HeadFirst Group looks back on first iftar
HeadFirst Group looks back on first iftar
We have 450+ colleagues working within our organization, with everyone being different. Different looks, preferences, beliefs, opinions, culture, and more. This is something we embrace as an organization by dwelling on different holidays, among other things. From a group of colleagues, the idea was raised to organize an iftar to reflect on Ramadan which started on March 22.
An iftar is the meal consumed during the fasting month of Ramadan right after sunset. A special moment that a group of colleagues enjoyed together. With delicious food and good conversations, where Muslims and non-Muslims interacted with each other about Islam and Ramadan. Thus, our colleagues learned even more about each other and about each other's cultures and beliefs. It was an inspiring and above all enjoyable evening! This certainly tastes like more.
A good and varied lunch at our headquarters
A good and varied lunch at our headquarters
A sumptuous buffet of healthy smoothies, sandwiches or flavorful coffee and fresh tea. That's what we do it for! At HeadFirst Group we think it's important that all colleagues can enjoy a healthy and varied lunch. But not only that! Our new caterer 'Leo' is present from 09:00 to 14:30 so you can get different thanks or something tasty throughout the day. For this purpose, the first floor of our headquarters has been completely transformed and furnished for the buffet and coffee bar since Monday, February 6.
A sumptuous buffet with a smoothie, sandwiches or a cup of coffee. That's what we do it for! At HeadFirst Group we find it important that all colleagues can enjoy a healthy and varied lunch. But not only that Therefore, since Monday, February 6, the first floor of our headquarters is completely transformed and decorated to our new lunch buffet and coffee bar.
So what can I think of?
In the morning, you'll find tasty croissants, muffins and snack bars in the restaurant. When lunch starts at noon, there is a colorful salad buffet, several fresh sandwiches and a tasty soup, among other things. And, because it's best to spoil ourselves after a hard week's work, Friday is snack day! All this from fresh and honest products for a reasonable price. In short: something for everyone! All this is provided by our caterer 'Leo'. Every day all colleagues come together to relax around lunch. This allows for productive work in the afternoons.
Have you become curious about the range of our restaurant and are looking for a new challenge? Then have a bite to eat during an interview for one of the following vacancies soon!
Our goal is to grow into one of the best employers - Joke talks about HeadFirst Group's ambitions
Our goal is to grow into one of the best employers - Joke talks about HeadFirst Group's ambitions
There it is. The certification that confirms what Joke de Graaf, Head of HR & Organization, has known since her arrival five years ago: HeadFirst Group is a Great Place To Work. "Work happiness and fun are at the top of our priority list, because colleagues make our organization. That's why we are constantly looking at how we can make it better, nicer and safer for them. The certification is confirmation that we are on the right track!"
Why is the certification so important for HeadFirst Group?
"Of course we can say that we are a good employer, but with this certificate we can really demonstrate and radiate what employees experience and feel. The independent employee survey uses the Trust Index to measure trust, pride and pleasure. It is extremely valuable that, in addition to the total score, we also have insight into the results for all HeadFirst Group brands and the various departments."
In your opinion, why are you a Great Place To Work?
"We really look at the individual. What do you need? What talents do you possess and how can we give you the space to continue to develop? Because we believe that when our employees grow and improve, we as an organization do the same."
"A great example of this is the Lean program we started last year. Under the name 'Home Run,' several colleagues worked in groups on improvement projects within our organization. Different responsibilities, opportunities to work out new ideas and collaborate with other teams. In this program we saw colleagues grow in their roles and with the improvements they brought, so did the organization. Very cool to see! We also offer our employees the opportunity for further development through our own HeadFirst Group Academy and run more training programs for our employees. For example, we have started a leadership course for novice managers."
What are you most proud of within HeadFirst Group?
"Several things! For example, our energy-neutral headquarters is something I'm really proud of. We can offer so much for our employees here, such as cool events in our own theater, a fully equipped restaurant for a nice breakfast or extensive, healthy lunch and of course ergonomic (flex) workstations."
"We also bring great initiatives. For example, in 2022 we set up a Diversity & Inclusion task force, which is committed to a work culture where everyone feels free, valued and safe, as well as able to be themselves. We also pay a lot of attention to vitality and mental health, including offering unlimited support through the platform OpenUp and an in-house gym where employees can exercise for free. These are elements that I find very important in an employer."
What is the next step now that you have the GPTW certification in?
"Obtaining it every year and, of course, scoring higher and higher! We have now achieved the certification with a Trust Index of 72%. A percentage to be proud of, but again, we always want to improve. Our goal is to grow into the top 10 best employers, which is what we will be working on with Great Place To Work in the coming years. I look forward to working with my colleagues to create a plan to make our organization an even better place to work. With one of our core values - Learn every day - in mind, I take on this challenge with great enthusiasm!"
Would you like to experience working at a Great Place To Work for yourself? Check our vacancies and find the position that suits you perfectly. Want to know more about HeadFirst Group as an employer or a vacancy? Please contact Preciosa Borger, our Corporate Recruiter on 06 - 25 23 50 33 or werkenbij@headfirst.group. We like to think along with you!
Sterksen celebrates 20 years
Sterksen celebrates 20 years
We did not let Sterksen's 20th anniversary go by unnoticed. In 2022, an activity was organized each month to work toward December 2, the day Sterksen was allowed to blow out 20 candles.
The past years were full of adventures, successes, new talents and challenges. Without a team full of motivated and specialized colleagues, we could never achieve this milestone. Therefore, we felt it was important to work towards Sterksen's "birthday" throughout the year. Think of nice surprises at the office, such as massage chairs, scoop ice cream, chocolate milk with whipped cream during working hours. But certainly also the necessary parties. Like a barbecue with live music for all colleagues, their partners and children. We also organized a cocktail party on a hot summer day, where Lead RPO Consultant Naveen delighted us with delicious drinks as an accomplished cocktail shaker. And in October, of course, only one kind of party could take place: an Oktoberfest including German Schlager music.
So under the guise of "birthday treats," founder Donald Derksen dealt out big time. Since Sterksen would not be the same without him, he also deserved to be put in the limelight. That is why a group of colleagues behind the scenes was busy working on a very special gift. A unique painting by and for Donald, which of course got a prominent place in our Breda office.
Just a few days later, we celebrated - to top it off - our anniversary with a smashing party in Roaring 20's theme. A great time to celebrate together, reflect on the past years and certainly also look ahead. Because we are ready for the next 20 years!
HeadFirst Group is 'Great Place To Work-Certified'
HeadFirst Group is 'Great Place To Work-Certified'
Enjoying going to work, having confidence in the organization and being proud to be part of this fast-growing HR technology service provider and platform organization. We continuously work on these three pillars so that every colleague who works with us recognizes and experiences these feelings. We are extremely proud to have received this affirmation with the Great Place to Work certification as of January 2023.
Great Place to Work helps organizations create a workplace culture that maximizes credibility, respect, honesty, pride and camaraderie. They do this through the Trust Index™, the employee survey. Only organizations that, among other things, have a score of at least 70% on this Trust Index may bear the title 'Great Place To Work-Certified'. HeadFirst Group will be one of the lucky ones for at least the next year!
Joke de Graaf, Head of HR & Organization at HeadFirst Group: "Being a good employer is of course not just about organizing fun parties and providing lots of facilities, although of course it helps. According to Great Place to Work, trust is the key to being a good employer. They offer a methodology that provides guidance for building it. A culture of trust fueled by meaningful values and facilitated by effective leadership. This is why we participated. HeadFirst Group wants to be a good employer and create an environment where everyone wants and can use their potential. This is not only good for our employees, but also for the organization. After all, it increases the innovative power within the organization which in turn leads to growth."
Are you curious about concrete examples? Then read the stories of several colleagues here. They will gladly take you through their experience with HeadFirst Group. Would you like to work for a great place to work? Check all our current vacancies here!
Look back on the past year with us
Look back on the past year with us
2022, a special year for HeadFirst Group. We welcomed a new CEO, flew through our new headquarters, gained dozens of colleagues and invited our families. Of course we celebrated beautiful moments together, with the Roaring 20's dinner as the resounding end of the year. We look back on the past year with pride and look ahead to a fantastic 2023.
HeadFirst Group continues to grow
At the beginning of the year, we moved into a brand new headquarters in Hoofddorp. After months of preparations, the building was ready for colleagues to work - physically and hybrid - and of course this was celebrated with a grand opening. And because we could shout our pride from the rooftops, we shared unique flyingpictures.
Another important moment was the arrival of Marion van Happen as HeadFirst Group's new CEO. Her goal: to create the perfect balance between tech and touch, making work for our colleagues even more fun. Besides Marion, many more new colleagues started this year. Not only in Hoofddorp, but also at our seven other locations in the Netherlands and Belgium. They were able to start immediately with all the necessary knowledge and skills through the completely renewed onboarding process. And these are not the only expansions, HeadFirst Group added no less than two organizations to its portfolio: ProUnity and StarApple Group.
Team building & celebrating successes
Cooperation is important at HeadFirst Group. On the shop floor and beyond. For example, we achieved our first sports victory with our own team HeadFirst Group during a friendly soccer match against AJAX | Only Friends. Sweating was also frequently done in our own gym. Fortunately, this year we were also allowed to come together physically in other ways, which led to many team outings.
Organization-wide, we also find it important to celebrate our successes. In 2022, for example, we reached the second spot of the Flexmarkt Turnover Ranking Top-100 for the third time in a row and were named FlexTopGroeier in the "MSPs and intermediaries" segment. But we had even more to celebrate! We introduced the Lean methodology to streamline and simplify our processes to create the ideal balance between tech & touch. We also welcomed our new virtual colleague Sam who already supports multiple teams so that our colleagues can use personal contact at times when it matters. On top of this, HeadFirst Group was added to the list 'Soonicorn Club of the Netherlands Tech 2022' naming only the most promising Dutch tech startups. Later in the year, we reached the magic number of 20,000 professionals working through one of our labels.
Connecting people
Our headquarters provides the perfect setting to organize various events. This year all colleagues were allowed to invite their family members during the 'Family Day', where activities were organized for young and old. We repeated the aforementioned opening party at the end of the summer during the Indian Summer theme party. Of course the biggest event in the history of HeadFirst Group could not be missed. For the first time all our external relations came together during the official HeadFirst Group HQ Housewarming 'Connect in the chaos', to which every colleague contributed his or her part. We closed the year together during the dinner full of Roaring 20's theme in which we looked back on the past year and looked ahead.
We like to look back together at what we have accomplished. We have summarized this in this video. How proud we are of what we have achieved as a team this past year and are excited to make 2023 even more fantastic. Next year we would like to welcome new talent again, so that the organization can continue to grow. Would you like to be part of that, for example as a Contract Manager, Field Manager or DevOps Engineer? Then take a look at our current vacancies and apply immediately!
Hear who knocks there? St. Nicholas party HeadFirst Group
Hear who knocks there? St. Nicholas party HeadFirst Group
For many children the most wonderful time of the year, St. Nicholas. The excitement, presents, meetings with the Santa Claus and to top it all off, celebrating Christmas Eve. Also at the HeadFirst Group headquarters Sinterklaas came by. What a successful morning it was!
Because of the children, this time of year is automatically also an exciting period for many (grand)parents, so also at HeadFirst Group. Watching the Sinterklaas news every day, sneaking around, and enjoying children dancing and singing to all the Sinterklaas songs. At HeadFirst Group we also like to make this a special moment. That's why we organized a Sinterklaas morning at our headquarters.
Party at HeadFirst Group
The theater at our headquarters was completely transformed into the Sinterklaas atmosphere. This year a real theater show was organized about the mystery of the lost laces. All children - and (grand)parents - were on the edge of their seats during this show. People danced along, sang, but there was also excitement about whether the mystery would be solved. Of course Sinterklaas and the Pieten also paid a visit, although this was still exciting for some children. After a festive morning, all children went home - tired but satisfied - with a chocolate advent calendar in their pockets. It was a fantastic party!
Now that St. Nicholas is out of the country again, it's time for the rest of the festive month. Beautiful Christmas, New Year's Eve, and into the New Year together! Do you want to be part of this too? You can! We are always looking for new talent. Take a quick look at the current vacancies.
Attention to your mental well-being
Attention to your mental well-being
How employees feel, are in their skin and whether they have enough energy. We think mental health is important. That is why we have joined forces with OpenUp - an organization whose mission is to make mental well-being accessible to everyone - so that we can make tools available to colleagues. With these tools, they can work on their own development. Both emotionally and mentally, in private situations and at work.
Personal development
Mental health is a big part of your personal development. Within HeadFirst Group, we think this is very important and is also included in our core values of 'Learn everyday', 'Connecting people', and 'Customer first'. As an organization, we strive to make everyone feel good. With various initiatives such as the Power Up club, D&I task force, and now joining forces with OpenUp, we are taking a big step in this direction. But more importantly, from now on all employees within HeadFirst Group have access to all kinds of resources to work on their mental health, such as 1 on 1 consultations with psychologists, mindfulness consultations, online handbooks, and more. These tools help everyone become more resilient, something that is not unnecessary in today's times.
Keep on developing yourself
In addition to having access to the online platform OpenUp to work on mental health, all colleagues have access to the HeadFirst Group Academy. So colleagues now have the opportunity to work on multiple aspects of their personal development. Together we continue to work to create a safe environment where everyone can talk openly about mental wellbeing.
Do you want to keep developing yourself? And do you like to work on your mental health? Within HeadFirst Group we are always looking for new talent. View the current vacancies here.
HeadFirst Group and StarApple Group join forces
HeadFirst Group and StarApple Group join forces
On November 10, 2022, the collaboration between HeadFirst Group and StarApple Group became a reality. By joining forces, we take another step in expanding our portfolio of solutions for labor market issues in the professionals segment. Our current high tech solutions are enriched with the services with a great human touch of StarApple Group.
Proactive approach in talent pooling
StarApple Group, consisting of the StarApple and StackOps brands, is an ambitious and young organization founded in 2008 and has since grown into a successful IT talent sourcer. They have already successfully connected more than 10,000 specialists to diverse organizations. We believe that combining our high tech solutions with StarApple's great human touch services is the key to customer success.
Will you grow with us?
With the addition of StarApple Group, the organization is growing in both services and colleagues. We add a new location to the list of our headquarters in Hoofddorp and five other locations in the Netherlands and Belgium. This means that we now offer even more opportunities at different locations. You can seize both learning and growth opportunities within our enthusiastic organization. Do you excel in that human touch? Or would you like to dedicate yourself to our high-tech solutions? Take a look at our vacancies!
Flying through our headquarters
Flying through our headquarters
At the beginning of this year, we moved into a colorful, ultramodern and energy-neutral headquarters in Hoofddorp. By now, all colleagues have found their way to the flexi-workstations, make fanatical use of the gym and enjoy the bar to the full. In addition, various internal and external events have already been organized in our exclusive in-house theater, including a real Family Day and the largest HeadFirst Group HQ Housewarming for all our external relations.
Working hard to create a 'home'
In the past six months we have worked hard to completely redesign the office to the wishes of all our colleagues. For example, the bar has been remodeled, there is a homely atmosphere - due to the redecoration - and the core values of our organization are excellent to find through beautiful wall visuals.
We are proud of our "home" and don't want to deprive you of it any longer. Have you always wanted an exclusive glimpse of our new headquarters? You can with a cool flight through our headquarters. Check it out here!
Do you also like the idea of working here? And would you like to drop by? We are always ready with a cup of coffee or tea and for a pleasant conversation. Take a look at all vacancies!