© creative synergies, Laurent Bailly
A departure for a few months… which turned into a new life
Originally from Portugal, Marlene arrived in Switzerland 13 years ago when her uncle, who worked for us, offered her a seasonal job. She was in her twenties at the time and saw it as an opportunity to have a new experience for eight months in a country she didn't yet know.
Very quickly, she distinguished herself by her seriousness and curiosity: we then offered her a place to stay. Leaving the room her uncle lent her, she moved into her own accommodation and began to build her life here.
From a factory worker's job to that of a manager
From the very beginning, Marlene sought to understand everything. «I asked a lot of questions, even though I didn’t yet speak French very well. My managers were great; they gave me explanations and entrusted me with many different tasks,» she explains. So, after starting with the tomato harvest, she learned about introducing bumblebees for pollination, pruning bouquets to select the best flowers, and even quality control checks before shipping. Then, gradually, dividing her time between the greenhouse and the office, she learned to manage equipment orders and working hours.
Three years ago, we appointed her to a key position: greenhouse manager. Reporting to the production manager, she plans and supervises the activity of more than 100 people in our six large greenhouses where tomatoes, eggplants and cucumbers are grown.
Anticipate, organize, stay close
Planning work is a balancing act. Crops change with the seasons, needs shift weekly, and you have to ensure the right number of people are in the right place. Marlene develops schedules well in advance to anticipate staffing and equipment needs, while remaining ready to adapt.
But her role is not limited to the office. Every day, she tours the greenhouses, talks with the managers on site and takes the time to discuss with the teams to see concretely how daily life is going for the people in the field.
Work hard and team in a good mood
What Marlene appreciates most are situations where you have to react quickly, find solutions, and everyone enthusiastically pitches in. Like this summer, when a polytunnel greenhouse had to be urgently cleaned for planting. mini cucumbersInitially thinking she was facing an impossible mission, she ultimately reorganized the schedules, mobilized a team, and injected her contagious energy. "I make a lot of noise to highlight the people who are committed," she confides. "And seeing people united and smiling despite the pressure is a wonderful reward.".
A construction project and a new season ahead
As the season draws to a close, with the harvest complete and the clean-up underway, a new challenge is already on the horizon: the complete renovation of one of our greenhouses, scheduled to take eight weeks. Marlene will be our on-site contact and will coordinate the support provided by the greenhouse staff for the related work.
As for the next vegetable growing season, she is already delighted to be able to fully rely on her new right-hand woman, Marcia Lopes, a promising collaborator to whom she has, in turn, passed on her know-how.