Professional Women Power: There is no real insider tip for managing family & career at the same time

published on 6. June 2023

In the context of our career blog “professional women power”, female colleagues introduce themselves,

talk about their career paths and day to day work at Rödl & Partner.

In this way, we would like to raise awareness of women as well as motivate female applicants and colleagues

to bravely pursue their individual career paths at Rödl & Partner.

"Fortunately, I have a very understanding manager in Mr. Rödl. So I can fulfil my motherly duties without any restrictions."

Daniela Herz

Daniela Herz has been employed at Rödl & Partner in Nuremberg since 2014. Until 2020, she demonstrated her organizational talent in the Human Resources Development service unit. Since November 2020, she has been responsible for the organization of Rödl & Partner's committee meetings as assistant to the management. Daniela is married and has a nine-year-old daughter.

How exactly did your start and career at Rödl & Partner go so far?

After my previous employer went bankrupt during my parental leave, I had to start looking for a new job.

For me, it was a big challenge to put my little daughter in the hands of strangers so that I could face new tasks in a new company on unfamiliar terrain. However, already on my first day at work I was welcomed so warmly in the team of the service unit Human Resources Development that my uncertainty quickly subsided and I quickly felt at home in my new professional home. As a trained hotel manager with a lot of experience in event management, I was able to demonstrate my organisational talent in the preparation and supervision of the campus training courses. However, it quickly became clear that I needed more challenges, and so just one year later I was given the task of organising our talent events (AP Days and ISAW). Another year later, the responsibility for the International Convention was added. I always enjoyed working with colleagues from all over the world and coordinating with service providers. For two years now, I have been working as an assistant to the Executive Board at Christian Rödl and am responsible for the organisation of our committee meetings. In addition to the executive board meetings, this also includes the global board meetings, the shareholders' meetings as well as the partner and branch manager meetings.

How do you reconcile family and career and what supportive role does Rödl & Partner play for you?

Although I pursue my work with a lot of passion and sense of duty, my family, and especially my daughter, always come first. I enjoy family life to the fullest and see it as my spiritual anchor. But my professional development and realisation also play an important role for me. I have great demands on myself and sometimes it is not easy to meet them. Especially shortly before and during events or meetings, the workload is very high and there are many tasks that have to be done. Sometimes I don't get off work on time or have to boot up my laptop in the evening or at the weekend. Despite my husband's active support, it is especially challenging during these phases when family incidents occur. For example, when my daughter is sick and has to stay at home or I get a call from school to pick her up early. Fortunately, I have a very understanding manager in Mr. Rödl and a particularly empathetic colleague in Karin Rattelmüller, who makes it possible for me to fulfill my motherly duties without restrictions. The mobile work and flexible working hours also help me a lot in balancing everything. For me, none of this is a matter of course and I really appreciate the trust placed in me.

Do you have a secret tip for colleagues on how to reconcile work and family life?

To be honest, no. There is probably no real secret tip for this. Something different works for everyone.

For me, it helps to regularly write down both my private and my business tasks (on separate lists, of course), set myself deadlines and set priorities.That way I can't forget anything and always know what needs to be done by when. And if something doesn't work out the way I planned, it's not nice, but it's no reason to go crazy. I simply create a new to-do list and do the things on it according to priority. One thing at a time. If it still happens that I don't know where my head is anymore, then I ask for support.

Thank you Daniela for the nice interview. It's great to hear how well you balance career and family!