Christoph Müller, Senior Interim Manager with HR Unlimited AG: “Would you like a little more?”

A question that we are used to in the butcher’s shop; as interim managers, we ourselves are used to going the extra mile.

We agree an ‘indicative’ working time per day with our clients in the contract. This is usually 8-9 hours. A price is agreed for this time. However, the actual work performed by the individual interim manager then depends solely on the amount of work required by the client. This can often mean that we are the first at work and the last to go home. And that’s perfectly okay, because we know that we are needed. This is also what motivates us; being needed, being able to make a difference and supporting the success of our customers as much as possible.

We sense what the customer needs and talk to them about how we can help.

An example of this is my current assignment with an SME customer that is embedded in a larger group.

My original assignment was to manage the SME’s HR department locally and to assist with the conversion of processes. However, it gradually became clear that the HR tasks were more varied than expected. In addition, a number of personnel changes in the company led to a management emergency which had to be supported and, above all, resolved in the medium term. This made it clear where the company’s greatest need lay: in the interim replacement of a large area in Operations as COO a.i.

After brief negotiations, I was appointed to the new role within a ‘week’ and took on responsibility for 180 of the company’s employees.

I really enjoy this role, especially because I can make an almost infinite number of things happen and implement them, something that has always been the most important driver for me throughout my career.

When we originally negotiated my role in this company, this opportunity was not even on the horizon. It was a case of ‘can I have a little more?

I will now continue in this role until a suitable successor has been found and appointed. And who knows, after that it could well be that more is expected of us …

HR Unlimited AG is an owner-managed company specializing in interim management based in Glattpark Opfikon, Switzerland, and has been offering interim assignments in Switzerland and abroad since2002. HR Unlimited AG is Andreas Biel, Tanja Biel, Balz Schlittler, Marcel Brader, Christian Hobi, Christoph Müller, Andreas Gnepf, Gramoz Lekaj, Benjamin Roth, Kadir Kirmizitas, Natalia Minnig, Fabian Feller, Gabriella Karch and a large, qualified pool of personally trusted interim managers.