Beiersdorf : Job Sharing – Better together than alone

Christian: From my point of view, these differences are an important aspect for the successful cooperation in tandem and profitable for the company. One job, two different profiles, perspectives and characters. Lena's internal experience was preceded by years of agency work, I have been with Beiersdorf Marketing since 2007. This combination was and is a great advantage for our task. We are driving forward the changes associated with the establishment of the new agency 'Publicis One Touch' for NIVEA Marketing, anchoring tools, processes, and approaches in the company.

Lena: I can only encourage others to look for a counterpart who is different from you. In areas where I don't really feel that at home, I have learned an incredible amount by working in tandem. In theory, Christian and I initially thought that each of us would do everything. In practice, that's not the case. Of course, we aware of the amount of tasks we have, but according to our strengths we put on our hats project by project.

Christian: That takes mutual trust and a shared sense of responsibility for what you do. And it needs flexibility when things require it.

Elke: Apart from the fact that the chemistry between the tandem partners must be right, it is important to define common values. What is important to us? How do we want to work together? The initial '100-day coaching' that Beiersdorf offers to newly formed tandems beforehand helped us with these and similar questions.

Sandra: You have to remember that there may be a few issues. We have found out, for example, that the two of us unconsciously express a certain power. That's why it's very important to define the roles exactly - not only within the tandem, but also within the team. Lena or Christian, what tip would you give us to ensure that things go well in the long run?

Lena: According to the motto 'nip in the bud' you should regularly take time to pause. Are the priorities still right? Is it good how things are going right now, or is something bothering me? You need to address such things openly and adjust them if necessary.

Elke: Christian, do you know that you are a role model for me? We have known each other for a long time, and I think it is great that you work in a job tandem. Not many men do that yet ...

Christian: I've actually been observing the job sharing model for a while now, because I find it an interesting way to better combine work and family. Especially when both parents work full time, it's easy to come up against limits. Of course, you need to weigh that financially, but for me, the extra time outweighs those disadvantages. If I can inspire other men to think about taking new paths through my example, even better. In the end, the decision for a part-time model, no matter in which form, is something very personal.

Sandra: Beiersdorf is very progressive in many ways, but there is always room for improvement. We also need to get rid of old patterns of thinking in society, and we need more openness and courage. Job sharing offers interesting prospects for all genders, all ages, a wide range of specialist areas, and all levels up to top management. Working in tandem is not a career break. Often the work results are better, you learn a lot and ground each other. Everyone benefits from this, both the employees and the company.