When Dagmara Chudzińska-Matysiak first stepped into an HR office 25 years ago, the landscape was almost unrecognizable. In an era of high unemployment and the early days of the internet, success was not a clear destination on a map, but a journey built day by day. Today, in her role as Managing Director at Randstad Romania, Dagmara looks back not with the rigidity of an executive, but with the gratitude of a leader who grew alongside the industry.
From paper folders to visionary leadership
Dagmara smiles when recalling her beginnings in Poland. She didn't plan to lead international branches; her plan was much more pragmatic: to do her absolute best in whatever role she received.
„At that time, our industry was completely different from today's standards,” she says. It was a period when mobile phones were status symbols exclusive to top management, while the rest of the world relied on pagers or face-to-face meetings set at dawn. „Our database was, in fact, a collection of thick cardboard folders. I look back on those days with immense nostalgia; I was fortunate that my professional development happened naturally, in parallel with the evolution of the entire sector.”
The "aha!" moment of continuous evolution: a lesson in trust
Unlike classic business accounts, Dagmara's evolution did not happen overnight, nor was it marked by a single spectacular moment of revelation. Instead, it was a continuous evolution, shaped by the challenges of the last quarter-century. Randstad Poland and Dagmara „grew up” together, evolving side by side
Her mentors played a vital role in this transformation. „Their trust, support, and encouragement, especially from those I worked with the longest, were instrumental. Their belief in me fueled my desire to constantly prove that their investment was well-placed.”
This experience also refined her definition of success. While for many the corporate world is about climbing the ladder, for Dagmara, success has remained constant: the opportunity to be her best self, bringing real value to the company without sacrificing the harmony of family life.
Intuition as a compass and the courage to „stand apart”
Asked what advice she would give to the young Dagmara who stepped across the company threshold two decades ago, the answer comes promptly, based on a quiet inner strength:
„I would tell her to trust her intuition and her own perspective. In our industry, maintaining your own path as a leader can be incredibly difficult. I have always chosen to make my own decisions, even in moments of maximum pressure when I was surrounded by conflicting advice. Staying true to my own direction was the key to my success.”
Romania: a mirror of potential and a new curiosity
After 24 years in Poland, the decision to accept the challenge in Romania came from authentic curiosity. „I had received excellent recommendations about the country and the team, and I saw immense potential here,” she explains. Additionally, she felt the need to be surprised again. „In Poland, I had reached a point where very few things could still surprise me. Here, even though it is the same company, the team is new, and the circumstances bring new challenges every day.”
Dagmara sees in today's Romania the image of Poland from a few years ago and applies two fundamental lessons learned „at home” here:
Belief in purpose: at Randstad, where you touch people's lives daily, it's easy to find meaning. If you believe in your path and are consistent, results appear.
Psychological safety: „To build a successful environment, you need people who feel safe being themselves, with both strengths and weaknesses. My primary job is to create the space where they can do exactly that.”
A culture that knows no borders
Although she noticed that in Romania there is a somewhat more hierarchical approach compared to the current business culture in Poland, Dagmara immediately remarked on the similarities: both teams are extremely engaged, open, and have that "nothing is impossible" mindset.
But what unites all the divisions of the group, regardless of borders, is the Randstad culture. „It is something special that transcends countries. People make the difference, and that's not just my opinion; I hear it constantly from former colleagues and from the new talents joining us. It's a culture that stays with you.”
Respect: the value that guides tough decisions
In a world that segments employees into generations, from Baby Boomers to Gen Z, Dagmara chooses smart curiosity. Instead of asking them to adapt, she adapts to them. „If you are a smart leader, you recognize that every individual brings a unique value. By using these diverse strengths, you can achieve exceptional results.”
This openness is doubled by a non-negotiable value: respect. When she has to make difficult decisions that affect hundreds of people, respect provides the necessary empathy to understand everyone's motivations and to approach each person as a unique individual.
Why Randstad? "True Blue" all the way
What makes Dagmara wake up excited every morning? The unpredictability of the day and the opportunity to find creative solutions. But, above all, it is the mission to improve people's lives.
„Randstad offered me incredible development opportunities, but what fills me with pride is the nature of our work. The company values, the people-centered approach, mutual respect, and completely open communication, have made me able to say, after all these years, that I am True Blue.”
An imprint left through people
Dagmara Chudzińska-Matysiak's story is not just about the path of an impressive career, but about how personal values can define a modern management style. After a quarter-century of being "True Blue," the lesson she brings to Romania is one of balance: between strategic vision and personal intuition, between the rigor of results and empathy for the individual.
In the end, what makes Dagmara an authentic leader is the courage to remain curious in a world that thinks it has seen it all. For her, every day at Randstad is a new opportunity to demonstrate that success doesn't just mean leading a company, but positively influencing the destinies of the people who make it work.
alexandra moldovan
marketing specialist