May 12, 2023
At Vytal, it is not only important for us to work for a good cause, but also for our employees to enjoy being with us and to stay with us. We believe that a good work-life balance helps to keep our employees motivated and therefore productive.
Why is a good work-life balance important? Studies have shown that people who have a good work-life balance are not only more satisfied, but also healthier and more productive. At Vytal, we therefore attach great importance to ensuring that our employees have enough time for their hobbies, family and friends.
But how do we create a work-life balance at Vytal? On the one hand, we offer flexible working hours and the possibility to work from home. This allows our employees to adapt their work to their individual needs
On the other hand, we attach great importance to a positive working atmosphere. At Vytal, we work in an open and collegial environment where we support and motivate each other. Regular team events and joint leisure activities promote team cohesion and ensure a pleasant working atmosphere.
A good work-life balance is therefore not only important for the well-being of our employees, but also for the success of our company. We are convinced that this balance helps to keep our employees motivated and productive, thus making an important contribution to Vytal's success.
We interviewed four employees and asked them about their individual circumstances and their work at Vytal.
Jan, Head of People & Culture, 28, lives with his partner, his son and his dog Bella in colorful Berlin. He works most of the time in the office because he likes to be with other Vytalists and create something together. Nevertheless, remote work gives him the opportunity to go home or help with issues at home.
Josi, Head of Product, 34, lives with her husband and three children in Hürth near Cologne. She enjoys being in the office because of the interaction and socializing with colleagues - and because of the canteen, of course ;). Nevertheless, there are always times when she prefers to work from home, for example when it rains and she doesn't feel like getting wet on her bike.
Alex, Senior Project Manager Marketing, 38, lives in Cologne with her husband and two daughters. On average, she is in the office 3 times a week and at home 2 times. It is precisely this constellation that gives her the advantage. In her case, office and home are only 5 minutes apart, which makes it super convenient and valuable for her.
Nina, Head of Customer & Partner Support, 34, lives with her husband in their own home in Eichenried near Munich. Because of her location, she mainly works from her home office and appreciates the advantages, such as two hours more free time per day, which she would otherwise have had to commute. However, she misses being able to interact with her colleagues in person; without an office, a lot of interpersonal interaction is lost. Nevertheless, she finds that we are very well connected digitally at Vytal.
Jan: I would like to start with a big thank you to my partner, who does a lot of the care work. We try to divide everything well through a Trello board and clear division of work, but I am aware that she currently still carries the bigger load. Also, through time tracking at work, I try to divide everything well and see what I spend my time on. Especially in the startup, free time sometimes comes up a bit short, but I do sports regularly, which is good for me and lets me be fully present in my private life and at work.
Josi: I work 30-35h a week at Vytal, about 65-70h a week I take care of my kids, household, private logistics and everyday organization, 50h are for sleep and 15-20h are time for friends, sports, private phone calls and the relationship.
Alex: Balancing everything is a daily challenge that you first have to "grow into". Work and family take up most of the week. Free time usually means family time and leaves little room for individual leisure. Nevertheless, it is feasible to combine everything if there is flexibility in the partnership as well as from the company, which allows the daily organization of the day according to changing needs. Unfortunately, not every employer makes this possible, which is why I am very happy to be able to take advantage of this privilege at Vytal and it tends to motivate me to then also go the extra mile at Vytal when it is needed. Just like the motto: give and take.
Nina: Working time is working time and free time is free time. I also try to make sure that I don't exceed my weekly hours in total, so that I have enough time for friends, family and leisure activities.
Jan: Flexibility in how I can organize my work and when I do it, whether on the train home to my parents, in the office or from home. Being able to take my dog to the office helps us all and brings more satisfaction. In addition, working abroad is possible for up to 30 days a year.
Josi: Vytal gives me the freedom to work wherever I want and to adapt my schedule to my everyday life as flexibly as possible, for example, to start very early or catch up late if the kids are sick or the daycare center is closed again. That's what makes it possible for me to pursue my job in this way in the first place.
Alex: Free time management with adherence to the hours, choice between office and home office and unpaid vacation on request are just some of the advantages. You can also determine the pace of your own development and have a great deal of freedom when it comes to the content of your work. At the same time, you get many opportunities to help shape the processes.
Nina: At Vytal, I can organize my working hours myself to a large extent and in consultation with my team, which helps enormously for a healthy work-life balance.
Josi: There are many parents at Vytal, especially at management level, but also in other positions. This creates a very pleasant understanding of the special challenges and takes away the pressure of having to explain yourself for them.
Jan: The opportunity (which should be normal) to take 4.5 months of parental leave as a manager and man in a startup. The GuudCard and the Urban Sports Club also support sports and good nutrition.
Nina: I completed a part-time continuing education course last year, and it was always possible for me to attend the courses because I was able to arrange my working hours accordingly.
Alex: Being able to choose between home office and office and flexibly shift my working hours saves me a lot of mental stress when the children are sick or there are flexible changes in my daily routine. In addition, the employees are completely understanding of family impasses, despite a young, predominantly childless workforce. This also relieves mental stress and motivates people to be able to reconcile work and family.
Jan: Similar, I think that should be a given with all employers nowadays
Josi: Since I've already had children since graduation, I've only ever had jobs that have to be compatible with family life. I also think that should be a given and would always demand the necessary flexibility. I have always placed less importance on a work-life balance in terms of free time. I've always liked my work and I've always worked a lot. From a pragmatic point of view, you can't have everything at the end of the day, which means a lot of time with your family, a lot of time for yourself and then also a responsible job. The day has only 24 hours and you just have to think about where you want to put how much time.
Alex: Although there was also an understanding for family difficulties, there was no possibility of a home office or flexible working hours, which is now indispensable in our family constellation.
Nina: With previous employers I had to adhere to strict working hours, there was no flexibility and you had to work at prescribed times.
Jan: With the change to Vytal, I wanted to put the time I work into something meaningful. To Go Food has become an integral part of our lives, making this sector sustainable and preserving the world for future generations is my goal.
Josi: Because I can drive forward topics on my own responsibility and I'm trusted with a lot, because I have great flexibility in terms of time and location, and because I absolutely identify with the product and the idea behind it.
Alex: I love the product and find it very meaningful and value-adding. I appreciate many colleagues and it invigorates me to be a part of this ever-changing startup process and to be able to participate in changing the company every day through concrete ideas. I also feel it is a privilege to work in a still young and dynamic company that is constantly reinventing itself and turning ideas into reality again and again, despite often many hurdles.
Nina: I like working at Vytal because sustainability is very close to my personal heart. Vytal has created a product that makes it possible to avoid packaging waste in everyday life! The flat hierarchies give me the opportunity to set up processes and thus help shape the company to a certain extent. I also love the team spirit at Vytal.
We thank you very much for the openness of our employees within this interview! We are very proud of our diverse and strong team and attach great importance to providing our employees with the best possible support and the flexibility they need. In doing so, we would like to continue to give them the opportunity to develop optimally within the company and to fully exploit their potential.
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Christina Berkele
Customer & Partner Support Agent
