Livit supports employees who change jobs within the company
Returning to one’s roots
April 2023
Not everyone finds it easy to move the focus of their life to another part of Switzerland or even abroad, especially when this move affects their entire family. That’s how it was for Aurélie. However, relocating from Zurich to Lausanne took her back to her parents’ roots, and she’s now getting to know and appreciate the culture of western Switzerland.
| Name: | Aurélie |
| Place of residence: | Lausanne |
| Hobbies: | family, painting, sports |
| Position: | property manager, full-time |
| Location: | Livit Lausanne |
| With Livit for: | 5.5 years |
Aurélie worked at Zurich Airport for ten years before deciding to move into real estate. As a career changer, she learned the ropes of rental management at Livit. But that wasn’t her actual goal: she was aiming for a career in property management and had already hinted at this during her interview. At first, however, there were no vacancies in this field.
A little later, the opportunity arose for an internal move. Aurélie had a significant advantage: she already knew the company, was familiar with lots of processes and could draw on a good internal network. ‘Internal networks are often underestimated, but they’re extremely valuable,’ Aurélie notes. She recommends that every employee invest in building theirs up.
Same job, different city
Aurélie planned her decision to leave Zurich after more than 20 years and move to western Switzerland with just as much determination and precision as her decision to join Livit. When she spoke to her superiors about her plans at an early stage, it was immediately clear to Livit that they wanted to keep her because of her performance and social skills. She wrote a full application in French and got a job at the company’s Lausanne location. ‘We support employees looking for a change within Livit,’ explains Beatrice Lifart, Head of HR. ‘We have a lot of understanding for the reasons behind this, such as seeking out a new place to live, different perspectives, a better work-life balance or family changes, and are very happy to contribute to a long-term solution.’
‘The move to Lausanne brought mixed feelings. I had had a great time in Zurich and made lots of friends,’ Aurélie says. The good thing about the move? Unlike relocating abroad, everything is relatively close by in Switzerland. Whether you’re travelling by public transport or by car – you can reach ‘Lac Léman’ in just a few hours. ‘Our friends from Zurich often visit us, especially on weekends,’ says the property manager.
«Foreign languages and a dose of curiosity will open many doors for you. I grew up bilingual and also speak English and Italian, so I see myself as a bit of a bridge-builder between Switzerland’s different language and cultural regions.»
Aurélie has an open, fun-loving personality, a positive attitude to life and trusts in her strengths. ‘I love being able to use my mother tongue in my daily life, rediscovering Lausanne and the surrounding area every day and seeing that my family has settled in well, too. At Livit Lausanne, I also have the opportunity to expand my professional skills and horizons,’ she explains.
Unique corporate culture
Aurélie obviously feels comfortable and welcome in Lausanne. Her employer also contributed to this. ‘The culture at Livit is unique, and is truly brought to life in Lausanne too,’ she says, adding: ‘I received a warm welcome and was immediately integrated into the team.’ Her colleagues also appreciate the new arrival.
Mutual support is a value that is firmly anchored in Livit's corporate culture. Aurélie has already helped her colleagues from Lausanne with specialist knowledge that she learned in German-speaking Switzerland. It’s the same the other way around: ‘I also benefit from my colleagues,’ says Aurélie. ‘Even though I grew up bilingual, I still had to learn some technical terms at the start.’ So, you’re never done learning! Aurélie certainly isn’t. She would like to advance her career at Livit. And we... we are counting on her.