“What makes the big difference is my attitude.”

 “I feel my colleagues here at my work at the Emmery’s bakery and café is my family. The girls here, yes they are my employees, my colleagues, however they have actually also become my friends. I am, I think, more their friend than I am their boss. I also think that if they come to me with things that are bothering them at home, I can better be of help to them and also I then understand, if they need a day off. It is much better just to tell me. It is just much easier, if we are open and honest with each other. 

When people are honest with me, I do not get angry. My boyfriend says that I have no temper. He says that I never get mad. I actually do not want to and I do not use my energy at things, which is out of my control; and a lot of things in this world are out of my control. For example the situation at the moment with Corona. I was sent home from my work at the Emmery’s bakery and café because of my chronic illness. Well, I somehow wished to, however  being sent home was not all perfect, as I had to leave my baby here (red. The café and it’s people), but we have during these weeks with lockdown managed to create cool things at home, like restored some of the house. - Nothing is bad without being good for something. 

I am looking forward every morning to go to work; it is a little bit like coming home to my family. Everyone is happy and we know each other here at the café and also many of our kind customers. - My boyfriend asks me sometimes, when I am actually going to get a real job. 

I try to hold on to my heart and be positive. I know that the coffee and the bread is not what make the big difference. What makes the big difference is my attitude, when I am working and I hope that I can make someone’s day be a good day. – I worked at another café in another area, where people are more demanding, less friendly. I remember one day thinking: “Today I will kill them with kindness.” Some of my colleagues decided to do the same thing and we all felt a lot better. Some customers were affected positively and we felt a lot better when knowing that we gave these 5 – 10 % service extra. - What do we want ourselves, when we go out? How do we ourselves want to be met? I also like to speak in the same way to all people, as I see people as equal; they are all the same in my view.”

Cecilie Hjorth. Store Manager. Nørrebro. Copenhagen. Denmark. May 2020. By Annette.