Breaking the Mould
Giving up to the given mold may be the way, but not the best way to be. Debby Ananda is one of the many who are able to find the solution by breaking the pattern.
It was 2014 when Debby had just finished her study as an industrial engineering graduate. She was currently getting ready to kick off her career. The head of SCM at that time happened to be looking for a translator for a training program, and through their mutual acquaintance, Debby gladly accepted the offer. During the program, she came to know a lot of people in BMJ and the work they were doing. After attending the program for 6 months, the factory manager saw her potential and offered her to join the company. Her journey just took on from there. She spent a year as a process performance engineer before spending another year in PPIC. She has been officially working in Supply Chain Management since 2017.
“My story began like a destiny.”
Check for Effect
Supply Chain Management (SCM) oversees and manages every stage of the production flow, from purchasing the raw materials to delivery to the customer, efficiently and cost-effectively. Essentially, it works as a bridge between sales and production. Our department itself is divided into two teams: the planning team and the procurement team. Currently, I work closely with the planning team as the forecaster and demand planner. My responsibilities include managing forecasts and demands projection, analyzing and evaluating the field performance, and finally establishing sales and production collaboration in planning execution. We also compile all of the data from the production and prepare them for future reference.
In SCM the first week will always be the busiest. During this period, we constantly work by the deadline and spend most of our time in the field rather than behind our desks. There is not much of a chance for an encounter with each other. I would define our working dynamic as professional. It is funny how we never even spend lunch together yet the teamwork between us is still very much solid. No tension nor hesitation. That is why transitioning from working at the office to home is nothing out of the usual for me. I manage as long as my laptop and phone are working fine.
“Together, we get it done.”
Under a Microscope
While we were celebrating Kartini day a few years back, all the female workers were told to wear kebaya to work for the Kartini day’s event. Unfortunately, due to high tension meetings and the ever-so-busy production atmosphere during the day, it is impossible for me to enjoy and to participate the event like other female colleagues in the company. It was very hard for me to give my best to the work I do. I recall during my field days, there were only two of us, the female workers. We worked in an environment where the majority of our colleagues are male. I hadn’t quite placed everything right instantly at the beginning of my tenure. It was already difficult to take on a new role as a process performance engineer on its own, but adapting in a male-dominated environment altogether, everything was hanging on a whole different level.
My job expected me to compile and grade my colleagues and seniors’ work. As a novice, I was often considered to be someone who had not yet capable of doing big tasks. I tried to work my way through diligence and hard work, but respect was still inherently earned by my male colleagues. Gradually, I work my way here by setting my ego aside and bearing the resolve to be mentally strong. As of now, I am extremely proud of my work and the way I position myself within the company. I learned to put myself together and tried not to be intimidated by the environment. Although my hard work deserves all the credit, I must say that I am still completely humbled by the number of incredible colleagues around me who give me their support during my tenure.
The Road of Triumph
I appreciate the way BMJ imposes a strong sense of community to its family. The line between each level of management in the company is very much non-existent. I remember one time; our CEO suddenly came to sit in front of me during a lunch at the cafeteria. That was kind of the moment I realized how the company sees each employee as a collective. BMJ is also willing to go above and beyond to cater to our interest. We can find different kinds of facility to fulfill our interests and work-related or non-work-related activities within the premise. Before the pandemic, we had an annual sports month and family gathering. It was very fun. In my opinion, our company is very supportive in soft skill training investment, and it is not even for the basic team training per se, they even reach out for individuals.
“The people are the biggest asset.”
In my field of work as an SCM personnel, I always have to keep a clear head during the conflict and to think outside the box to find the solution. My analytical skill is always put to the test. I have to deal with numbers and data daily and present them to the upper management level on the second week of every month. To think that I was an introvert before BMJ, it has truly been progress to be able to speak in front of a mass. After years of meeting different people, I came to realize the importance of being flexible and social. There are still a lot of lessons I learned from BMJ. One thing for sure is whether you are men or women, always remember that mental strength is equally important to physical strength. We have to be prepared for whatever comes in our way. I experienced it firsthand and it has guided me to where I am now.