Work-life balance – an absolute must when selecting an employer
My husband and I always wanted to have children. But I've never really thought much about how that would impact myself and my career. Everything I’ve read about it was rather depressing. But for me, I just assumed that having a career and children at the same time was possible. When I started working at Kendrion as a development engineer in 2017, having a good work-life balance was non-negotiable in terms of selecting an employer. Kendrion's philosophy and offers on this issue won me over. Today, I know that I've made the right decision.
Pregnancy and home office – a perfect combination!
In 2021, my husband and I were expecting our first child. While my pregnancy was quite easy and without complications, I was still happy to work from home. It was the only way for me to work until my maternity leave started. With the Covid-19 pandemic, video conferences and working from home became the norm. Before the pandemic, I drove about 40 minutes a day to the Kendrion Industrial Brakes site in Villingen. Towards the end of the pregnancy, I was glad that I didn’t have to drive anymore and that I was able to lie down for a moment during my breaks.
And after giving birth? Always keep in touch!
Once the offspring is here, you sometimes look forward to getting out of the house. The parent-child get-together at Kendrion every three months was an opportunity to drive to work and see the boss and the colleagues. Thanks to this event and the regular invitations and newsletters, I’ve always felt connected to the company, even during the maternity leave. I never had the feeling of living on a different planet.
Child and career – both are possible at Kendrion!
Today, my son is 1 1/2 years old, and I've been back at Kendrion for six months. Now, I'm working 18 hours a week, i.e., 50%. I'm at the office for eight hours once a week. That’s when my son stays with his grandparents. The remaining 10 hours are split over two mornings in the home office. Thankfully, there are many childcare places in our region for children over the age of one, so this is never really a big deal. By working from home, I was able to get right back into it. The flexibility makes my life a whole lot easier. If Kendrion wouldn’t allow me to work from home part-time, I probably would have to find a job that’s closer to where we live.
Engineer and mother – embracing both roles
It means a lot to me personally that I'm back in the workforce and not just being a full-time mom. But first I had to come to grips with the fact that you can’t do 100% in half of the time, and that I’m somewhat inflexible due to the limited time. From noon on I'm no longer available for meetings. I have to drop everything at 1 p.m. sharp and pick up my son from daycare.
Unfortunately, my work assignments have changed because of this. Previously, I've worked closely with the customer and had my own projects. Especially in the early stages of projects, you have to be readily available to the customer. Unfortunately, I can no longer do that. So now I’m providing support where I’m needed and where there are no strict deadlines. I'm happy with the situation. I'm glad that I get to spend enough time with my son while also being committed to my career again. Both are important, and I think I’m doing a good job at both.
Meike studied mechanical engineering at the University of Stuttgart. After working in the automotive industry around Stuttgart for a few years, she returned to her home region.
In addition to her work, she has an almost 2-year-old son and a house from the 70s with a great garden that is in need of renovation. So when she has free time she reads, rides her bike or plays table tennis.