Behind the scenes

«I don’t need a pussyhat, I simply live equality»

10.5.2022

Translation: Jessica Johnson-Ferguson

Johanna Haller is a Senior Supply Chain Process Engineer at Digitec Galaxus. It wasn’t just me who struggled to remember her job title. Johanna’s also relieved she doesn’t have to introduce herself with it too often. What her job’s all about and why does upbringing play such an important role when you’re choosing a job? She shared her insights with me in an interview we held in our logistics centre in Wohlen.

Your job title is insanely complicated, I can’t remember it by heart. What does it mean?
The «senior» stands for my age, because I hit my 30s a while back (laughs)... But seriously, it means that I have a lot of experience and am no longer a newbie.
As a Supply Chain Process Engineer I’m involved in several projects that either aim to optimise processes around logistics or establish new ones.

Could you give us an example?
I’m in charge of «picking», which is the area where the goods are stored and prepped for packing. We recently converted a warehouse section, the picktower, from item-only bins to a totally chaotic storage system. It actually sounds worse than it is. It’s not like a bargain bin during the sales. Our goal is to make picking more efficient. That’s why we now store up to five different items in one container. This involves figuring out which products to store together and in which way, so that the picktower employees can work as efficiently as possible.

What’s your biggest project at the moment?
I’m currently heavily involved in the «Space Race». It involves two new warehouses we’re building here in Wohlen. I’m responsible for the sub-project «IT and Process». I also need to ensure that all goods flows and processes related to this expansion can go ahead. Let’s say a customer orders two items – one of them is in the picktower, the other in the new warehouse. I now need to ensure that a transport container makes it from the picktower to the new warehouse and then to the packaging department. August 2023 is when we go live.

This is the site of the Space Race, which will be operational in 2023.

You’re usually reachable online. How often are you on site at the warehouse?
At least once a fortnight. I have a lot of dealings with suppliers from different countries, not to mention my colleagues in Zurich. All interaction happens online. Sure, I could work from the office in Wohlen, but I have my peace and quiet at home. And I need that. My job requires a great deal of concentration. Besides, there’s no cat that curls up on my lap in Wohlen (laughs). I love the fact that we can work from home. But in my job, it’s obviously also very important that I’m on site occasionally.

You’re one of three women in the Process Engineering department. Logistics is still a male domain. Why aren’t there more women working in this field?
I’m convinced it’s to do with your upbringing. At least that was the case with me.

So your parents were cool like that and raised you differently?
My mother is probably one of the most emancipated women out there. It’s not like she went round advocating equality, but she lived it and was a role model for me and my sisters. And so did my father, by the way! It takes two, after all.
My parents ran a 24-hour operation. They were in charge of a hotel with a restaurant and bakery. It didn’t matter one bit who did what. They were totally equal. Both in childcare and at work. My parents showed me that everyone can do everything. That’s why it never occurred to me that I shouldn’t study mechanical engineering as a woman.

But this line of studies doesn’t have much in common with your parents’ profession.
True, but the fact that they saw eye-to-eye and both worked and took care of the kids shaped me. In turn, this made me open to any kind of job, whether it had a male or female connotation. What’s more, I was really into maths at a young age, so it was clear that I’d choose a technical subject.

Whether I like someone or work well with them has nothing to do with their gender.

Johanna Haller

Have you always had more dealings with men than with women?
Yes, but that never mattered to me. Whether I like someone or work well with them has nothing to do with their gender.

That’s a great attitude! That said, there are still very few women in your profession. How could more women be recruited?
In my previous jobs, I was the only woman for miles around. At Digitec Galaxus it’s much better. Career changers are welcome here. You need to be good at organising and understanding processes. This is not something you necessarily need a technical degree for. What’s more, the more women work in technical jobs and are visible, the more girls will consider taking up that type of profession. And now we’ve come full circle back to being a role model. I don’t have a pussyhat at home either (laughs), but I have a degree in mechanical engineering and work as a process engineer. I’m living proof that a woman can do this type of job just as well as a man. Nonetheless, we’ve got to continue to fight for equality, and we must do so as loudly and as long as it takes for everyone to understand. Unfortunately, we’re still miles away from our goal.

**As a woman, do you feel you have to work twice as hard to be taken seriously in your job?
This used to be the case, yes. But not anymore. Obviously, it helps that I’m very well versed in my field and have an enormous amount of knowledge. I’m also older than most of my employees and even older than my boss. Whether I’m a woman or a man doesn’t come into it. What counts is me as a person and the work I do.

Is this attitude specific to Digitec Galaxus?
That’s hard to say. What definitely helps is the low average age of 32. For my 30-something colleagues who are fathers, working part-time and being in equal relationships is totally normal. This also applies to childcare. And that in turn means that we’re on equal footing at work – regardless of gender and role.

The totally chaotic storage system in the picktower.

What’s the most important thing to you in your job besides being regarded as an equal?
Teaching and learning is one of the greatest things you can do in life. And that’s exactly what I’m enabled to do here. I can pass on my wealth of experience to younger employees. At the same time, they teach me many new things. It’s an environment in which I can continue to develop and improve my skills, expand my horizons as well as contribute and implement my ideas. There’s so much space to be creative and try out new things here. I really appreciate that. More importantly, we laugh a lot. And that’s a big plus for me! (laughs).

Getting back to women: would you like to see more women on your team?
Nah. (laughs). Yes of course I would! But at the end of the day, I just want great people on my team.

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Sharon Zucker

Communications Manager

sharon.zucker@digitecgalaxus.ch

I sniff out the best behind-the-scenes stories the Digitec Galaxus universe has to offer. Why? Because I'm fascinated by people and stories. In my other life, I act on all types of stages, sometimes even in graveyards. As a voice-over artist for commercials, I've dubbed a pumpkin and a cow to name but a few.

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