'The health of
our staff
comes first'
Interview with Marijke Jansen
BOARDWALK
'Our HR Vision is all about getting the best out of our people. At Lely, we believe that employees are personally responsible for their careers and progress, as well as their well-being and vitality. Your work is more enjoyable and interesting when you get better at it and you’re feeling good. Lely helps its employees in this respect. It’s a journey we’re on together, and we provide the possibilities and resources necessary. It was in this context that we launched the Fit at Lely programme in 2020, in which we offer employees in the Netherlands a health check-up. We also organise online seminars and sports for all employees worldwide, and share tips about vital living. We try to reach as many colleagues as possible, so we can heighten awareness about vitality across our organisation. The objective of the programme is certainly not to get everyone to run a marathon anytime soon, but to simple encourage awareness about the healthy alternatives available. It’s about getting everyone as vital as possible, each at their own individual level.'
The theme of this magazine is vitality, something that seems to be more popular than ever. What’s Lely’s view of this?
'Being vital is about being healthy in both body and mind, and personal development. The world around us is changing so quickly, it’s essential you keep evolving to stay relevant and get the best out of yourself. You never stop learning.
And that applies to our company too. We’re also continuing to develop as an organisation; we’re facing all kinds of challenges, and we want to be agile, and focused on our core tasks and customers. An organisation undergoing continuous development remains vital, and will still be relevant in 30 years' time. To give you an idea; by 2050, 70% more food will have to be produced than now, and that’s going to be impossible using traditional methods. Our mission, therefore, is to make the agricultural sector more sustainable. We’re highly committed to automation and innovation. We put this into practice with each other in the implementation of our Route 25 strategy (the road to 2025), with each of us doing what we can in our own fields.'
What does vitality mean to you?
- Started her career in 1994 at Heineken. Held several HR management roles in the Netherlands, Africa, Italy and Latin America.
- After Heineken, she joined DSM in global HR roles and then moved to Lely in 2011.
- Took the lead of Customer Care in 2020 as Chief Services Officer (CSO).
- Is convinced customers can only grow and develop if we also let our own people grow. That is the connection between HR and Care.
- Loves to travel the world and has visited 24 countries.
- Lives in a monumental bulb barn (bollenschuur) in the ‘Bollenstreek’ (tulip country), with Peter and Pien.
Bio - Marijke Jansen
'Yes, we closed 2020 in great form. This was partly due to prompt intervention and cost cutting when COVID-19 broke out, and the unbridled efforts of all our colleagues who simply soldiered on. One example is our service technicians, who face significant challenges every day in order to continue their work safely. However, COVID-19 poses challenges to us all. I’m very proud of, and grateful to, everyone who has continued to dedicate themselves to keep both our organisation and our customers’ organisations vital and operational.'
So, are we managing to stay relevant?
'We got off to a good start this year. Turnover exceeded budget in the first months, and we’ve noticed the organisational costs are slightly lower than we’d anticipated. These two factors have resulted in a healthy profit in the first quarter. The outlook for the rest of the year is also good, but we must stay on our toes and promote the order intake of all product groups to secure 2021.
I’m positive about the vitality of the organisation. My main concern is with our staff, and how we will get through this difficult period together. People have had enough and feel adrift. I cannot emphasise it enough; your manager, HR or the counsellor is always there to discuss any concerns you might have. Please don’t hesitate to call on someone if you feel the need. We’re an ambitious company with ambitious employees, but the health of our staff comes first.'
Stay safe and fit!
What’s the outlook for next year?
'Our HR Vision is all about getting the best out of our people. At Lely, we believe that employees are personally responsible for their careers and progress, as well as their well-being and vitality. Your work is more enjoyable and interesting when you get better at it and you’re feeling good. Lely helps its employees in this respect. It’s a journey we’re on together, and we provide the possibilities and resources necessary. It was in this context that we launched the Fit at Lely programme in 2020, in which we offer employees in the Netherlands a health check-up. We also organise online seminars and sports for all employees worldwide, and share tips about vital living. We try to reach as many colleagues as possible, so we can heighten awareness about vitality across our organisation. The objective of the programme is certainly not to get everyone to run a marathon anytime soon, but to simple encourage awareness about the healthy alternatives available. It’s about getting everyone as vital as possible, each at their own individual level.'
The theme of this magazine is vitality, something that seems to be more popular than ever. What’s Lely’s view of this?
'Being vital is about being healthy in both body and mind, and personal development. The world around us is changing so quickly, it’s essential you keep evolving to stay relevant and get the best out of yourself. You never stop learning.
And that applies to our company too. We’re also continuing to develop as an organisation; we’re facing all kinds of challenges, and we want to be agile, and focused on our core tasks and customers. An organisation undergoing continuous development remains vital, and will still be relevant in 30 years' time. To give you an idea; by 2050, 70% more food will have to be produced than now, and that’s going to be impossible using traditional methods. Our mission, therefore, is to make the agricultural sector more sustainable. We’re highly committed to automation and innovation. We put this into practice with each other in the implementation of our Route 25 strategy (the road to 2025), with each of us doing what we can in our own fields.'
What does vitality mean to you?
Bio - Marijke Jansen
- Started her career in 1994 at Heineken. Held several HR management roles in the Netherlands, Africa, Italy and Latin America.
- After Heineken, she joined DSM in global HR roles and then moved to Lely in 2011.
- Took the lead of Customer Care in 2020 as Chief Services Officer (CSO).
- Is convinced customers can only grow and develop if we also let our own people grow. That is the connection between HR and Care.
- Loves to travel the world and has visited 24 countries.
- Lives in a monumental bulb barn (bollenschuur) in the ‘Bollenstreek’ (tulip country), with Peter and Pien.
'Yes, we closed 2020 in great form. This was partly due to prompt intervention and cost cutting when COVID-19 broke out, and the unbridled efforts of all our colleagues who simply soldiered on. One example is our service technicians, who face significant challenges every day in order to continue their work safely. However, COVID-19 poses challenges to us all. I’m very proud of, and grateful to, everyone who has continued to dedicate themselves to keep both our organisation and our customers’ organisations vital and operational.'
So, are we managing to stay relevant?
'We got off to a good start this year. Turnover exceeded budget in the first months, and we’ve noticed the organisational costs are slightly lower than we’d anticipated. These two factors have resulted in a healthy profit in the first quarter. The outlook for the rest of the year is also good, but we must stay on our toes and promote the order intake of all product groups to secure 2021.
I’m positive about the vitality of the organisation. My main concern is with our staff, and how we will get through this difficult period together. People have had enough and feel adrift. I cannot emphasise it enough; your manager, HR or the counsellor is always there to discuss any concerns you might have. Please don’t hesitate to call on someone if you feel the need. We’re an ambitious company with ambitious employees, but the health of our staff comes first.'
Stay safe and fit!
What’s the outlook for next year?
'The health of
our staff
comes first'
Interview with Marijke Jansen
BOARDWALK