Michaela Massur

Hi Michaela! You've been on board as an Office Assistant at Checkmk since 2023. What attracted you to the position back then, and how did you experience your first few weeks of onboarding?

I was particularly attracted by the combination of a modern tech culture and the central role at reception, because here you are simply the heart of the office. The interviews also thrilled me: The atmosphere was incredibly warm, and everyone was genuinely interested in me as a person – I had never experienced anything like that at any other company before. The onboarding was intense, but thanks to the good structure and my fantastic team, I settled in extremely quickly. Another point that makes me super happy: I'm allowed to bring my dog Belvie with me every day, and I don't think we could imagine the office without her now. She does an excellent job as Chief Happiness Officer (CHO).

Office management in a tech company today goes far beyond traditional administration. In your daily work, you use tools like Slack, Confluence, and AI assistants like Claude and Google Gemini. How do these tools make your work easier, and how do they change daily life at reception?

I actually grew up with classic pen and paper. Despite the 'paperless office', I quickly adapted to our digital work environment and use tools like Slack and Confluence to keep our communication transparent and efficient. I really like using AI assistants like Gemini or NotebookLM as digital support, for example for snappy phrasing, research, or structuring processes. This frees up my mind for what no AI can replace: personal care for our guests and the team.

From guest care and travel planning to event coordination and invoice verification – you pull an extreme amount of strings together. What is your secret recipe for keeping an overview and setting priorities correctly, even on the busiest days?

I would say a cool head and always a pinch of humor! I work based on urgency and importance, now like to use digital to-do lists, and sometimes block short periods of time for focusing. But my most important secret recipe is flexibility: If the day goes differently than planned, I adapt and take things step by step.

You bring a super exciting wealth of experience with you – among other things, you co-founded your own company in Marrakech and worked for years in the event and travel sector. Which of these experiences help you the most today in your role at Checkmk?

From my time in Marrakech and the event industry, I learned two things for life: improvisation and hospitality. When you've built up your own business abroad, nothing really rattles you that easily anymore. This acquired calmness often helps me today when things get chaotic in everyday office life.

As an Office Assistant, you are often the first point of contact for the team and the first friendly voice for guests in the Munich office. How would you describe the working atmosphere and team spirit at Checkmk to someone who doesn't know the company yet?

Open, dynamic, and on an equal footing. Whether in tech or in the office: We help each other. Working together is important to us, which is why I am always approachable for colleagues – whether it's about business or personal topics. We laugh a lot together, but we also all pull together when it counts.

Looking back at your time so far: What advice would you give to people who are thinking about becoming part of the Checkmk team?

Just dare to do it and stay yourself! At Checkmk, it's not just professional skills that count, but above all the person. Anyone who wants to work in an environment where you can actively help shape things, take on responsibility, and become part of a strong team is in exactly the right place here.