“Back then, I got my training at a small metal processing plant. Working here at ZEISS, a big global enterprise, is of course something very different. Apart from the fascination with the semiconductor technology, there are several other factors that I value particularly about working here. Especially, for example, the good work-life balance thanks to flexible working-time models and the numerous continuing education and development possibilities offered by ZEISS,” explains Scharfenecker. “The working conditions and personal prospects are right, the professional fields are innovative and promising, the social interaction and atmosphere are emphasized, and I have a feeling that here, I am not just a number: individual people count.” This is also an especially important aspect in his own team.
“One thing that motivates me enormously is recognizing potentials of my colleagues and then providing targeted support to advance them,” he adds. “We have sufficient decision-making freedom in this area, which is very valuable, and the superiors and the company support it further.” The picture of the ideal employer for Scharfenecker is completed by the fact that ZEISS happens to be practically at his doorstep. “I have always been very attached to my roots, in spite of my ambitious career goals. I love traveling for fun, but I don’t really want to move my entire life elsewhere. ZEISS is definitely the jackpot for me! A company that I can identify with and a reliable employer that offers everything that is important to me personally, and the cherry on top is that I don’t even have to move to a different city or country – but could, if it were my goal,” he grins. His own special ZEISS moment? Scharfenecker describes the day when he reached the last career goal he had aspired to: “The announcement in the internal newsletter that I am a team leader effective immediately – that was really an amazing feeling!”