From Part-time Job to District Manager

THIS WAY TO THE JOB PORTAL.

Marian Flessa is the district manager at Hammer and is responsible for eight specialty stores around the Rhineland-Palatinate town of Worms. After a part-time job during his bachelor’s degree in business administration, he decided to join the family of the Brüder Schlau corporate group. Quickly, he went from being a customer to a motivated employee, later market manager, and now district manager.

Together with his girlfriend, he found a beautiful but in need of renovation apartment. “In 2010, I went to a Hammer store in Fulda. We wanted to buy wallpaper for our new apartment and get advice. I liked the openness and friendly advice of the employees from the beginning. When I left the store, I saw the sign “Temporary help wanted” and after an internship, it was clear: I want to work at Hammer,” says the 35-year-old. He initially started with a weekend part-time job while studying. In the Fulda store, Flessa demonstrated the products and showed how to achieve a perfect wall paint result, for example. He was increasingly integrated into various work processes and supported craftsmen during customer visits. The then-market manager quickly approached him and offered him a full-time job at Hammer. “I originally wanted to go into marketing with my degree. But retail has convinced me. I like the contact with customers, the healthy ambition and a certain competition among the market and district managers.”

Every day is different

“A workday in which everything is always the same
doesn’t really exist,” says Flessa. So as a district manager,
he doesn’t have a clear sequence of to-dos or a fixed
order of specialty store visits.

“I’m on the road in Hammer stores every day and regularly visit all of my specialty stores.” He sees himself as the interface between central administration and the markets, communicates news or changes, checks the product range, and provides support on site. He is particularly concerned with the employees, as well as the collegial cooperation. “I like working with such different people. Every day is different because every conversation is different. I have an emotional job, close to the employees and the customer base,” explains Flessa.

He particularly emphasizes the open and appreciative communication with both team members and superiors. “In the corporate group, you always meet on equal terms. Problems can be discussed, you are allowed to make mistakes and there are never any stupid questions.’”

The Corporate Group as an Employer

Brüder Schlau – a family business with over 100 years of experience in interior design. Marian Flessa sees the family’s status in the fifth generation as very positive. “You can tell that it’s not a ‘cold’ corporation. There are emotions and a lot of passion in the daily work.” In his more than 10 years of service, he has also noticed that the staff is very loyal: “In recent years, there have been many changes in the company group. The opportunities for digitalization and modernization have been increasingly exploited and everyone is on board.”

For him, the many constructive conversations with colleagues are particularly positive. “I always have an open ear. I try to pass on what has been given to me: appreciation, reflection, and also a private word are very important to me. This way, you can come to work every day with fun.”