Corporate culture as management priority

“Corporate culture not only impacts employee happiness—it determines the future viability of companies.” With this statement, Reinhild Jung sums up what she stands for as managing director of SerNet GmbH. For her, corporate culture is not a minor issue, but a tangible management tool.

Jung has a trained eye for this: before she was appointed to the management board, she had already been in charge of business administration for a long time. She knows how closely issues such as work organization, family friendliness, and personnel development are linked to the success of a company. “If you don't anchor people culture in corporate management, you leave it to chance.”

At SerNet, corporate culture is therefore a conscious topic at management level. This is reflected in targeted initiatives: Jung, for example, invited the German Pension Insurance Fund to SerNet. Under the title “What actually counts for my pension?”, employees were able to ask questions about parental leave, part-time work, or care – topics that are relevant in the middle of working life and not just at the end. “For me, responsibility in leadership means sharing knowledge, reducing uncertainty, and providing guidance.”

Health is also a focus at SerNet. Regular health days cover topics ranging from stress management and mindfulness exercises to tips for getting more exercise in your everyday work life. “Our colleagues experience first-hand that their well-being is part of our corporate agenda,” says Jung.

SerNet also sends a strong signal when it comes to family friendliness. The company pays 100% of wages when a child is sick, instead of leaving this to the health insurance company. In addition, there is a model of trust-based working hours that gives employees the freedom to better balance their professional and private lives. “Work-life balance is not created by rigid rules, but by mutual trust,” emphasizes Jung.

For Jung, these measures are not add-ons, but building blocks of a strategic corporate culture that puts people at the center. Her credo: “Culture is not a benefit—it is a competitive factor.” Precisely because SerNet operates internationally and offers highly complex IT security solutions, it needs a strong foundation of cooperation. After all, modern technology can only succeed with teams that are resilient, motivated, and capable of taking action.

This article is the detailed version of an interview in the Göttingen magazine Charakter  (Fall 2025 issue).