Care for each other

In today’s tight labour market, ‘binding and engaging’ people is a challenge for every company. The secret appears to be having an eye for every employee, HR Director Anja Claessen and HR Manager Nicole Janssen tell us. “You can lose people if you don’t give them enough attention.”

As a B Corp and family business, Nedlin is focused on the long term. Being a good employer has traditionally been part of this. In recent years, it became even clearer how important attention is in this regard. When during and just after corona, all time was consumed by other things, employee turnover also increased. This reinforced Nicole and Anja’s belief that everyone should feel seen and heard. “Of course, the salary has to be right. But the real difference is made with other things.”

Heard and seen

At Nedlin, people feel at home, they often hear. Anja thinks she knows why. “No matter how many techniques and processes come together in our laundry facilities, we always realise that it is the people who make it happen. Employees are seen here. Everyone greets each other, including on the work floor. We take that for granted, but we regularly find out from visitors that we shouldn’t.”

Feeling at home starts when employees enter, Nicole says. Giving new colleagues a warm welcome ensures their commitment from day one. “Our strength is in continuing the interest in each other afterwards”, adds Anja. “Everyone values being appreciated and being able to develop. You can lose people if you don’t give them enough attention.”

Additional support

Attention is in big and small things. A compliment or sincere question. But also in our partnership with a physical therapy practice. Or in the collaboration with a corporate social worker, which Nedlin entered into due to long waiting lists in the mental health system. Nicole: “That woman is amazing for us. She can help people out at an early stage. If necessary, she can help our employees within a few days.”

There is also help with financial worries, such as in the form of a budget coach. Anja: “You take your worries to work. If we can prevent problems on the front end, it is a win-win situation. The cost of coaching is then borne by the company.” Besides, she says: “Being able to offer this kind of help means employees feel safe to share with a colleague that things are not going well.”

She is quite proud of that. “This trust is indicative of the corporate culture. Everyone’s door is always open.” Anyone with questions about work or private matters is welcome to contact a supervisor or HR colleague. “The people who come to us are those who feel connected to the company. If we can help them, we are happy to do so.”

International

This certainly also applies to the growing group of migrant workers. Due to the tight labour market, Nedlin recruits not just locally, but also abroad through employment agencies. Working with colleagues from countries such as Greece, Portugal, Poland and Ukraine creates new challenges in the laundry. “The working language is increasingly English”, says Nicole. “Which means that even local people increasingly have to speak English.”

Six years ago, some found this difficult, but now even local colleagues see that there is no other way. “We notice that everyone is trying their best to get each other involved.” “Society is increasingly internationally oriented”, Anja also observes. “People are more open to it. At Nedlin migrant workers are welcomed with open arms. They are hard workers, with a huge drive to show what they can do.”

Positive dynamics

In the workplace, internationalisation is creating positive dynamics. Anja: “When you work with people from different cultures, you learn from each other.” There will be greater understanding of each other’s cultures and customs. And it teaches perspective, Nicole believes. “Many migrant workers have had an unstable past. This serves as a reminder that things are actually quite good for us in the Netherlands.”

Different nationalities are also reflected in staff positions. And when there is a company party, instead of a band playing, a DJ provides the music, so that colleagues from different cultural backgrounds can also request their favourite song. That too is good employment practice: making connections to strengthen the ‘we-feeling’.

Work-life balance

“The world has changed a lot compared to 30 years ago”, says Anja. “Good employment practice challenges you to deal with those changing circumstances. So that it helps you as an employer, but also your employees.” The foreign colleagues are an example of this. Nedlin offers them and other new employees a permanent contract after an induction process, provided it is possible in view of laws and regulations. Another example is responding to individual circumstances.

Anja: “People nowadays have to puzzle to manage work-life balance. Especially with children.” Nedlin needs to think about that too, she believes, so that the company remains an attractive employer for them too. “Of course, not everything can be done. But I would be quite willing to look more broadly at the possibilities in that area. Providing more flexibility can be a powerful thing.”

Growth opportunities

Meanwhile, those who are willing and able will get plenty of opportunities to grow. For instance, many managers once started on the floor. Nicole: “In part it’s training on the job. The laundry also offers a number of regular training courses, such as leadership training, interview techniques or the Nedlin Drivers Academy. And there are individual pathways where employees, for example, take a college course that also adds value to the company.”

In doing so, they look at employees from all sides. What are they good at, what do they like? “If it’s possible and it fits, we will make it happen”, says Nicole. For example, a former production worker is now a successful senior maintenance engineer. An account manager has become a data analyst. One of the drivers developed into a fleet manager. And the former logistics manager is now in charge of marketing.

Added value

This flexibility benefits both the employees and the company. Anja: “Companies often keep employees in a certain position because they are valuable there. But if you do so for too long, the employee will start looking for something else. That’s what I like about Nedlin: even though it may not be optimal at first, we still go along with that development.”

In production, too, they try to keep the work challenging. For example, by letting employees switch places. That is not obligatory, Nicole stresses. “We also appreciate people who prefer to be at the wringer every day. Or who move on to a packing position, which requires more knowledge. But there are often more possibilities than people think.”

Future

At Nedlin, people have a future, Anja believes. “This is a stable organisation. If you feel at home in the company and you do your job well, you don’t have to worry about your job.” This kind of security is extraordinary today. “The political climate is uncertain, and so is the rest of the world. So it’s nice to know that Nedlin is focused on the long term.” She laughs: “If you want, you can work here until retirement.”