is only served on Thursdays. Everyone always looks forward to it, and it brings us closer together. Our jobs can get very busy, so it is important to incorporate these little highlights into our days. No matter how many tasks we have, we still enjoy it because we like working together.

What do you do to unwind when your job gets busy?
On the weekends I like to visit my family in my hometown and spend time with them. Usually, we just take a walk on the beach and eat together. It’s very relaxing to me. When I’m in Saragossa, I like to try out new restaurants with friends. Saragossa is a very nice city and there are still many places for me to explore.