Happy employer!
All SME entrepreneurs in the Netherlands with financial problems help settle their debts. That was my dream. Bravely, I started my sole proprietorship in 1994 to pursue this ambitious intention. After two years of working on my own, I hired my first real employee. The young lawyer had reported to me through an open application. I - "serious employer" - looked him in the eye and decided to give him a chance. A matter of trust. Back and forth. And together we quickly became a strong team, which continuously asked for expansion. The good feeling and confidence that prevailed among the young lawyer turned out to be crucial even afterwards. And well, if it didn't work back and forth, we would sit around the table, discuss the differences and, if necessary, say goodbye appropriately.
After many years of (marketing) work, the turnover doubled in 2008 from 1 million, to 2 million in 2009 and 4 million in 2010. A lot of work, many files and 115 employees, but also many rules and yes: an HR -manager. The result: I had less contact with my employees. And that didn't feel right. When I got the message that one 'Jolanda' was sick and I didn't know who it was, I noticed: the distance is getting too big. In the end 'Jolanda' turned out to be the employee of our hired cleaning company and therefore not an employee, but still, this was a signal.
Fortunately, the crisis also dawned for us; that meant downsizing, becoming more efficient, doing more for less and reorganizing. Exciting times, but also back to a more flat organization, clear lines of communication and feeling with and between employees. Difficult for the old guard: some were pushed aside, others pushed down and some pushed up. Time for reflection and confrontation. Do you as an employee still like the organization and the work, do we as a new organization still consider you as an employee? By communicating openly about this, my company has now survived the change in the workplace. The old-fashioned swing 'all with their shoulders underneath' finally returns and in all those years no subdistrict court judge has been involved. And yes, I am quite proud of that!
Jacqueline Southway
I wrote this column in 2015. Short update March 2017: When I read this column back, this phase feels like it was already 10 years ago. This is how quickly you get used to your 'new' organization when things are going well, you have 'happy employees' and you are looking forward to the future together and enjoy every day. Summarized in his Cruyffian: Every disadvantage has its advantage!