‘I want to care for staff members so that they can care for clients’

Staff members of the IND can go to the IND Academy for job-specific study programmes, courses and trainings. And also for personal development, career development and sustainable employability. 'Previously co-workers were partly trained on the shop floor and were partly able to register for external training courses. All this has now been placed centrally at the IND Academy. With a very wide supply. And it is more simple to find and schedule the study training courses. I really view that as a gift for the staff members.'

What do people need?

Martje works for the Sustainable Employability faculty of the IND Academy. As coordinator she is responsible for a current offer of training courses. 'That is always in a state of flux', says she. 'For instance I see at present that there is a high pressure of work and a lot of work stress. Then I see to it that we develop a course appropriate to this. Naturally if staff members have a need for it. The last-mentioned is very important and is one of the reasons why the IND Academy has been set up. We want our training courses to be in line with the needs of staff members. What are they faced with? What knowledge are they missing? How do they want to develop themselves? These are always the points of departure for new study programmes. Then we can develop them in-house via an educational expert. And as a matter of fact, we still purchase good training courses as well.'

Not only working hard

'I myself have worked at the IND since 2004', Martje tell us. She laughs: 'That is quite a while. And I have held all kinds of jobs. For example, I have worked as a handler and as a decision staff member. I would have found it fantastic if the IND Academy had already been there at the time. In ‘my time’ although you had study programmes, you were mostly trained for practical work by co-workers on the shop floor. And if I wanted to do something with respect to personal development, I did not know very well where I needed to find it. I am glad that this is different now. Of course I am at the IND to work hard. But I am also there for myself. If I am feeling good, I can also do my work better. And that holds for everyone.'

Learning and developing

'Making time free’ is still one of the biggest challenges in the time to come, according to Martje. 'With the high pressure of work we have at present at the IND, that will quickly go by the board. It is difficult to pull people away from their day-to-day work and see to it that they take time for themselves. Somehow or other I find that very nice to see. Everyone in this organisation is extremely loyal - to co-workers, the employer and clients. But somehow or other it is also a troublesome fact. Because we really want learning and developing to be an important aspect of working at the IND.'

Holy grail

The possibilities to develop and challenge yourself are in any case a reason why Martje has already worked so long at the IND. 'If you want to see opportunities here, they can also be found. I like that. A permanent contract and a salary at the end of the month; that is has not been a holy grail anymore for a long time. Well, we still have to work until we are 67 years old. That is a long time. And that makes meaning increasingly more important. Being able to learn and achieve what matters to you as a person.'

Practise what you preach

Notwithstanding her cram-full agenda, Martje herself has also chosen a development process. 'Together with the other faculty coordinators I am following a process that focuses on consultancy skills, among other things. That fits in perfectly with my job and I can certainly still develop myself in it. Our slogan at the IND Academy is ‘grow in your top job’. That can very well apply to myself. I think it is very special when I look at how I once started at the IND. Then I was a temporary worker on the telephone line. And now I have a job I can perform wholeheartedly. A job in which I can care for staff members so that they can care for themselves and our clients. I have come that far. That would never have succeeded with only working, working and working.'