Everybody participates!
Cosun employs 650 people and they are all trained by coaches from FairField. From the director to the employee on the shop floor and all the people in between. Everyone puts their weight behind the organisation's interests. Birgitte van Steen, HR manager, explains what that interest looks like.
Over a period of two years, FairField trainers and coaches will regularly visit one of Cosun's five locations. After all, all staff will be involved in the talks, interviews and training sessions that will make them take responsibility for their own behaviour again. The FairField colleagues are in line with day-to-day practice. "They take part in meetings, work consultations and other work activities that involve interaction. They will not go into the content, but will ask questions about the process. What happens here now? Do these people let each other talk? Has there been an action or a result of the conversation? Do they listen to each other? And do they have an eye for each other's interests?"
The importance of the organization is to produce as efficiently as possible. Cosun has roughly two periods: the campaign and the intercampagne. "The campaign is the time when the beet are processed into sugar, that's what it's all about. In the other period, maintenance is central and you can take up another job in the business and, therefore, another manager. It's important that colleagues understand each other well throughout the year, make clear working arrangements and have the same goal in mind when working together. That applies to all employees, everyone participates".
The strength of this process is that the guidance takes place on the work floor. FairField employees address issues that arise on a daily basis, with the aim of permanently changing behaviour and thus culture. "That our colleagues happily enter the gate and leave the gate in a good mood, that is our intention. We think it is possible, with the help of FairField, to give each other feedback in a pleasant way, to consult each other efficiently and with respect for each other's opinions."
The commitment of all employees is necessary to achieve a good business result. Every individual matters. Smooth mutual communication strengthens the employee himself, the team in which he works and thus the overall organisation. "We are going to achieve this by top-down and bottom-up making our people aware that we have the same interest. Everyone will indicate their learning needs and through training, coaching and practice, we will get closer to each other and to ourselves."
What we are working towards is having colleagues talk to each other. That they say 'I've been walking around here for a few years now, but I'm not sure how my work relates to yours'. There must be agreement on concepts such as customer focus and quality. That's different in one department than it is in another. Because employees are engaged in their own development, they will also have an eye for the group's interests. FairField is a serious party in which we have a great deal of confidence.