Having risen rapidly through the ranks only two years into her role with Regus, Jelena Banovic talks dedication, optimism and remembering team member birthdays.
Looking on the bright side of life is something that comes naturally to Jelena Banovic.
Having spent the last two years at Regus, where she has quickly risen to the role of Community Manager in Serbia, the 29-year-old from Belgrade feels that having a glass that’s always half full rather than half empty is one of her most important traits, not just in business – but in life, too. “My optimism is something that matters to me a lot,” she says. “I think that optimism is the most important human trait, because it allows us to evolve our ideas, to improve our situation, and to hope for a better tomorrow.”
When Banovic was on the lookout for a new job, it was a friend who recommended it as a great place to work, which prompted her to apply. The rest is history.“The best thing (about) working for IWG is positive atmosphere between clients and employees,” she says. “We always give our best to help our clients and to make their stay in our centresnice andpleasant.”
They say variety is the spice of life and that’s certainly the case in Banovic’s role, with new clients and new events to plan bringing variety to her job.“I love that each day is different,” she says.“We always have a range of tasks during the day to solve.” In addition, there is the preparation for the monthly client events. “We try to surprisethem each month and my opinion is that we are doing a great job,” she says. “Our clients truly enjoy our gatherings.”
Since working at Regus,Banovic says her role has made her more creative and enhanced her ability to multitask, as well as helped her to develop strong communication, decision-making and interpersonal skills. “I’m always trying to organise my private and my working environment,” she says. “Organisationhelps me inmy everyday duties.”
It’s these organisational skills that have helped Banovicmeet the many exciting challenges posed by the role. “Workingwith so many differentpeople and companiescan sometimesbe challenging when it comes to meeting their requirements and solving issues in the centresat the same time,” she explains. “In situations like that, you need to prioritise, be attentive and very focused.”
Still under 30, Banovic has already risen through the company ranks, first being promoted to Community Manager, then Team Lead Community Manager. She reckons that communication is key in providing effective management, even down to the fact she always remembers her team’s birthdays and anniversaries! “I have learned to listen and to communicate with my team in order to find (the) best solution for each situation,” she says. “From that I learned how important it is to be the leader when necessary, but also to be a good team player.”
Having a positive outlook and proactive approach to customer service is something Banovicfeels would stand any new applicant in good stead. “I would say Regus suits the person who has positive and pleasantpersonality,someone who is friendly,patient, willing to learn new things and a team player.”
As well as variety and responsibility, flexibility and the ability to relocate is something Regus offers its staff. “We can move between our centres, meet other clients and work with our other colleagues,” explains Banovic. “That is a positive thing – you are still working for the same company, in the same team,but you can work from different locations.”
What’s the secret to building a successful centre? “You need to be honest, reliable, dedicated and ready to work as a team player and communicate with your team on a daily basis,” she concludes.
Could working for Regus be the next step for you?