Transforming employee appraisals
Paving the way for new working environments
Yasemin Tahris, entrepreneur, doctor of organizational psychology and founder of FLOWIT AG, has already achieved notable success in her mid-30s. What drives her is her passionate interest in people and their potential.
Few appointments are perceived as differently as an employee appraisal. These meetings see managers and employees come together to offer feedback, set goals and explore development opportunities. While they represent an important HR tool, Yasemin Tahris believes there is room for improvement. “Employees need more than an annual appraisal. If they are to really grow, they need continuous support,” says the young entrepreneur. This stance forms the basis of her company FLOWIT AG. The name says it all: FLOWIT emphasizes that things have to keep moving.
It was her husband, Bilâl, owner of the family business ARTEK, which produces household and kitchen appliances, who gave her the idea. He questioned the suitability of conventional feedback methods, which did not fit the bill for his diverse and multicultural company. Yasemin immediately recognized the potential for something new and more modern and worked together with a colleague to develop a solution based on artificial intelligence. Their goal was to provide employees with holistic support and place a focus on their individual strengths. The tool was met with great interest that went well beyond ARTEK. The married couple therefore decided to transform what was initially an HR project into a start-up.
It may come as a surprise to learn that Yasemin Tahris does not have a background in the technology sector. Her professional journey in fact started as a healthcare specialist. “I loved my job because I enjoy working with people,” she explains. She has also always been fascinated by the world of psychology. After graduating from high school, she began studying work and organizational psychology. It was during this time that she learned how to support people in a targeted way. She was able to put her newly acquired knowledge into practice at Soziale Unternehmungen Zürich (SUZ), a non-profit organization that supports people entering or re-entering the workplace, among other things. She later completed a doctorate in occupational safety and consolidated her understanding of work processes and the challenges that companies have to overcome today.
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She gradually added more knowledge and experience to her bow, preparing her for her entry into the corporate world. In the first few years, FLOWIT financed itself exclusively from its own funds and income generated from the customer business. “We wanted to retain control and realize our vision without external pressure,” she explains. This independence, referred to as bootstrapping in technical jargon, allowed FLOWIT to grow organically. It was only when international expansion appeared imminent that they started to look for investors. “We have always made sure that our partners are a good fit with us in both business and personal terms,” says Yasemin Tahris. Their bank of choice was UBS, which supports them with business matters such as currency hedging, online banking and foreign exchange trading.
We wanted to work with a bank that possesses expertise in both start-ups and traditional family companies and found the ideal partner in UBS. We especially value the pragmatic working relationship based on trust as well as the impressive level of client service.
While Yasemin Tahris is a passionate entrepreneur, money is by no means her main focus. “I’ve never done anything simply for the money,” she stresses. However, she does attach great importance to ensuring solid financial provision for the future. “It is important to think about the future at an early stage,” she emphasizes. Working together with wealth management experts, the married couple are planning their private pension provision and making targeted investments in rental properties. “As parents of two children, we want to make sure that not only our company, but also our family is well protected.”
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However, Yasemin Tahris also wants to give something of her success back to society. Having grown up herself in a working-class family, she is aware that it is not always easy to do exactly what you want. Working on a voluntary basis, she supports young women from socially disadvantaged families in completing job-application processes. When asked whether she sees herself as a role model, she is modest in her answer. “Maybe because I didn't take the conventional route in arriving where I am now,” she replies. She is convinced that it is not important to follow a straight trajectory in life, but rather to believe in what you are doing and to enjoy it. She has always been interested in people and their potential – and it is precisely this that has led to her success.
Her passion burns as bright as ever. So is there room for something new? “At the moment, I’m focusing on FLOWIT and my family,” she says. Nevertheless, she has no shortage of ideas. At some point in the future, she would like to coach people embarking on non-conventional career paths. “There is still a lot of catching up to do here,” opines Yasemin Tahris. Watch this space.
About FLOWIT AG
About FLOWIT AG
FLOWIT AG is a Swiss start-up that specializes in AI-supported solutions for personnel development and employee retention. The platform allows for skill-based learning and real-time feedback and is aimed, in particular, at employees who do not work in an office environment, for example service technicians and nursing staff. FLOWIT supports companies in moving away from static annual employee appraisals and instead promoting dynamic and continuous development.
The company was established in 2020 by Bilâl and Yasemin Tahris. Since its market launch back in September 2021, FLOWIT has already secured 70 customers in Germany, Austria and Switzerland (referred to as the “DACH” region), including hospitals, catering businesses and real estate companies. FLOWIT currently employs 20 people.
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