In such a small team, nothing remains unspoken. If I notice something is wrong, I address it directly instead of letting things linger—we do not let problems pile up. This openness is part of our company culture, and it works because we collaborate closely and support each other.

Our work takes a toll on the back and knees. At the beginning of the year, an employee was absent for six months after surgery, and I stepped in at the bakery. When someone has physical issues, we redistribute tasks and adjust their workplace as best as we can. Most of these adjustments are temporary, but even small changes can reduce the strain. Thanks to stools, we can adapt the working height to the countertop when someone suffers from pain in the back.

Night work is demanding, and getting up early is always a difficult adjustment. But our schedules are the same every day; we don’t have rotating shifts. The body gets used to a fixed routine, making early mornings more bearable, compared to rotations, where everything changes continuously.

In summer, heat builds up. The oven runs from two to six in the morning and stays hot until late afternoon; in the bakehouse, temperatures can reach 40 degrees. It’s not possible to install air conditioning in our bakery because of the flour, and fans aren’t a solution, either. In our case, the best solution is to ventilate regularly through the windows. In the shop, where heat also builds up, we’ve installed an air conditioner. We also make sure there’s always enough drinking water available everywhere.

With our work schedule, social life isn't a matter of course; you have to actively nurture friendships, and good friends show understanding. Hobbies and associations are possible if you really want them: my husband is part of the fire brigade, so he takes a nap in the afternoon to be able to take part in the evening. The fact that we both work in the same business helps us find this balance.