Diversity
There are also other babies that make you reduce your workload. Those who also need care. And give you a lot in return. For example, Timon Wieland's start-up, which produces T-shirts and sells second-hand clothing. Or Andreas Affentranger's fourth thriller. Your own company or your own book - both have become a reality thanks to the part-time option. One does not take away from the other, on the contrary.
Timon Wieland and Andreas Affentranger, two examples of how to reduce in order to broaden horizons.
Andreas: I've been working part-time my whole professional life. Although, not quite: I was totally euphoric when I started at 100% straight after graduating. In my second job, however, I was already working less.
Timon : I've been working 80% for a long time, and even 60% in the past. So I always had at least one day where I had time to discover new things. For example, I helped out in my father's garage, built something in my own workshop or went hiking in the mountains.
Timon: I'm currently living in a shared flat, so it's going really well financially.
The one day off is more important to me than more money in my bank account.
Andreas: It's always been enough to live on. It just depends on what goals you're pursuing.
Andreas: That's not my personal experience. Not in my circle of friends anyway, but not here at Swisscom either. The question is:
Where do you see yourself? Where do you want to go yourself?
Timon: I may not have the ambition to be a CEO at the moment, but I see my start-up experience as broadening my horizons. It simply gives me a broader base. And that in turn makes me fit for a possible job in another position, doesn't it? In my shop, I'm the man for everything. At Swisscom, I'm one of many. Both have their plus points.
Timon: Absolutely, if it wasn't for that, I wouldn't have this opportunity either. Our setup is totally agile, I've only experienced support, no headwinds whatsoever.
Andreas: The mindset is more than in place at Swisscom. I have the opportunity to work part-time without the pressure that I'm no longer worth anything professionally. It's simply the norm for us. This is underpinned by the fact that part-time employees are in the majority in my team.
Andreas: With an open culture. That's actually the key factor. For example, people are encouraged to reduce their workload - it's not just tolerated. Sure, in a traditional office job it's easy to organise myself. In retail jobs, it's certainly more difficult when the timetable is dictated from outside. But for us, the main thing is to get organised. I don't have to be on site at 8 for that.
Timon: I completely agree with that. The team and management have to be behind it and open to it. You can also do a good job at 80%.
Andreas: I have so many ideas for plots in my head that one lifetime isn't enough. I would probably only write if I could. But the right mix makes me happy at the moment. A mixture of partnership, exciting work, a great team, the garden, nature and writing. I don't draw the same strength from both jobs: for me, writing is more a form of participation in current affairs. At Swisscom, it's the great people, the teamwork and working at the cutting edge of technology that gives me a lot of satisfaction.
Timon: I get something out of both, but as Andreas says - it's not the same. At Swisscom, it's the big picture, the state-of-the-art company that I can work for. In my start-up, it's the people, the self-determination that totally fascinates me.
This article was captured by Tadah.
Flexible forms of work
More time for private matters
Working model
Further training programmes
Find your job or the career world that suits you. In which you want to help shape and develop yourself.
What you make of it is what defines us.
