Rubén Arenal about Health & Well-Being in his workplace at Schaeffler

The team led by motorsports fan Rubén currently comprises 24 people in Germany and Mexico. Two factors are instrumental in the success of his team: the longstanding experience of his colleagues and their diversity.

“Our team brings together more than 290 years of Schaeffler experience,” he relates. “This knowledge helps us to successfully master even complex challenges.” At the same time, it is the blend of different personalities, talents and perspectives that make the team competent, creative, but also resilient.

For Rubén, health is far more than the absence of illness. For the father of a young daughter, physical, mental and emotional well-being are the basis for achieving professional and personal goals.

This insight is the result of a personal development process with highs and lows, during which he deliberately sought outside professional support. “These structured conversations helped me to understand myself, my thoughts, and my emotions much better,” says the team leader with a passion for technology. Rubén is happy to pass on the knowledge he gained in this holistic development process – including within his team.

For Rubén, ‘mindful togetherness’ is part of what he calls ‘caring leadership’. His aim is to create a working environment for each individual where people feel appreciated, are motivated, and can effectively contribute their individual strengths. Strong individuals create the foundation for an even stronger team.

“When it comes to team members, I try to find that common ground where everyone feels that the workplace is their ‘happy place’,” he explains. Building on this, a culture of mutual support and collaboration needs to be established. According to Rubén, genuine ‘team flow’ occurs whenever the tasks are challenging but can be readily managed using the capabilities and resources available. For him, mindful togetherness also encompasses clearly defined goals, open communication, and regular feedback. “Especially in a dynamic environment, everyone has to understand where we are heading and why we are taking certain decisions.” This is how you create trust, collaboration, and in the long term, a strong team.