"I provide decision support to management" Anna analyses Volvo's most important resource
During a course in economics, Anna Fäldt's interest in analysing large amounts of data deepened. In her role as People Data Analyst at Volvo Cars, she works with data and analyses the company's most important resource - its employees.
What do you do at work?
I work as a People Data Analyst at the Volvo Cars headquarters in Gothenburg, Sweden. "People" in People Data Analyst means that I work with data and analysis of Volvo's most important resource, its 40,000 employees. A large part of my role is also to understand the flow of data, technical processes and digitalisation.
I work a lot with so-called 'data storytelling' and 'business intelligence'. I make my own analyses of large amounts of data, present and visualise the results so that Volvo Cars' management, HR staff and managers can effectively access and act on data-driven results regarding Volvo Cars' employees.
I am responsible for Volvo Cars' global "People listening" solution, an employee survey that asks 40,000 employees about their experience of working at Volvo Cars. The results of the survey then form the basis for KPIs that are central to the entire organisation globally, for strategic decisions and Volvo Cars' annual report.
Another part of my job is to sit with developers to develop analytical tools and reports with intuitive visualisations of data in Power BI that are used by hundreds of HR professionals globally and locally.
I work in a product team where we develop technical solutions for analysis and an analytics team where we mainly work with quantitative analysis. My closest team is based in Sweden but also in India. Some tasks are independent, but above all, I work closely with my colleagues, both when we develop and analyse.
How did you get your job?
I applied to Volvo Cars by subscribing to an email where Volvo Cars sends out weekly emails about their vacancies. It started as a temporary position as a Junior Data Analyst, which then turned into a permanent position in the team as a People Data Analyst.
How was the transition from studies to working life?
I felt well prepared for working life after my studies. Going from a master's degree fully taught in English made it easier as the organisational language at Volvo Cars is English.
How has your programme at the School of Business and Economics and Law help you in your career?
I have felt that I have gained an edge from my education, so I could quickly contribute with my knowledge of the scientific method, how to create the right conditions for analysing large amounts of data, and what conclusions you can and cannot draw when looking at different types of data.
The programme also provided training in teamwork. You learn from each other, gain new perspectives, and develop together.
What was your reasoning behind your choice of specialisation?
As a person, I have always had a very strong interest in analysing the world around me. I knew that economics would give me a good foundation to learn more about quantitative analysis.
Do you have any tips or advice for a current student?
Economics is a broad subject. Ultimately, your choice should be in line with your interests and goals. Along the way, no matter which specialisation you choose, you will be able to focus more or less on both finance and business.
Anna Fäldt, 29 years old
Studied the BSc Political Science Programme with a focus on economics, but wrote an essay in economics and supplemented it with independent courses to get the right eligibility for the Master's Programme in Economics.
Graduated in 2022 and now works as a People Data Analyst at Volvo Cars in Gothenburg.
Highlights during my time as a student at the School of Business, Economics and Law
I made friends for life. Sitting together and solving tasks before each exam, learning from each other, and motivating each other to perform. Then being able to celebrate together when it went well and support each other if it didn't go all the way on an exam.
A course that Anna remembers particularly well
For me, it became a matter, of course, to immerse myself in economics when I studied the course that was then called "Methods for economic analysis". That course was the start of a much deeper interest in analysing large amounts of data, becoming skilled at programming in statistical software, and moving from theory to more practical ways of investigating causal relationships and testing scientific hypotheses.