"We want people to feel welcome from day one. The lines are short, the barriers low. You can literally walk into anyone's house.''
Martijn Wolf | Learning & Development specialist
Martijn Wolf (28) has been working at HeadFirst Group as a Learning & Development Specialist for almost two years now. His route to this role began while studying Applied Psychology, where he quickly discovered that his passion lies in training and coaching people within organizations.
Own development
After college, he started as a recruiter to gain experience. Not much later he got the chance to train customer service employees for a year and a half, under the guidance of Marelle Beune, now Recruitment Director at HeadFirst Group. When she transferred to HeadFirst and was looking for someone in the field of Learning & Development, she immediately thought of Martijn. His experience in both recruitment and training proved to be a perfect match.
As a Learning & Development specialist, Martijn is responsible for everything around learning and development within HeadFirst Group. "When I started, there was very little in place. That gave me the chance to build something from the ground up." One of his first projects was revamping Onboarding, but his work goes much further. Martijn gives a lot of internal training himself, with communication as a major theme. This topic is now extra in the spotlight because of the organization-wide implementation of a new communication system. Within this project, Martijn is responsible for the communication part. How do you have a good conversation, with customers, but also with colleagues? His communication trainings play a central role in this. From giving feedback to having a good job interview, Martijn has developed a whole series of practical trainings. Each training starts with a need. "Sometimes it's about new implementation of laws and regulations. Then I gather knowledge from colleagues and translate that into practical work forms, such as a role-play." His goal is always that people not only understand something, but actually apply it in their work. "For me, that's the only measuring tool that counts: if I see it reflected in behavior, then I know the training has been effective."
Learn every day
For Martijn, Learn Everyday is much more than just a fancy term. It is a way of thinking and working. "Technology and the world around us are changing at lightning speed. If you don't keep learning, you will fall behind," he says. For him, it's about constantly improving, whether it's something small or big." Whether it's major technological developments, new legislation or just a better way of customer contact, every bit of development counts within the organization." That's why he focuses on performance-based learning that makes a real difference in everyday work.
Onboarding as the foundation of success
Onboarding at HeadFirst Group is not just an introduction. It is an extension of the culture and core values. Martijn completely revamped the process into a five-week interactive program centered on core values such as Learn Everyday, Connecting People and Customer First.
On the central introduction day, all HeadFirst Group labels come together at the head office in Hoofddorp. New colleagues get acquainted, exchange experiences and immediately build their internal network. This fits perfectly with the core value Connecting People. In addition, new employees learn through sessions and presentations how the organization works and where the key areas of expertise lie. The Onboarding is carried by eight different workshop leaders, each with their own specialty and story. Not only do they share their knowledge, but they also talk enthusiastically about their role within the organization and what you can approach them for. This makes the program personal and ensures a warm welcome. New colleagues immediately experience how accessible and committed the people at HeadFirst are.
Furthermore, each starter is assigned a buddy so there is room for personal guidance from the field. That peer-to-peer guidance fits well with the learning-oriented nature of the organization."When you're just starting out, you need someone who has time, knows your work well and is really there for you." This makes Learn Everyday not just something we say, but something you experience directly.
The content workshops include customer satisfaction, security, sustainability, diversity and laws and regulations. Everything is in line with what HeadFirst stands for: quality, an eye for people and society. In short: Customer First, and really knowing what's going on. Martijn sums it up powerfully: "We want people to feel welcome and prepared from day one. But also that they immediately experience how learning, improvement and collaboration are intertwined."
Open culture
Martijn describes the culture of the organization as professional, but at the same time open and approachable. "We are now over 400 colleagues, but everyone was immediately open to my ideas on training. You don't often see that on this scale." That openness starts at the top. CEO Marion van Happen personally takes the time for each new colleague to get acquainted and hear who they are and what they bring to the organization. "That typifies our organization. The lines are short, the barriers low. You can literally walk into anyone's house.'' It's exactly what appeals to Martijn so much: "We connect organizations with each other, but also consciously seek that connection internally."
"Change is a constant with us. If you are someone who is energized by improvement, by collaboration, by growth, then you are a perfect fit here. You don't have to be able to do everything already. What we are looking for are people who are curious, who want to learn and show themselves. If you bring that, you'll get all the room you need here."
