‘Returning to Evolve felt like a family reunion’ – Martina Zammit shares her journey and outlook

Having begun her journey with Evolve Ltd at a young age as an office administrator, returning years later as a Financial Supervisor after graduating as an accountant provided Martina Zammit with the opportunity for professional growth – as well as a determination to contribute to the company’s bigger picture.

“Returning to Evolve felt like a family reunion with some awesome new additions,” says Ms Zammit, who says it felt reassuring to be wanted back into the company – which supplies equipment and services to the scientific, industrial and medical sectors – and to be entrusted with a more prominent role. 

“During my time away from the company, both myself and the company grew a lot and part of my success on returning was acknowledging the changes and bringing in a fresh perspective to the team,” says Ms Zammit. “I was determined to show my commitment towards the company and its mission.”

Ms Zammit asserts that, much like personal relationships, it can be extremely comforting to return to something familiar, and a former employer does provide a certain level of comfort. “I left the company a long time ago and have handled different responsibilities thereafter, therefore I had no difficulty reconsidering a new role and designation,” she says. 

“Moreover, I acquired a new skillset during that time and was eligible for an opportunity that was unavailable to me earlier. Besides, the company has provided me with a satisfying short- and long-term projection that proved to be very appealing.”

And since returning, the Financial Supervisor has wasted no time in implementing positive change within Evolve. “One of my greatest personal achievements would be the internal controls developed within the department, that led to timely and accurate information being provided to management. I believe that numbers don’t lie, and these should provide the right information in the form of data to help with the company’s decision-making process.”

On the flip side, bringing about change is a challenge she’s had to contend with. “People naturally resist change, because we grow accustomed to the security offered by our current circumstances, and this often creates resistance,” says Ms Zammit. 

“This same challenge, however, proved to be the greatest reward in my role because once you get people on board with change, you will see them exercise their creativity in ways that eventually favour their day-to-day operations and ultimately favours the company.”

Speaking about her experience within the company since the outbreak of COVID-19, Ms Zammit says that the past 15 months have brought about several challenges, particularly increased isolation and a diminished work/life balance. 

“It is very easy to feel like you are a part of a company’s bigger picture when you are at the office and brainstorming with co-workers on a daily basis. Remote working can make it more difficult to feel connected to and involved with daily company happenings,” she explains, adding that striking a healthy work-life balance while working from home made it difficult “to make a physical distinction between working hours and free time, and this can make it more difficult to unplug and enjoy time away from work.”

Turning her attention towards the company’s plans and projections for the rest of 2021, Ms Zammit says there’s a lot going on at Evolve. “The company has constantly shown a pattern of good performance, and this is the turning point for us to shift to a great performance. At Evolve, we did our best to respond to the economic slowdown in a positive way. We took this time to fill our bus and hang on tight, finding the right people and embracing new opportunities.”

On a personal level, Ms Zammit says Evolve has helped her grow personally and professionally, and her ambition is to continue growing with the company going forward.

“In addition to my position as Financial Supervisor, I want to be of added value to Evolve. I want to be able to play an active part in shaping strategic direction and defining an overall strategy, and offer a combination of financial skills, strong leadership and business acumen.”