Erika Basso, Frontend Developer at Axfood IT

Hello Erika! What do you do at work? 
– As a front-end developer in the central system development department at Axfood IT, I work on developing interfaces in Axfood's business systems. We simplify and improve the systems visually and enhance the user experience for our employees who work in them, as well as for external parties like product suppliers. Other colleagues in my team also work on apps used in stores. 

Axfood's employees are our enablers - what do you enable through your job?  
– By making the interface intuitive, I make the daily work easier for our system users. Since we continuously upgrade and improve the systems, it just becomes easier, more efficient, and smarter to work in them. 

What’s it like to work at Axfood IT?  
– We aim for diversity in terms of ethnicity, age, and gender. Nearly 40 percent of all employees are women, and within leadership positions, there's a predominantly female presence. It's great to work in such a gender-equal organization. Flexibility is also a plus, being able to work from home or the office.

A lot is happening within Axfood: Axfood Race, a common Monday breakfast, and yoga on Fridays. We work agilely with modern systems that are upgraded and improved at the same pace as the tech world. We have the opportunity to spend time on courses during the week to stay at the forefront of technology. Axfood encourages initiatives to improve processes and work methods. Our office spaces for Axfood IT will also be renovated to offer more collaborative areas. One goal is to make the working environment even more creative. 

How has your journey within Axfood looked like?  
– I started as a consultant and junior developer three years ago. I'm grateful for the support I received through mentorship and encouragement to work at my own pace. It takes time to learn system development. Now, I work independently most of the time, but I still have the team behind me. We solve challenges together. 

What made you apply to Axfood IT? 
– I wanted to experience the culture at Axfood before going to the interview, and the atmosphere reflected what I could read about Axfood. It was important for me to know how many women work at Axfood IT, and I'm proud of the large percentage. During the interview, it was also essential for me to understand if the working environment was stressful. But Axfood IT is a great company where I have a balance between work and leisure. 

What's the most enjoyable part of your job?  
– When the system is in place and people are working with it, that's enjoyable! However, going live with an app can be stressful. That's why we've discussed and started to implement a "release bingo" in our projects to release the possible tense atmosphere. The bingo should contain previous stressful moments or other slightly exaggerated worst-case scenarios. I also like brainstorming with others about how an interface should look or how we should move forward. 

How would you describe the culture and atmosphere in your team?  
– Having in-house IT competence creates a strong and present culture with short lead times. Although we have a clear organizational chart, there are many network groups across the organization. We gather on Friday mornings for our information meeting, share our successes and challenges. The culture is strong and down-to-earth, we're changing the culture together, and it's inclusive. In my department, we've discussed having a "Failure Friday" where we talk about our failures and encourage others to dare to fail. 

What would you say to someone interested in joining Axfood?  
– Come here; we'll take care of you. You will get a mentor, and you'll have the opportunity to intern in a store or warehouse to get closer to the operations where our systems are actually used. The systems we work on are continuously evolving, and there are many opportunities for development. Axfood works with food and sustainability and is a company that, from many perspectives, is a company of the future. 

What's your favorite dish?   
– I have two; tikka masala and goulash! 

Background: Erika Basso has a degree in business economics. She worked as an economist for twelve years and came most recently from Save the Children. Before joining Axfood IT, she studied intensive programming through Academic Work and has been working as a frontend developer at Axfood IT for the past three years.