Back at Livit after 3.5 years
When the door remains open even after leaving the company
Claudia absolvierte bei Livit ihre KV-Lehre und stieg bis zur Teamleiterin auf. Nach 17 Jahren trennten sich 2019 die Wege. Aber nicht für immer! Nur ein paar Jahre später kehrte sie im Januar 2023 zur Livit zurück. Was bewegte sie zu diesem Schritt?
| Name: | Claudia |
| Position: | Property Management Team Leader – part-time job share |
| With Livit for: | 18 years – with a 3.5-year break |
| Returned: | January 2023 |
| Hobbies: | Reading, pottery |
Seventeen years is a long time. Few employees can look back on such a long period of employment. Claudia is one of those few. She completed her commercial apprenticeship with Livit in 2005 and then stayed with the company for many years. ‘When I think back to my early days, it really becomes clear to me just how much the industry has changed,’ says Claudia. Above all, she is referring to the push for digitalisation and the world of new work.
From apprentice to team leader
Claudia witnessed the merger and relocation of the two former Livit branches in Zurich to the current location in Altstetten. She has moved from small offices to open-plan offices and has experienced both the shift to a paperless workplace and the introduction of digital tools, which are still in use. She has also achieved a great deal professionally, and has gone through practically all levels of property management. After successfully completing her apprenticeship, Livit took her on as an administrator. This was followed by a promotion to a junior and ultimately to property manager. Before she decided to leave Livit in 2019, she had been a team leader for around eight years.
Claudia has certainly experienced a lot in her career; the good times always stood out. ‘It wasn’t easy for me to hand in my resignation. But after 17 years with Livit I thought that now was the time to gain new, external professional experience in property management,’ says Claudia, explaining her decision at the time. A perfectly understandable reason – but it was a tough loss for Livit. With Claudia, we not only lost valuable expertise, but also a long-standing and esteemed employee who was close to the hearts of many colleagues.
«I knew the door would always be open for me at Livit and that I would be welcome back when I was ready.»
From regular contact to a return
This positive impression reached the Head of HR, Beatrice Lifart. She stayed in regular contact with Claudia over the next couple of years and ultimately paved the way for Livit’s prodigal daughter to return at the end of 2022. ‘I found the exchange with Beatrice and other colleagues from HR to be very appreciative and always on an equal footing. It reminded me that this was exactly how it was in all the years before,’ Claudia recalls. ‘I knew that the door would always be open for me at Livit and that I was welcome back when I was ready.’
Claudia found it easier and easier to imagine returning to Livit, so she had an initial exploratory meeting with one of the HR business partners. Everyone involved was extremely happy with how it went. ‘After my professional break, I wanted to start with a lower level of employment. That was a conscious decision. Livit made it possible for me to do this,’ says Claudia. After that, everything happened quickly. Just a few weeks later, the qualified property manager signed her contract and took up a transitional role in the Livit Academy in January 2023. For the first few weeks, she delivered training on tenancy law and other topics, passing on her knowledge before moving to the back office for a few more months, where she increased her level of employment by 10%.
Since October 2023, she has – albeit somewhat spontaneously – once more been responsible for leading a property management team, this time in a job sharing role. Claudia’s return is a win-win situation for Claudia herself and for Livit.
Claudia’s advice for returners
‘If you leave Livit on a positive note, you know that you always have the possibility to return. If you’re thinking of coming back, consider which positions are or could be available that you enjoy and fit your profile. If you have a discussion about returning to Livit, be open about your wishes. I am sure that those in HR will always find a place for good people. Maybe not today or tomorrow, but with a little patience a door will open somewhere and something suitable will emerge.’
Returner recruitment: what is it and why is Livit dedicating time to it?
Returner recruitment refers to the practice of re-employing former employees who have previously left the company. This strategy offers companies several advantages for a number of reasons. Returners are already familiar with the corporate culture, many of the processes and tools, and the procedures, which shortens the induction time needed and minimises the risk of incorrect decisions being made. Rapid integration and existing expertise also boost productivity. Returners also bring expertise and networks from their previous employment outside the company, which can be particularly valuable.
Returner recruitment enables Livit to build up its own talent pool and recruit efficiently. Overall, this HR strategy strengthens employee retention and makes use of familiar resources for sustainable recruitment and workforce planning. Since December 2023, Livit has been issuing a golden return ticket to employees who have left the company, if both parties can envisage a return. This ticket can be redeemed upon return.