The idea to create a pleasant work environment for staff is not a new one. But the position ‘Feel Good Manager’ is rather new indeed, and it is completely devoted to looking after the employees’ constitution and morale on a daily basis. Spreadshirt has just appointed Stefanie Haussler to its first Feel Good Manager in order to sweeten the pill for Spreadshirt’s new and old staff. Find out how it feels to be Miss Feel-Good. This, as well as why a colleague came to sit and talk to her in her kitchen, you can find out about in this interview:
Hello Stefanie. Could you briefly introduce yourself to our readers? Where are you from, and what do you do?
I’m from a small town near Leipzig in the east of Germany. I’d like to think that I’m a very communicative and open-minded person. I love socialising with my friends, and traveling is what I like doing most.
What qualifies you to be a Feel Good Manager, and what did you do before you joined Spreadshirt?
I started studying here in Leipzig, but didn’t pull through because I was missing a challenge that related to practical work. This is why I became a Hotel & Event Manager and went to Spain to work there. I then did an internship with the marketing department of Leipzig’s tourist industry, and this is why I moved back to the city that I love so much. Before joining Spreadshirt, I worked for the European Energy Exchange for about a year.
The job description of your new position required you to be familiar with Leipzig’s pubs and bars, to have a sense of people, and of course to be creative and proactive. What was the biggest incentive behind your application?
I wanted to be able to do something creative again, and I was seeking a new and fresh challenge. A friend of mine works for Spreadshirt, so I was having an eye on their new job openings online. When the job ad for Feel Good Manager came up, I was interested straight away. I love Leipzig and have been able to gather many years of experience here, so it seemed very fitting. I’d also like to think that I am extremely communicative, and this is why I’m very happy to be able to do what I’m doing now.
How did your friends and family react when you told them that you are a Feel Good Manager now? Were you able to detect any kind of suppressed smiles or smirks?
It actually still happens every now and again. But I always get positive feedback when I tell people what I really do in this great position. This is usually met with great interest, and I then have to answer all sorts of questions.
I had a look at your Facebook profile, and found out that you can speak 5 languages. This probably qualifies you immensely for a multi-culti company such as Spreadshirt. Do you still see big personal challenges for you?
(laughs) On Facebook, there is actually no way to clarify whether you can speak a language fluently or if you just have some kind of basic command. I’m interested in languages, and I love using a foreign language. I also like working in a cosmopolitan atmosphere like the one that I experienced in Granaga/ Spain. German, English and Spanish are languages I can speak well, and my French is in need of some brushing up. At one point I started learning Swedish as I contemplated moving there. But I don’t think I can produce much more than your every-day phrases.
A challenge for me could be the fact that it is not always possible to please everybody. I always try to pick up on ideas, and I try to realise them. And sometimes I must try to find a solution in case it isn’t possible to meet what is expected. Then I hope for an open mind, and I am going to try to bring it about next time around.
You said that you know Leipzig well, and this also happened to be a main job requirement. What is your favourite spot in town which you would highly recommend visiting?
Well, actually I would say that Leipzig is too nice as a whole to pick out a single spot. Richard-Wagner-Hain as well as all the other parks near the canal in the west of Leipzig are great because there is a lot happening there. I also like spending time in my big kitchen, eating out in the Pilot or the ice-cream parlor on Konneritzer Str. In town there is a bar called Barcelona with a nice Spanish atmosphere, too.
From what I hear, you like your kitchen so much that you invite colleagues around for cooking. Do you do that to make new arrivals in town feel more at home?
Yes, that was a spontaneous idea. Morten has just arrived from Oslo, and I asked him to come round to mine. He didn’t know anybody in Leipzig. I also helped him to find a second-hand bike after his bike got stolen. When you’re new to a place, at times you need someone to give you a piece of advice every now and again. And I always like lending a hand. How can you discover this place without having a bike?! Leipzig is just made for cycling…! I’m curious to see how my job is going to develop, and I’m looking forward to help new Spreaders to get going in town. It all starts with finding a place to live.
How did you get started in your job? You came to Spreadshirt and they gave you a desk — but you couldn’t take over a job that someone else had done before, and there was no team that could help you get started. What was your first move?
At the moment, I’m trying a lot of different things. Before the job interview, I thought a lot about my possible work field. And then they gave me some homework which required me to create tasks myself. This made me aware of just how much fun this job was going to be.
First I started offering several types of meals since I was sure that this was a part of everybody’s daily routine. So I’m trying different things, and those which work well will be offered more often in future. In a similar way, I go about with sports or cultural activities. I usually suggest a host of activities, and then collect the feedback I get from our staff. Those activities that receive the most positive feedback are going to be given a go. And when we conduct the activities, I get a chance to talk to people and get to know them better. I’m open to almost any type of input, and this helps immensely to come up with new ideas.
Have you already noticed some kind of change? Do people approach you openly, or do you still feel a somewhat reserved attitude?
In recent weeks, everyone has been approaching me quite openly and been putting ideas forward which they’ve had for quite some time. They now see a chance to consult somebody who can actually help organise these ideas. This may concern very small aspects of work, but also bigger projects which are in need of a lot of planning.
I just hope that this was not just a good start for me, but that I can contribute to a steady positive development.
One last question before I leave you to your work again. Where would you like to be when you’re 70, and what would you like to say when looking back at your life?
I always tell my boyfriend that I would like to sit on a park bench with him that we have built from wood ourselves. This is where I would like to sit when looking back at what I have achieved, both in my job and in private. And of course the sun will have to shine along with my content smile!
Ultimately, I want to be so happy with what I do in my job that it will be hard for me to get out of it. Being fulfilled is very important for me. I would also like to have a family where everyone is fit and healthy. Apart from that, I want to be able to say that I have seen quite a lot of this world, and that I will be able to carry on traveling to discover more places as well as people of different cultures.
Thank you! It was very interesting and revealing to learn what a Feel Good Manager actually does!
