Randstad Group Netherlands (RGN) is dedicated to delivering an outstanding employee experience with the motto "prioritizing employees." The HR organization has undergone a transformation into agile people journey teams over the past year, playing a crucial role in this change. Additionally, RGN has introduced the "Je Beste Zelf" program, which aims to support employees in bringing their best selves to work. Finally, there is the concept of hybrid working, which has also become the new norm at RGN. In this approach, employees have the freedom to choose where they work and how often they come to the office, placing significant responsibility on them.
InnerVoice interviewed Nicole Snijder, Manager of People Analytics at Randstad Group Netherlands, about these developments and how they incorporate employee feedback.
Stay Curious
These changes mentioned directly affect all employees, and each employee's needs differ. An essential requirement for successfully implementing these changes is a genuine curiosity about employees' experiences and needs. What motivates them, what challenges do they encounter at work, and what do they require? And what approaches are effective for different individuals? Listening to employees is at the heart of this process.
Randstad Group Netherlands has been working on establishing the People Analytics function for some time, resulting in a wealth of statistical knowledge and quantitative data. However, it became increasingly clear that something was missing: "We lacked qualitative research to generate ideas and test plans and concepts with the target audience(s)," as Nicole explained.
A vibrant employee community
With this objective in mind, RGN and InnerVoice launched a pilot program: an online community where employees from all parts of the RGN organization come together, guided by InnerVoice researchers, to brainstorm ideas and actively contribute to the employee experience at RGN.
Topics such as remote work connectivity, professional and personal growth, and workload have already been discussed within the online community. InnerVoice organizes appropriate activities for employees to collaborate on ideas and solutions related to these topics. These activities may include online discussions, selecting the "best idea," or conducting polls.
What is striking is the enthusiasm and valuable contributions from the diverse group of employees. Nicole mentioned, "People were eager to participate in the online community. There was a lot of engagement and enthusiasm, right from the beginning; the community was very active."
An essential instrument
The concrete, up-to-date, and sometimes surprising input from the online community has become indispensable and has moved beyond the pilot stage. Nicole elaborated, "It quickly became apparent that the community provides the desired depth on a large scale. The insights that the teams could immediately work with offered a wealth of information that would have otherwise been lacking, especially during the pandemic when everyone was working remotely."
Looking ahead, the community remains a vital tool in policy and strategy development: "The outcomes of the community shape what the agile teams focus on. Additionally, leadership values knowing 'What do our employees actually think?' While in the past, things had to be quantitatively measured, now leadership says, 'We need visuals and audio. It should be in the community.'"
Randstad Group Netherlands has taken a significant step toward becoming a truly attentive organization by establishing the online community—an organization that continuously improves based on employee feedback.
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