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We are EMBL: Elise Bralet on the importance of connecting people
Elise talks about her role in supporting EMBL Grenoble staff in daily human resources matters and the multiple events she’s been involved in to connect people, both at and outside of work
Elise Bralet joined EMBL Grenoble as a liaison officer in 2017, a role that fits with what she enjoys: supporting and connecting people. In this interview, she shares what she likes about her role at EMBL, her involvement in initiatives like Fit for Spring, and the many activities she takes part in during her spare time.
What is your role as Liaison Officer?
My work as Liaison Officer at EMBL Grenoble includes all daily human resources (HR) support for people employed at EMBL Grenoble, from their recruitment until their contract ends. I therefore work closely with the HR team based at EMBL Heidelberg, and with the other liaison officers across EMBL sites.
A big part of my role is to take care of the administrative processes of onboarding newcomers at EMBL Grenoble. We currently have 65 foreigners at EMBL Grenoble (among a total of 90 employees). Coming to a foreign country is not always easy, as I know from experience. Providing help during the onboarding process is very important. I support them with administrative matters like their visa and advise them on finding accommodation, setting up a bank account, getting house insurance etc. I also inform them about life at Grenoble, organise French classes, and so on.
What do you think is the most exciting thing about your work?
What I like the most about my work is that I have the privilege of having close contact with newcomers and that I get to know everyone! I kind of feel that I have so many ‘kids’ here, and when people leave, I’m always a bit sad. I also really enjoy the international ambience at EMBL and meeting such diverse people from different countries and ages – people at EMBL Grenoble are very nice and pleasant! It’s also very enjoyable to work with colleagues across EMBL sites.
You are involved in several initiatives at EMBL, like Fit for Spring. Can you tell us more about these?
I’ve been involved in the organisation of Fit for Spring at EMBL Grenoble as part of my role as Liaison Officer. This week of sports and mental health activities organised for the staff started in 2018 in Grenoble, the first ‘small’ site to join this initiative which was already taking place at EMBL Heidelberg, and was then followed by the other sites.
Fit for Spring is important for connecting people. It allows them to relate differently and connect with different groups at EMBL. It requires a lot of coordination, but now several people at EMBL Grenoble are helping with the organisation of activities, which is great! We’ve always had good participation here, and even more during this year’s edition: we had 50 people participating in the many activities, from all job categories. It’s so nice to see people with a smile!
I’m also part of the EMBL Mental Health Working Group and I received a certificate of Mental Health First Aider.
What is your professional background?
I originally come from the Netherlands, where I did a Master’s degree in Communications. During these studies, I was an Erasmus student in Oslo and did an internship in the UK. I then left for France, where I have been working for the last 20 years, mainly for companies related to the health sector in the Grenoble area. I have worked in a lot of different roles, like translator, technical writer, product manager, and liaison manager. I like to discover new things, and what I enjoy most is working with people and supporting them.
What do you enjoy doing during your spare time?
I’m very fond of sports; I practise Nordic walking and cross-country skiing, among other things, and I enjoy big sports tournaments. I’ve worked as Team Liaison Officer (TLO) for the Women’s Football World Cup in 2019 in France, and now I will work again as TLO for the Football tournament at the Olympic Games in Paris. I’m really looking forward to it! I see quite some similarities between my role as Liaison Officer at EMBL and TLO in a sports event.
