A day in the life of… Renée

Of course you can read on our website how much fun it is to work at Zenya. It would be a bit strange not to say so, wouldn’t it? But every company writes that, of course. That’s why you don’t have to believe us, but you do have to believe your future colleagues! They tell in a nutshell why they love working at Zenya. And no, that’s not for just the ping-pong table….

Renée Dzialiner has been working as a Product Owner at Zenya since May 2023. Although her career started in hospitality, she has now completely found her niche in the world of software development. Her work week centres on sprints, in which she and her team work towards new functionalities in Zenya. Her work is all about collaboration, efficiency and continuous optimisation. What she appreciates most about working at Zenya? The personal atmosphere and the opportunity to really make an impact.

Hi Renée. You have a love of history and technology… tell me!

‘Hi, I am Renée, 37 years old and I am originally from Dordrecht, the oldest city in Holland. Before I entered the world of software, I was active in the hospitality sector. For me, that was always about service and quality. Working in special environments particularly attracted me, because I have a soft spot for history, unique buildings and the stories that go with them. Outside my work, I love nature. Whether it is a long walk or a challenging hike, I am always up for it.’

From a career in hospitality to software: why this turn of events?

‘Since May 2023, I have been working as a Product Owner at Zenya. I actually found this role by chance… After moving to Eindhoven and various positions in the hospitality sector, I was ready for something new. I ended up at a company specialising in UX strategy and design for enterprise software, and it was there that my interest in software was piqued.

However, the passion came when I got involved in a project in home care as a Product Owner. The combination of software, quality, efficiency and working together within a development team really appealed to me. From that moment I knew: I no longer want to do this just on a project basis, but structurally. At Zenya, I found that same drive to work together towards a goal in an open and pleasant working atmosphere.’

Can you give us an insight into your work week?

‘My work week revolves around two-week sprints, in which our development team follows different ‘rituals’. The day starts with a 15-minute stand-up meeting, where we update each other on what’s on the agenda and where help is needed. There are also the Refinement, Demo, Retrospective and Sprint Planning sessions. During the Refinement, we discuss as a team the tasks on our plate. In my role as Product Owner, I research the needs and wants around Zenya.

Together with the team, I determine what is technically possible and how we will realise it. When a story – say a new functionality – is completed, we present it to the ServiceDesk for quick feedback. At the end of the sprint, we look back during the Retrospective: what went well, what can be improved? Then we determine the focus for the next sprint. Outside these fixed moments, I keep myself busy with research, testing new solutions and keeping internal and external stakeholders up-to-date on the progress of our optimisations.’

What is your very best Zenya memory?

‘One of my fondest memories at Zenya is meeting my team members from Romania last November. It was the first time we saw each other in real life, and it was great fun! It’s still a different experience to suddenly meet people you always see through a screen live. Like that moment when you think: ‘Oh, that colleague is actually quite tall!’ Moreover, it was also a team-building event for all the Product Development teams. And as icing on the cake: our team won!’

What would you like to pass on to future colleagues?

‘What I love about working at Zenya is that the working environment remains personal and manageable, despite the company’s growth. You feel you can really make a difference – regardless of your role within the team. Moreover, you work with all kinds of departments and areas of expertise, from marketing to support, which makes for a dynamic and learning environment. The atmosphere is open and friendly, making it easy to ask questions and share ideas. When you join Zenya, you enter an environment where you can grow and where people are there for each other. You learn from others and enjoy going to work every day.’