‘Recognition and appreciation are also for non-academic staff’
Better recognition and rewarding for support staff. Organisations tend to overlook this, despite the crucial role this group plays. A new initiative is set to change this for our faculty. Paul de Hoog explains how FWN support staff will soon have even better opportunities for growth.
‘We are working on improving our HR processes. And we are doing this very explicitly for support staff as well. Recognition and rewards go beyond just academics. This is often forgotten. But within our faculty, we have no fewer than five hundred support staff members in a wide range of roles. Think of office managers, IT specialists, communications staff and HR advisors. It is just as important for them to have opportunities for development and growth.’
As part of our strategic plan, we have committed to making our HR processes better, more transparent, and clearer. The Leadership, Recognition and Rewards programme is actively working on this. The programme team is drafting a report for the faculty board on talent development for support staff, including key findings and recommendations for next steps. This report is expected by the end of March.
What exactly will you be doing?
‘A key first step is mapping out training opportunities. We have compiled a comprehensive overview of training courses and workshops, covering both professional skills and personal development. There is an abundance of options, but a clear and structured overview was missing.
In addition, we are engaging in discussions with our colleagues. What do they need? Are there gaps in the current offerings? We are organising group discussions to hear from people across all parts of the organisation. We have already invited colleagues to take part, but anyone interested can still sign up.’
This is about the development of our employees. Why is that so important?
‘Work is a major part of your life, and it should be enjoyable. At the same time, the world is constantly changing, and so is the work we do. You need to keep developing yourself and think about your future. It is important to have clarity on this for yourself and to discuss it in your GROW conversation.
GROW provides a framework for discussions about well-being and development. It is a really valuable tool within our organisation. We need to facilitate meaningful conversations. How are you doing? What are your aspirations for the future? In which areas do you want to grow?
And as FWN, we want to be an employer where people enjoy working. We want to attract and retain talent. People should have the opportunity to grow and thrive here.’
You are preparing a report for the faculty board. What concrete proposals do you hope to include?
‘I certainly have my own wish list, but that will not be in the report. The report will present our findings and our recommendations on how to address them.
But if you ask me what I would personally like to see, it would be for employees and managers to gain more insight into talent development, opportunities, and possibilities. Mobility, for instance, is an important aspect.
I also hope that employees and managers will soon be able to have even better conversations about talent development. We aim to make very concrete recommendations to support this. That is why the upcoming discussions with colleagues are so important—because we want to align with the needs on the work floor.
Finally, I hope this is not the end, but just the first step towards structured talent and career development for support staff.’