Working in HR and the learning culture at Leaseweb

I often get asked the question of how I ended up in HR after studying Hospitality Management. I explain that what correlates is the focus on people (customers/employees); and the goal of giving them a great experience. 

Even more questions are raised around why I joined an IT company, Leaseweb in particular. I explain that the company strategy is a personal fit for me. In my eyes, what makes an organization successful is not (solely) the products or services that they offer but being able to make an impression on your customers. It’s about stepping into their shoes and figuring out how you would like to be treated. Next to providing a quality service, paying attention to someone’s needs is often the key to success. There are plenty of the same products or hotels, but not nearly enough personalized services, or organizations that walk the extra mile for you. The focus on a personal touch is also reflected on in the company culture. 

Providing personalized career paths and talent programs, in order to make Leaseweb employees grow and excel. On top of this, what makes Leaseweb special is the feedback culture. Through the eyes of our customers and employees, performance is measured and reported on. Leaseweb continually learns from its customers, in order to become the best in our field, and learns from our employees in order to provide the best service as an employer. Therefore, I ended up at Leaseweb – a company which offers this personal touch, with the focus on development and continuous learning. 

My learning path

After I graduated, my professor asked me the question “where do you see yourself in five years?” I answered that I wanted to become an expert in the field of HR (with a healthy level of doubt in my mind of course).  

I consider myself as ambitious, though I only have two goals. I aim to become an expert in the field of HR and to apply lifelong and continuous learning. I am not in need of planned career steps which are stuck to a specific timeline. I prefer to stick to a learning path as a direction; growing by learning from my mistakes, gaining new knowledge/skills on a regular basis and figuring my interests along the way. I enjoy not knowing where my ceiling is or my next career steps are, as long as I am on track with my learning path.  

My career at Leaseweb

I have been working for Leaseweb for more than two years now. I have learned that development and education is provided, as long as you take your own initiative. Leaseweb confirms this through its core values: empowering yourself and continuous learning. In the two years that I’ve been at Leaseweb, I finalized a study, conducted a ‘mini-exchange’ through (almost) all departments of Leaseweb, finalized bigger projects, was promoted twice and joined the Fun and Pride Committee on the side. Of course, I had my manager who motivated me to grow, but actions were taken on my own accord as I want to continuously educate and develop myself. 

Recently I have been promoted to HR Business Partner. I am thankful to get such a reward for the efforts I have made, and the trust given to me. Being in this position and looking back at the last two years, I can definitely state that hard work does pay off. Most importantly, I have enjoyed all the steps that I have taken in my journey so far at Leaseweb. 

Create your own career

At Leaseweb, there are plenty of ways in order to develop yourself. Several tools are provided to help employees achieve their goals. The Career Paths overview can help you to visualize your career path at Leaseweb, filling out the Personal Development Plan can help you to get insights on your interests and drivers, and participating in the Management Development program will help you grow as a leader. Not forgetting employees also have the option to discover their talents via TMA. In case you are interested in the abovementioned tools, you can contact the HR department (or recruitment department if you are not yet working Leaseweb) for more information. 

The main takeaways

• Science and practice have shown significant correlations between development and employee satisfaction.  
• Seek opportunities to grow, there are always ways in order to develop yourself. Do not wait for your employer or manager to hand over a career path, as you are the owner of your career and know your interests best. 
• Worst mistake I made is that I did not dare to ask for L&D opportunities, as I thought I was not worth the big investment. Your company should always be willing to invest in you as an employee, so just ask!