If you’ve been working somewhere for years, it can be tempting to take a peek at another company. There is a lot of demand for good people, both within and outside the Netherlands, and you may want to know how green the grass on the other side actually is. In practice, this is not always easy. We spoke to four former ex-Solvineers about what the world looks like outside Solvinity – and how it feels to be back.
There are many reasons why someone may start looking around at a certain point. “I thought that I was pretty much done with the organisation after 10 years,” says Tim Kooij, key account manager at Solvinity. He wanted to move forward, and in 2017 he felt that the company was insufficiently able to keep up with his customers’ demands. “But when you start looking at other organisations, you notice how high the level is here, both in terms of our customers and the services that we provide.”
V.l.n.r. Jacco Hoeve, Johan Bakker, Albertinne van der Poel en Tim Kooij
Jacco Hoeve, senior customer engineer, agrees that people do not always view their own organisation objectively after a certain length of time. “I have been away for over a year, but I came back with a much more objective view and I am now more able to appreciate what we do here.” Jacco does not like having to watch his words or playing politics. “I really want to be able to express my ideas. I could do that with those other employers, but I felt like they did not take me as seriously as they do here.”
Rest and distance are conducive to a good evaluation, according to lead engineer Johan Bakker. “I left at that time because I was disappointed that I was unable to do what I liked best. I found a job that on paper was a good fit for my ambitions, but the human aspect was lacking.” He also missed the sense of being heard and having a say in the work as a senior employee. He returned to Solvinity after eight months. “Solvinity offers confidence and opportunities. However, it is up to you to make the most of this.”
According to HR employee Albertinne van der Poel, who worked at another company for nine months in 2016 to gain experience, what people miss the most is the mentality. “We are a hardworking no-nonsense company in which collegiality is very important, and we value having fun together.” Tim, Jacco, Johan and Albertinne all mention the sense of family within Solvinity. “Everyone puts their shoulders to the wheel together,” says Albertinne. “For a medium-sized company, the human aspect is remarkably good,” says Johan. “In the end, technology is just technology, but you do spend one third of your day at work.”
None of them regret their temporary departure. “It definitely took me further and I now appreciate Solvinity all the more,” says Tim. Various people have noticed that at present, big promises are easily made in the market that only a few organisations can keep. “In the end, you want to work for a company with a clear ambition,” says Jacco. Solvinity’s ambition is very clear to him. “We want to be one of the best. You don’t just come here to have fun. It has to lead to something.” Tim: “I missed the professionalism of our organisation, but you don’t notice that until you work somewhere else.”
Did they learn anything else during their temporary departure? “Working hard and having lots of fun,” says Albertinne, “that is the formula for not growing tired of a company.” Tim mainly has renewed respect for his organisation. “Solvinity is truly in control. If you work at the same company for a long time, everything that happens seems normal after a while. But we work with highly advanced and innovative technology here. Everyone’s commitment to making sure that we continue to fully control these developments is truly special.” Johan also mentions the work atmosphere. “I’ve now discovered how important that is to me.”
“I’ve discovered that there are huge differences in the way employers treat their employees. Solvinity is a good and caring employer. We don’t boast about this all the time, but people truly care about the employees and pay attention to them here. I am proud of the personnel policy that we have here,” says Albertinne. “Solvinity gives you a lot of freedom and you have to be able to handle this,” says Johan. “If you want to do exactly as you’re told, you would be better off working for another organisation. But that sounds horrible to me.” Jacco also found out what gives him energy after his return to Solvinity. “Don’t get bothered about minor issues. Deal with them and and make sure you do what you enjoy doing!”
If you would like to discover and experience what it is like to work at Solvinity, we would be happy to give you a tour of one of our offices. Please contact hr@solvinity.com to make an appointment.
