Veronika Jordans and Verena Grygotis have worked at BSH for over 10 years – taking on various roles during this time. Since January 2018, however, they’ve been sharing just one management position.
Veronika and Verena share a leadership position at BSH. Together, they manage a four-person team at the office in Traunreut, Bavaria. The role and their time are split equally. Both work on Tuesdays, while Veronika takes on Fridays and Mondays, and Verena takes on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
The idea arose after the women expressed a wish to reduce their hours. With small children at home, full-time work was becoming increasingly complicated. Together with their manager they discussed their expectations and commitments in detail before suggesting a potential job share. “My theory is that if family life isn’t working, then your professional life won’t work either,” he explains. “I believe it’s possible to have both.”
The arrangement has proven to be extremely successful. “Our different backgrounds in the company mean we complement each other really well – it’s great to have someone on the same level to discuss things with,” says Verena. “We also both appreciate the importance of flexibility when children are involved!”
Another important factor is the strong working relationship between the two women. Veronika and Verena have worked in the same office for a while and know each other well – professionally and personally. “Having common objectives and a similar way of working is essential,” explains Veronika, “especially as we only meet once a week.”
Their advice to those thinking of sharing a role is to first establish a good level trust and understanding. “You need to know that everything is running smoothly when you’re not in the office,” says Veronika. They are also keen to point out that success relies on the support of the whole team – across all hierarchies – so building good relationships throughout the company is crucial too.
