How people and companies in Jena live interculturality
Every year, the i-work Business Award recognises companies in Jena that are exemplary in promoting intercultural openness in the business environment. The many practical examples from the i-work competition present the companies where integration succeeds in everyday working life and show how people at the workplace and beyond are committed to the cooperation of cultures. Would you like to learn more about how arriving in Jena and in your new job can be a success? Our blog series presents many interesting examples.
Meet Oleksandr Volynets here
Oleksandr Volynets is originally from Ukraine and now works as a senior senior member of technical staff at Salesforce.com Germany GmbH in Jena. He tells us how Salesforce makes it easier for international employees to start their new job and settle in Jena.
How did you end up in Jena?
I live in Berlin and was looking for a job as a software developer that would offer me more flexibility and thus also optimise my work-life balance. After several interviews, I came across Salesforce and was excited to be able to work on new technologies. And that’s how I ended up with the team in Jena.
What do you like most about your work and your company?
There are many motivating colleagues in my team, some of whom have been with Salesforce for many years. During my daily work, I can successfully use my strengths and several years of professional experience as a software developer to master the challenges of a stable and reliable cloud environment.
What challenges were you faced with when you came to Jena / started in your company? How did you overcome these challenges?
Starting in a team that is over 200 km away is challenging. Although all onboarding sessions are remote, collaboration is essential in an IT company. Whether it’s for an important software architecture or design decision, or just to talk, you don’t necessarily have to meet in the office anymore. You can do it online, but it has to be well planned. I have had short private conversations with all my colleagues to get to know everyone better. This has a very positive effect and builds new bridges for further cooperation. My “trail guide”, my onboarding buddy, was always helpful and patient.
How did your company support you the most?
There is a lot of support for wellbeing and personal development, e.g. reimbursement for sports activities, IT courses and much more. I recently gained certification in cloud computing and was able to take advantage of financial support from Salesforce. Support for home office equipment is also made possible. I now work at my new height-adjustable desk and can carry my child and work in between when my wife is busy. My colleagues are totally OK with my son helping out.
What are the biggest differences in everyday work and life between your home and Jena?
I moved to Germany when I was still a student. Since then, I have worked in three big cities: Hamburg, Munich and now Berlin. All the cities are so different. In Munich, you can cycle out of the city in 20-30 minutes and enjoy the countryside, in Hamburg, for example, taking the ferry across the Elbe is a wonderful experience and in Berlin you can find everything, whether theatre, cinema or city park. Jena also has a lot to offer, which I will explore in detail in the future.
What is typically German / typically Jena for you?
Knuckle of pork! But also Oktoberfest, Christmas markets and lantern parades.
Thank you very much for the interview and all the best for your future in Jena!
Salesforce.com Germany GmbH: About us
Salesforce, the global leader in customer relationship management (CRM) software, brings businesses and customers closer together in the digital age. Founded in 1999, Salesforce enables businesses, regardless of size or industry, to take advantage of powerful technologies such as cloud, mobile, social, Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, voice and blockchain to gain a 360° view of their customers.
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