IT RECRUITING & STAFFING COMPANY OF THE YEAR
“VDAB I&T is truly the place to be”
Surrounding yourself with a strong team, mutual support and feedback, frequent communication, embracing problems, etc. Jan Dobbenie of VDAB also has a razor-sharp view of coaching leadership. And we at Amon want to know more about that!
How does Jan put coaching leadership into practice?
“At VDAB, we hold an I&T info session every two months to which we invite all 450 employees. Honest answers to difficult questions often make the difference in building connection and trust within the organization.
I also embrace problems, chaos and conflict as normal occurrences in productive teams. As long as it’s constructive and concluded with results, humor and a pint I am convinced we’re a strong team.”
Which personal achievements is Jan most proud of?
“Within VDAB I&T we have a progressive HR policy: we call this Inclusive Talent Management. It is unique in Flanders. In fact, VDAB won the Corporate IT Award for ‘Best IT Talents Development & Upskilling Programs’ with it in early 2022.
We treat every talent within the I&T department the same way: whether it’s a VDAB employee, consultant, freelancer, someone from Flanders Connect or Smals. The I&T Academy is open to everyone.
In addition, we work in a hybrid way. Employees fill in their own time, together with their team leader. What counts are results and we monitor them closely. Through this way of working, VDAB is known as a great employer – ‘the place to be‘! With decreasing turnover and better skill retention.”