Interview with Kim Westphal

You completed a traineeship at steute to become an IBMA. What has been your career path at steute, and what are your current tasks?

Once I had completed my traineeship in 2007, I started work in the Accounts department, on the accounts payable side. After approx. 1 year I asked to change to Sales because I wanted to have direct contact to customers and more variety in my everyday work.
Since then I have been a "saleswoman" looking after customers, from writing offers all the way through to writing invoices. I manage order processing and I monitor delivery dates and shipping of the goods. At the same time, I support the customers when they have any requests or problems.
In June 2021, I acquired some additional organisational tasks when I was asked to lead our Meditec Sales team. That showed great trust and made me very proud.

During your 15 years at the company you became a mother. How do you combine your family life and your job, and how has steute supported you?

For me (as for so many mothers and fathers), my family is my top priority. Instead of making me feel guilty about this, steute reinforces my belief.
When I returned after my maternity leave, I was very glad to hear that I could still work in Sales. I started off at 25 hours a week and then gradually built up from there. Thanks to our flexitime model, my working hours are adaptable.

"At steute I feel valued as an employee and like I made the right choice."

What do you like most about steute?

I love the flexibility I already mentioned, as well as the consideration taken. We are also shown a lot of trust in our daily work. At steute I feel valued as an employee and like I made the right choice. Our Management always endeavours to give us that bit extra: in the Summer we have a company barbecue, during Advent it is a tradition that we always get a chocolate Father Christmas from Lindt, and then there is the Christmas market which is built up on the premises. Things like that make the employees feel important.

How would you describe the atmosphere at steute?

Friendly! Because I had to visit many different departments during my traineeship, I know colleagues from the Production, from Purchasing and from Accounts, to name just three, and that means that I always feel at home walking through the company. The atmosphere is relaxed, warm-hearted and good-natured. I personally have the feeling that I am working in ONE large team which extends far beyond the colleagues directly in my own department. At steute, everyone pulls together.