Teams that work together inefficiently are all too common. Perfectly coordinated teams? Fortunately, there are plenty of these as well. You only have to look to the sky to find examples. The V-shape in which migratory birds fly is the epitome of cooperation. The V-shape gives each bird extra lift due to the upward airflow caused by the birds flying in front of it. Ingenious, but extremely difficult for the front bird. There is however a solution: the bird in front drops back and another goose takes its position.
That’s exactly how things work with Engage. Sharon Braam (CHRO VANAD Engage) is happy to tell you more: “We get to know our colleagues well, as unique people with their own talents and ambitions. Everyone here has a personal moving forward plan, in which we reflect on who you are, what is important to you, and how to best connect with that at Engage. We know what someone does best, what they want to learn, and what space they need in order to fully exploit their strengths.
At Engage, everyone gets the space to grow from strength to strength, always in a team. A team is therefore so much more than just a group of colleagues. With connection as the basis, colleagues learn to rely on one another, and everyone is given the space to make their own contribution based on talent and ambition. This means everyone can fly in the lead position, encouraged by their team and alternating with their teammates. Everyone takes over the lead in turn so that the team contributes at every level and achieves the best results.
Of course, sometimes things go wrong. Sharon: “Making mistakes is part and parcel of learning. We encourage you to be curious, to discover, and to share what you’ve learned. This works best if people are engaged, feel that they belong, are allowed to make their own contribution and are appreciated for it: a sense of belonging is therefore important at Engage.”
What is a sense of belonging?
It’s the primary human need to be part of something, a feeling of connection. “Being great just the way you are, with your quirks, with your areas of development, with your talents, and with your ambitions. That gives us wings,” says Sharon
Our people have lives that we can be part of. We have an eye for the person behind the employee, both at work and at home. We allow employees space for personal goals and to celebrate important moments. “We celebrate together when someone passes their driving test, because we know how important this step is, including what someone has overcome in order to achieve it. Those are the best moments!” At the same time, our employees know what’s important to Engage and its partners. They think, act, and celebrate just as much with us when we’re able to go that extra mile for a customer, or see the effect of a particular improvement. Commitment to one another only really works if it comes intrinsically from both sides.
Skills for life
This engagement lies at the heart of our ‘Happy People philosophy’. What we enjoy best is to help everyone advance a few steps further in their own personal aspirations and goals. We do so by providing an important foundation, namely contact with a genuine connection.
At Engage, you learn these skills at every level: having easy, personal, and valuable conversations. Good conversations with customers, with colleagues, and with yourself. It will help you in every aspect of your life if you can do this, based on a real connection, Whether it concerns a new career, living with your partner, cooperating successfully with teammates, or successfully resolving a customer issue.
Sharon: “It’s amazing to be able to pass on these skills for life. You know what you can achieve with good connection-based conversation; that is precisely what makes it so valuable, and why it’s so important for us. When I then observe this working in practice and see my colleagues growing wings, and the fact that they, we and our partner join in the enjoyment, I do a little dance of joy 😊.”
Would you like to know more about how we engage and retain people? And how we help people become attain their true potential? Send an e-mail to inspiration@vanadgroup.com
