Multiple Hats and Wings for Work-Life Balance: Thomas Meizer

Since 2007, he has been significantly steering the course of SRB. Today, Thomas Meizer, as a member of the management and head of Consulting & Human Resources, balances consulting and organisational development. Read here how he achieves this, what gives him wings, and the role the Thermomix plays in it, in a new episode of our employee series 'Inside SRB'.

It all started with a project. Back in 2007. A sector solution for the metal industry was sought. A task perfectly suited for a trained mechanical engineer with a background in economics. It became more than that. The solution grew, and from metal came the medium-sized enterprise. And it bore the signature of one man: Thomas Meizer.

‘I am not an IT nerd, but I can help the customer with my knowledge of the systems and processes – and that has been fascinating from the start,’ describes the native Viennese not only his beginnings at SRB but also what still drives him today. For: The specialist, initially hired as a solution architect and sales logistics expert, became more. Today, 16 years after the implementation of the sector solution, Thomas not only leads consulting at SRB but is also responsible for Human Resources as a member of the management.

A man, multiple hats

The balancing act between consulting on one side and management activities on the other is what Thomas has to master daily. The attempt to block out days for one or the other is rarely successful. ‘That comes with the job – and to be honest, at the end of the day, that’s what makes it so exciting,’ he describes with a sparkle in his eyes.

It is therefore not surprising that he loves this variety and versatility in his profession. Although he admits that working with and for clients is what still excites him after all these years:

‘There is nothing better than seeing a project grow. Especially when clients initially have a different understanding of possible solutions than we do – and we manage to bring in new perspectives with our knowledge and good communication, sparking the imagination of how it can ultimately look. That is truly fascinating.’

That Thomas also keeps the success of his own company in mind is understandable given the HR hat he wears alongside the 'consultant cap'. To align the company's structures for sustainable growth and make it fit for the future, he has introduced a completely new management level.

Furthermore, the question of home office or office and the right balance played an important role. A question he answers with a clear ‘Both are important’: ‘Saving travel time and being able to work concentrated from time to time is just as important as social interaction in the office corridors. The latter should not be underestimated. Not only because you learn what your colleagues are working on, but also due to the many small things for a project that you can quickly pick up in passing, which often turn out to be extremely important later. And of course, a suitable balance of work location also helps with work-life balance.’

All sorts of (winged) things

Even though Thomas is rather clearly structured and down-to-earth in his profession, he loves to take off in his free time. His unusual hobby literally gives him wings: wingfoiling. This is a hybrid form between paragliding and windsurfing, where instead of the sail anchored to the board in windsurfing, a type of wing in the form of a kite is held in both hands, and a foil is mounted under the board.

‘The cool thing is that it lifts you really high out of the water and you literally start to fly. It’s so much fun that the next day the obligatory muscle soreness in the arms is much easier to bear,’ Thomas shares with a grin.

The family man finds relaxation and fresh thoughts mainly in his garden – even if only weekends are left for its maintenance. Here too, he cannot quite escape the theme of ‘wings’: in addition to a cat, he also has two chickens.

Otherwise, Thomas – usually due to time constraints and for relaxation – prefers ‘simple and practical’. For example, he relies on the Thermomix for cooking. Especially for risotto, one of his favourite dishes. With carbohydrates for strength in the arms and good taste for work-life balance.

Inside SRB

This year, we are also introducing some of our employees in more detail here on the blog. We look behind make-up, business outfits, and PowerPoint slides to bring you closer to the people who make up our SRB expertise. Together we are SRB.

More SRB employee portraits to read:

#1 – Manfred Scheiner

#2 – Veronika Lomasow

#3 – Yamen Albahesh

#4 – Norbert Leimgruber

#5 – Michael Henninger

#6 – Harald Epnerr

#7 – Jelena Ilie

#8 – Michael Auer