“We have a lot of freedom to try things out!”
Get to know Shivani Gaba, Engineering Manager at beyonnex, and hear what she loves about her job and her life in Germany.
Shivani, you've been with beyonnex since th summer 2023. Why did you choose this company?
It was a career move for me: I used to manage one team in my previous job, now I manage three. It was also important to me that beyonnex is a growing company. I like the corporate culture here. In this respect, beyonnex is similar to a start-up, with a lot of freedom to try things out but at the same time, it belongs to the noventic group that brings stability to the business. That's a great mix. And well, when you already know your boss-to-be, it definitely makes your decision faster!
How important was it for you to switch to a company that has formulated a clear purpose?
That is actually very important to me. I want my work to have an impact on society. With beyonnex and the entire noventic group having the goal to reduce the energy consumption of buildings, it totally aligns with my motivation. I'm fully behind that!
As Engineering Manager, you are responsible for the further development of three teams. What do you particularly like about your job?
Supporting individuals and teams to grow and be high-performant is something I’m passionate about. When my people are motivated and have a good direction, I find it very motivating for myself. At beyonnex, I also get to work with different domains and align with them. Moreover, coming from a Quality Assurance background, I also support and facilitate the QA community at beyonnex.
In addition to my work at beyonnex, I also occasionally deliver talks as a speaker at different conferences. I really like that beyonnex supports me for this.
How do you like working for a German company, and are there any differences in the corporate culture compared to India?
I have been in Germany for seven years and I really like living here. There are some major differences at work. I notice that teams here organise themselves to a greater extent and act more independently than in India, that is a striking difference. I'm also impressed by how well remote working works here. However, I'm not sure how it works in India today. And then there's the German punctuality: a five o'clock meeting takes place at five o'clock. Definitely different from India!
What made you decide to come to Germany initially?
I was interested in Germany and German culture from an early age and learnt the language at the Goethe-Institut in India almost a decade ago. So, an affinity had been there for a long time. At some point, my sister moved to Germany, and it was she who motivated me to take the same step. So, I started looking for a job in Germany and got an offer from a company to relocate here.
How do you like actually living here?
I love it! I live in Hamburg with my husband and the city absolutely gives us its best. We have lots of friends and feel very much at home. There are a few cultural differences in the way people interact that surprised me at first, but over time I got used to it. Even though people take time here to become friends, I still find the people here to be very friendly: if you need any help, you get it.
And how about the weather in rainy Hamburg?
No comment (laughs). Well, yes, it could be better.