Being open to change

In today’s world, change is the only constant, Hans Van der biesen believes. As General Manager and Assistant Area Director Benelux at Thon Hotels, he brings Norwegian community spirit to Brussels and Rotterdam. “In Norway, everyone knows Olav Thon because of his support for the community.''

Hotel chain Thon Hotels is part of Norway’s Olav Thon Group, founded by namesake Olav Thon (29.06.1923 - 16.11.2024). Farmer son Thon - broad smile, red hat - built a real estate empire since the 1950s that included shopping malls, flats and hotels. Of the 95 hotels, 12 are now located outside Norway.

Tripadvisor

With 7 Thon Hotels, Brussels takes the crown after Oslo. Hans Van der biesen is in charge of the day-to-day operations there. And not without pride. On Tripadvisor, three of his hotels are in the Brussels top 10. This, he stresses, ‘has nothing to do with stars’. “That’s just day-to-day feedback.”

Scoring so well, he says, is a combination of everything. “Guests’ expectations are constantly changing. But you have to offer the guarantee of quality.” Today, three things are key here: a good internet connection, a good shower with nice towels, and a good bed with pleasant linen.

Top employees

To live up to this expectation every day, you need ‘top employees’. “In order to serve your customers, you need each and every one of your employees. This requires you to take certain initiatives. Especially today, after Covid, where staff demands more attention.” Now that part of the workforce has discovered how nice working from home can be, the pond to fish in has become smaller for on-site jobs.

This is why Van der biesen increasingly trains his top employees himself. “We have always done that, but shifted up a gear after Covid. We offer all kinds of training, from leadership training to an ergonomics course for the housekeeping staff.” During annual appraisals, the development plan is discussed with each employee, which is followed up on an interim basis.

Green hospitality

As part of the Olav Thon Group, doing business with consideration for people and nature is a matter of course for Thon Hotels. Electricity has long been 100% green energy. Only European wine is served. On the roofs are insect hotels, beehives and greenhouses for growing fruits and vegetables. Disposable umbrellas in the rooms? Thon Hotels was one of the first hotels to replace them with a sturdy umbrella that guests can rent.

Van der biesen also thinks this is important to convey to employees. “When younger people see that you take all these initiatives, it adds to the atmosphere. People see: this company is making an effort, I want to work here.” Thon Hotels has an open and transparent corporate culture where people work with mutual respect.

If the company is doing well, success is shared together. Van der biesen: “It is part of a modern company that everyone benefits from profits. It’s teamwork, a chain. If there is one bad link in the chain, the end result is not good either.” And so he and his team organise activities throughout the year and employees occasionally receive a little extra.

A little boost

Even outside the hotel, you have to ‘dare to play the part once in a while’. In 2013, Olav Thon transferred the company to the Olav Thon Foundation. The latter was tasked with exercising stable and long-term ownership of the group. This secures jobs for employees and allows the foundation to spend money on good causes.

Thus, Brussels hotels are also taking their social responsibility. For example, with their participation in TADA, short for ToekomstATELIERdelAvenir, a project that mentors young people from socio-economically vulnerable backgrounds. “We create a fun moment for those young people”, Van der biesen says. “But we also show them: you can start at the bottom of the ladder.”

He himself once started as a night receptionist. “We invite those young people, ‘you can do that too’. You see them gaining courage. That’s what I like about the hospitality industry: if you have a little bit of common sense, you’re going to find your way. No matter who you are or where you come from. It is part of my remit to give people a little boost.”

Natural obligation

Guests staying at Thon Hotels for several days can choose: getting cleaning during their stay, or a voucher. The latter can be used for a drink at the bar or donated to one of the regular charities. At the end of each month, all donations are invariably announced.

Is the demand for sustainability also on customers’ minds? “There are some larger companies that do require a certain label, such as Green Key or Highest Level of Green. The ordinary guest, I suspect, is mainly concerned with the combination of price and location. But we feel it is a natural obligation to take those initiatives.

Steps

Every year, Thon Hotels tries to take new steps. This summer at Thon Hotel EU, the small conservatories on the roof will be replaced by large ones. Someone will be hired to maintain the roof garden. For Van der biesen, it is nothing short of a statement. “We really take this seriously. One of those cards that says you can throw your towel on the floor when it needs to be washed? That was a great initiative 20 years ago. But if that is all you do today, you are not seriously committed to the environment, are you?”

You can, he says, go very far in the pursuit of sustainability. This sometimes leads to discussion. On World Water Day, guests receive an hourglass to hang in the shower at home. Such an hourglass could, of course, also be in the rooms. But, says Van der biesen: “You don’t want to point fingers.” It is a search for balance, but as one of the pioneers.

In that process, it is nice to be surrounded by other pioneers. Van der biesen has worked at Thon Hotels since 2000, and can’t remember anything other than Nedlin providing the linen. “It is nice to see how we have evolved together.”

Recognition

What he likes about working with Nedlin is the recognition. “Thon Hotels is also a family business in a way, just like Nedlin, and we both place a lot of focus on the environment. Through the investment Nedlin makes in this regard, we find a partner in each other. And that is something we look for, although it is not always easy. You want partners who can handle your volume, but are also flexible.”

After all, for a hotel, good linen is indispensable. “I try to be a partner in that myself. If I know the hotel will be full or quiet in the coming period, I always communicate that.” Such collaboration is valuable. “We are not married to anyone, but you don’t break a good partnership just like that.”

The hotel market as a whole is evolving at lightning speed. New concepts, such as automatic check-ins, co-working spaces and communal spaces for leisure, are appearing everywhere. It keeps you on your toes, Van der biesen believes. “You have to understand that the world is changing and be open to changing yourself too, or you’re going to have a hard time. The facts are right there in front of you, and you have to adapt. That is a constant reality.”