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Starting a new job in Corona times: this is how Katrien experienced it at QbD

Start katrien at QbD during corona

A hiring freeze during Corona? No way! Although the current crisis has created new and unexpected challenges, QbD is not the kind of company to let these get in the way. In order to keep getting things done for our clients, our HR department is going the extra mile to keep our Jobdays, interviews and contract signings going – all while rigorously complying with all COVID-19 measures. And the same goes for new employee onboarding. Two weeks ago, just after the strict government measures were announced, Katrien Coppens experienced her first day at work – although ‘at’ work might not be the right way to put it…

Katrien Coppens has joined our QbD back office team and is mainly responsible for finance topics. Her onboarding is an adventure she won’t easily forget. “Not the way I had expected it, that’s for sure”, Katrien starts telling her story. “I did have a short face-to-face introduction with my HR colleagues, keeping a distance of at least 1,5 meters, of course. ? But when even more strict corona measures were announced, I left HQ with my equipment to start my QbD career from home. My department – just like the other QbD teams – always starts the day with a virtual meeting. Normally this is how we keep the collaboration as smooth and as joyful as possible. But in my case, it also turned out to be the only – but still very nice – way to get to know several new colleagues!”

Sharing knowledge

At QbD there is a lot more to onboarding and collaboration than that. The knowledge-based organization continuously focuses on securing and sharing knowledge throughout the entire company – Corona or no Corona. So it’s only logical that QbD continues its internal trainings, for example. “This means I am trained as thoroughly as I would have been under normal circumstances”, Katrien explains. “I even have a personalized training schedule, in which a team member guides me through the world of one specific subject, often in two-or three-hour sessions.”

Keeping the #QbDream going

“Starting a new professional chapter in your life without a face-to-face meeting or even shaking hands with your colleagues is obviously quite unusual”, says Elly De Bruyn, HR Director at QbD.

And there’s no doubt that our company prefers the warm and personal approach. But right now, things are what they are and there’s no way we will allow the current situation to ruin our #QbDream.

“It’s in our DNA: we always look each other up whenever anyone has a question – well, it’s not like anyone is actually going anywhere these days , but you get the point. ? And a digital meeting is just one mouse click away, even if it’s just to share a joke.”

Elly adds: “Working hard has always meant playing hard as well, so we now use modern technology to spread as much joy as we can. Did you know QbD has always had a ‘Monday noon bootcamp’ at HQ? Well, we haven’t even for a minute considered taking that off the menu. We just organize it virtually – thanks Personal for the flexibility – which has resulted in even more participants than before. Partly, but not only, thanks to colleagues’ kids and partners joining as well.”

Last week, Katrien joined the Monday noon bootcamp for the first time. “I immediately got a taste of the QbD spirit! But JOY at QbD goes much further than that, also during Corona, with my first ‘e-pereau’ with the HR team and the photo challenge ‘#TeamQbD versus Corona’ for example. This challenge encourages all colleagues to share footage of their working situations, which are often hilarious – kids begging for attention, cats on laps, those kinds of things.”

Join our #QbDreamTeam

Sitting still is not in the QbD vocabulary. So even during these difficult times, we remain the dynamic company – and true partner to both our clients and our employees – that we’ve always been. And although technology is the tool that makes it all possible, at the end of the day it is nothing more than a tool. It’s leadership, a healthy company culture and the exceptional spirit of all individual QbD colleagues that make the difference.

  • Feel like joining our #QbDreamTeam? Then you’ve probably noticed that Corona shouldn’t stop you from applying at QbD. Check out our job offers or send us your CV via jobs@qbd.eu!  

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