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.