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Ambassadors bring the spirit of Pauwels Consulting to its clients

05 Mar 2024

Pauwels Consulting is known for its high-quality approach in the world of consultancy, as well as for its personal touch where human connections are key. Our ambassadors play a crucial role in cementing this reputation. Who are the ambassadors of Pauwels Consulting? And what does it mean to be an ambassador, exactly? In this blog article, we tell you all about ambassadors, their role and their impact on our company culture.

Our ambassadors received an award at the annual Pauwels Consulting New Year's Party for going the extra mile and creating valuable connections.

A need for stronger connections

The world of consulting can be a revolving door of new faces when it comes to carrying out projects on clients’ premises. We wanted to create a more personal approach for the consultants, which is how the idea of appointing ambassadors came about in 2019. The rapid growth of Pauwels Consulting also meant that we needed other ways to provide new colleagues with a warm, personal onboarding experience.

In addition, we became more aware of the separation between the daily life of the consultants on site at our clients and their connection with Pauwels Consulting. How could we better communicate our values and DNA? Ambassadors serve as essential links between the on-site work, the company and our core values, enabling us to establish a stronger connection with the consultants.

As the first point of contact, I'm ready to support my fellow consultants. I also organise a monthly on-site lunch, so I can ask the participants how their project is going and how they feel.

A personalised, on-site approach

We asked several consultants with a proactive mindset who embody the values of Pauwels Consulting whether they wanted to become ambassadors. They were duly appointed as the point of contact for all consultants who work as consultants through Pauwels Consulting.

Céline Van Puymbrouck, L&D Coordinator and the driving force behind this concept, explains: “We wanted to offer new employees a warm, personal onboarding experience  at the client’s premises as required  while appointing an ambassador who fully embodies our Pauwels DNA.”

What do our ambassadors do?

Ambassadors at Pauwels Consulting play a unique role. This role is not specifically defined; it varies based on their own level of motivation and commitment.

What do they do, exactly? The ambassadors are the point of contact for the Pauwels colleagues who work for the same client. They facilitate the smooth flow of information, for example by relaying onboarding information from the client, informing others of standard conduct on the shop floor, or simply showing consultants around all the buildings. For larger groups, such as those in the pharmaceutical industry, ambassadors regularly organise events and dinners to reinforce team spirit.

They also build bridges between Talent Managers, consultants and clients, helping to identify any issues and, on occasion, find business opportunities.

“Ambassadors are clients’ eyes and ears for talent managers.” Melina Uyttebroeck, Talent ManagerOur Talent Managers are committed to regular personal contact with each consultant. In addition to regular follow-ups and their involvement in evaluations, Talent Managers are always available to consultants who want to request training, coaching or mentoring.

Well-being among consultants

An ambassador’s role can also be more in-depth. For example, they can have a significant impact when it comes to mental health. As a point of contact on the same site, they tend to notice more quickly when something is going on within the team. Listening to each other and offering support makes a real difference to the well-being of the consultants.

As Charlotte Bryssinck, an ambassador at a leading pharmaceutical company, makes clear: “As the first point of contact, I’m ready to support my fellow consultants. I also organise a monthly on-site lunch, so I can ask the participants how their project is going and how they feel. This enables you to respond quickly and pass on any issues to the relevant person in good time or even help solve them yourself.”

In short, ambassadors are closely involved in cultivating a healthy company culture and are invaluable at maintaining the human touch within our growing organisation.

What makes a good ambassador?

What makes someone a good ambassador at Pauwels Consulting? It goes beyond having professional skills. A good ambassador is very sociable, acts as the default ‘go-to person’, opens up easily, is willing to listen, and can connect well with people.

“If there’s something on your mind and you want to discuss it with someone, the person you picture doing that is a good ambassador.” Melina Uyttebroeck, Talent Manager

The ambassador’s method

Ambassadors support our consultants in their own way. Valentin and Toon are good examples of what it is our ambassadors are doing.

Valentin Jacobs is an IT security consultant and our ambassador at a multinational pharmaceutical company. He has arranged for the creation of a web page where new consultants can find all the information they need about working with the client. This includes practical details, policies, parking information, lunch arrangements and more. This results in a warm welcome for newcomers, ensuring they settle quickly in a large company environment.

Toon Budeners, who works as a Digital Engineer consultant and is an ambassador at a leading company in the pharmaceutical industry, reveals his commitment to our onboarding approach: “I try to help with onboarding when needed. […] From the moment someone starts working with the client, I try to build and maintain a sense of the ‘Pauwels Consulting Family’. […] It is important to feel part of the Pauwels family, more than being part of the client’s family though both are important, of course.”

Other ambassadors have also created Teams groups and email groups for their fellow consultants who are working for the same client. This makes it easy for them to organise meetings or lunches and keep in constant contact with each other. This also fosters cameraderie between colleagues and allows them to organise after-work sessions or simply chill out with each other.

Ambassadors have an impact on the company

The ambassadors contribute to Pauwels Consulting in other ways, too, providing valuable input that we can use to improve things internally. We regularly organise meetings where they share their ideas on all manner of topics. These workshops are important because they allow ambassadors to talk directly to management. This, in turn, enables us at Pauwels Consulting to look at what could be improved and understand how we can grow thanks to the feedback from the ambassadors.

These workshops have led us to identify around fifty action points, with roughly five per department. This really shows how much impact ambassadors have on our policy of continuous improvement at Pauwels Consulting.

Examples of action points 

Thanks to the action points that we established during a meeting with all ambassadors, we now organize two intervisions every year. These are a kind of round table discussions where real cases are brought forward, and the group comes to a solution together. This was an idea that came out of the workshop. At such an intervision, all ambassadors come together with a Talent Manager, who acts as moderator. 

Another example of an action point that has already been realized is that we are now committed to more effective communication with the consultants through social media and a new and more up-to-date intranet. For this, the ambassadors also gave concrete ideas about what information is communicated such as company news, information about training options and new employees in the support internal team.

The ambassadors also passed on that there is a lot of interest in the afterwork events and events on-site at the customers. We are now organizing more targeted afterwork events spread across the regions where the Pauwels consultants operate.

Become a consultant at Pauwels Consulting

Contribute to ground breaking projects of major players in IT, Engineering and Life Sciences. Challenge yourself!

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Consultant Talks: From educator to BIM expert

30 Jan 2024

Pauwels Consulting employs around 1,500 talented consultants in the fields of IT, engineering and life sciences. Today we are sitting with Patthamawan Mijnendonckx, BIM coordinator for a major infrastructure project in Flanders as part of the Oosterweel Link (Oosterweelverbinding). She talks about her career trajectory, the challenges she faces in her job, and her aspirations for the future. Want to know what a consultant’s journey looks like? Read on to find out.

As a consultant, you have the opportunity to learn a lot, grow and experience new contexts. You also have the opportunity to apply the knowledge and expertise you acquire with the customer in projects where you can make a genuine difference.

Social impact

I recently started working on the Oosterweel Link project in Flanders. Part of my role involves looking at how to implement a circular construction process on a large scale. To this end, we are evaluating the service life of certain materials and considering how to use them more than once. This is something I’m greatly interested in, and I don’t shy away from asking what kind of impact architecture and construction have on the environment and society. These are questions we have to keep asking, because we’re designing new environments for the people and the society of tomorrow. Sustainability has been an interest of mine for a long time. It was actually my primary motivation for studying BIM.

Moving towards BIM

I started off studying Educational Sciences before switching to the social sector as a freelancer. Although I was passionate about doing this, my dream was to become an architect. While seeking out training opportunities, I quickly discovered there were far more options than I’d expected. I realised that I wanted to make an impact as part of the construction process, and that’s how I ended up doing the BIM Architectural Drafter course at Syntra. As a BIM coordinator, I can use my social and communication skills alongside the analytical aspect of the job.

What is BIM?

Building Information Management (BIM) consists of all the relevant information required to create and integrate building processes. This ranges from design and execution to facility management. BIM provides a digital overview of all layers of a structure and makes it possible to link different types of information together. It’s now considered an important part of today’s construction industry. BIM professionals play a crucial role in ensuring information flows are complete and efficient. This prevents expensive mistakes from being made during the construction process, reduces design and building errors made in modelling, and facilitates collaboration and the exchange of information between the different disciplines involved.

BIM before, during and after projects

A BIM coordinator should ideally be brought in at the start of a specific phase of a project, as this enables the BIM protocols to be drawn up in a timely manner and the execution plans and appendices with BIM agreements to be collected.

BIM can also be used to simulate the purchase of parts or how maintenance should be planned. In other words, it’s important not only within the context of design and execution, but also for efficient facility management. It’s a method that covers the entire life cycle of a building.

The consultant at the heart of the project

As a BIM coordinator, you need to be at home in all markets and have a thorough understanding of civil engineering, construction processes and BIM processes (software, standards, etc.). I use all the tools applied within a project: Civil 3D, Navisworks, Madaster, Relatics, ACC, ArcGIS, Bricsys, AGACAD, Connections, PowerBI, Archicad, Dalux and the associated add-ins. This varies from project to project and from phase to phase.

I also work with a wide range of stakeholders on a daily basis. Engineers, site managers, architects, facility managers, the client – in essence, the entire chain of the process is involved. BIM serves as the project’s data source, basically. We build up the data, check what is included in the model and look into how this data can be used. We then verify whether it corresponds to the agreements made and who is responsible for each component.

Building up experience quickly

Even before I started working at Pauwels Consulting, I was always learning a lot, and this gave me a great deal of relevant experience after completing my BIM studies. For example, I worked at a company that provided BIM consultancy, research and development services for customers, and then joined a contractor that wanted to consolidate its focus on BIM applications. After that I spent time with a scale-up that designed, produced and managed the life cycle of sustainable prefabricated homes. So you could say that I’ve gained in-depth experience in different contexts involving BIM applications.

Strong agreements and efficient communication

I found that every project came with its own challenges. Every context is unique and there are always many variables due to the structure or environment. And, of course, I worked with other stakeholders on every project. BIM also means making proper agreements, such as who needs to share what information at what time in order to optimise collaboration and facilitate the transfer of information. Efficient communication and transparency are essential in this regard. It’s also my job to make reference to the agreements made. Although BIM is a relatively new way of working, I believe in the future and the importance of collaboration by sharing information, expertise and knowledge.

A dream project at Pauwels Consulting

After hopping between jobs, I realised my hunger for new projects had not yet been met. I now had a nice bag of skills and tricks and was ready to take on a new challenge. When I got in touch with Pauwels Consulting, the communication went very smoothly. The Talent Acquisition Specialist and Account Manager with whom I spoke were very open and transparent about my opportunities.

I soon had something concrete lined up: I had the chance to work on the Oosterweel Link project. One of my goals for some time had been to work on a project that made my neighbourhood greener, more sustainable and more liveable – and to do so at a company where I could still learn a lot.

Outlook for the future

This is the most large-scale infrastructure project I’ve ever worked on. I am very invested in it because it has a direct impact on where I actually live. As a consultant, you have the opportunity to learn a lot, grow and experience new contexts. You also have the opportunity to apply the knowledge and expertise you acquire with the customer in projects where you can make a genuine difference. I truly appreciate this, and I’m already looking forward to what my career at Pauwels Consulting will bring next!

Become a consultant at Pauwels Consulting

Contribute to ground breaking projects of major players in IT, Engineering and Life Sciences. Challenge yourself!

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Exploring New Frontiers: Pauwels Consulting’s Bold Leap into Space with ATG Europe

21 Jan 2024

Press Release for Immediate Release

Ghent, Belgium, January 21th, – In a significant move that heralds a new era in space and big science sectors, Pauwels Consulting, a prominent player in science and technology consulting, has strategically invested a considerable stake into ATG Europe. This investment is more than a business expansion; it’s a foray into the realms of space exploration and big science, marking a milestone in both companies’ histories.

Bert Pauwels, CEO of Pauwels Consulting, articulates the investment in ATG Europe as a strategic evolution that aligns seamlessly with Pauwels Consulting’s overarching goals. “Diving into the Space and Big Science industry is a deliberate and harmonious extension of our long-term objectives. With this collaboration with ATG Europe, we are not only continuing this trajectory but also enriching the market with our comprehensive range of services, from expert consultancy to integrated solutions.

The partnership with ATG Europe propels us into a cutting-edge vertical with immense potential for cross-sectoral synergies. By venturing into space and big science, we are enhancing our capabilities and reinforcing our commitment to being at the forefront of technological advancement.”

Gian Carlo Coletta, CEO of ATG Europe, shares the enthusiasm for this transformative union. “Becoming a part of Pauwels Consulting Group is a strategic step for ATG Europe. As a company at the forefront of aerospace innovation, this partnership enables us to expand our horizons while continuing our commitment to pioneering research and development.”

Furthermore, continues Gian Carlo, “while ATG will continue its operations seamlessly and independently with the current Executive’s Management, the presence of the Pauwels/Andera in the ATG shareholding it is valuable and beneficial for all of our employees and customers, providing alternative opportunities, experiences and stability in the sometime fluctuating markets’ cycles”. 

 Bert Pauwels emphasizes the significant contribution of Andera Partners to this strategic initiative: “Our partnership with Andera Partners, serving as our private equity ally, is instrumental in propelling our organization to new heights and reinforcing our European footprint. The invaluable support and guidance from Andera Partners have been cornerstones in realizing our expansive growth ambitions, notably in facilitating this key important investment.”

This investment is not just a business transaction but a meeting of minds and values. Bert Pauwels emphasizes the importance of the ‘inter-human click’ and shared values in making this partnership a reality. “From our first meeting, there was a sense of magic. It’s about aligning deeper company values that go beyond words on a website.”

Gian Carlo Coletta echoes this sentiment, emphasizing the significance of shared values and mutual respect. “Our greatest asset is our people. The fact that Pauwels Consulting respects and values its team as much as we do, was a determining factor in our decision to join them. We’re excited to foster this shared principle and develop a unified strategy that prioritizes our customers’ interests.”

As both companies embark on this new journey, the focus remains on innovation, synergy, and leveraging their combined strengths to explore new opportunities in space and beyond. “In the universe of Space and Big Science, the sky’s not the limit – it’s just the beginning!” concludes Gian Carlo Coletta, encapsulating the spirit of this ambitious venture.

Contact Information:

Pauwels Consulting
Koen Bogaert
+32 476861052
Communication@pauwelsconsulting.com

ATG Europe
Livia Ranieri
+39 345 5511897
livia.ranieri@atg-europe.com

About Pauwels Consulting:

Pauwels Consulting, originally established in 1999 by Bert Pauwels, has grown into a distinguished conglomerate in the consulting industry. With a focus on Engineering, Life Sciences, IT, and beyond, Pauwels Consulting upholds a philosophy centred around the personal and professional development of its consultants. This commitment ensures that the team delivers substantial and lasting impacts on clients’ projects daily. The group also prioritizes cultivating enduring relationships with clients and partners, a testament to its client-centric approach.

Boasting a dynamic team of over 1500 consultants, the company maintains a robust presence across Europe. The group encompasses diverse companies, next to Pauwels Consulting there is Science@Work, 4people, Vandycke & Partners, Ormit, Developers.nl, Openweb, and more. This rich portfolio illustrates the group’s dedication to offering comprehensive solutions across various sectors. Pauwels Consulting’s strategic growth is further evidenced by its history of discerning acquisitions, significantly enhancing its footprint in the European market.

About ATG Europe:

ATG Europe, established over 50 years ago as an engineering company primarily focused on the space sector, has undergone significant evolution, demonstrating growth in various aspects, including workforce, revenues, European presence, and expertise. 

Today, ATG relies on a team of 450 highly skilled international employees representing 32 different nationalities, fostering a company culture driven by curiosity. ATG now holds intellectual property rights for innovative engineering solutions. Our comprehensive offerings encompass value-added engineering consultancy, services and solutions, 3D visualizations, VR/AR experiences, technology services, and recognized management support. 

ATG serves both institutional and industrial clients in the space and nuclear energy sector, elevating their capabilities, enhancing performances, and boosting competitiveness. At ATG, we not only envision but also bring customer projects to life, actively driving innovation and accelerating progress. This commitment is more than a mere statement; it defines our daily conduct, outlining our approach to turning customer visions into reality, accelerating innovation! 

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Roger Lemmens Appointed as Chief Operating Officer at Pauwels Consulting

19 Jan 2024

Ghent, January 19, 2024 — Pauwels Consulting, a prominent European consulting firm with a focus on Life Sciences, Engineering, and Digital Services, proudly announces the appointment of Roger Lemmens as Chief Operating Officer. This strategic move highlights the firm’s commitment to leveraging extensive management expertise and technological innovation for its continued growth and international expansion.

Roger Lemmens, known for his remarkable tenure as Director of Digital Technologies & Transformations at imec, brings to Pauwels Consulting a wealth of experience in technology and digital transformation. His decade-long leadership at imec, where he was instrumental in advancing digital technologies, aligns seamlessly with Pauwels Consulting’s ambition to achieve international growth and diversification across various sectors.

“I am thrilled to join Pauwels Consulting and to apply my experience from imec in shaping the future of this dynamic company,” said Roger Lemmens. “The company’s vision for growth and its commitment to innovation across multiple disciplines make it an exciting time to come on board. I look forward to contributing to the group’s international expansion and diversification efforts.”

Bert Pauwels, CEO of Pauwels Consulting, welcomed Roger with high expectations. “We are delighted to have Roger as our COO. His extensive management experience and successful track record are vital as we strive to innovate and grow in the consulting industry. Roger’s expertise will be invaluable in steering our group through its next phase of international growth and service diversification.”

Roger Lemmens’ role as COO is a testament to Pauwels Consulting’s dedication to integrating cutting-edge technologies and management practices to drive sustainable growth in the consulting industry.

Roger Lemmens, COO Pauwels Consulting

About Pauwels Consulting:

Pauwels Consulting, originally established in 1999 by Bert Pauwels, has grown into a distinguished conglomerate in the consulting industry. With a focus on Engineering, Life Sciences, IT, and beyond, Pauwels Consulting upholds a philosophy centered around the personal and professional development of its consultants. This commitment ensures that the team delivers substantial and lasting impacts on clients’ projects daily. The group also prioritizes cultivating enduring relationships with clients and partners, a testament to its client-centric approach.

Boasting a dynamic team of over 1500 consultants, the company maintains a robust presence across Europe. The group encompasses diverse companies, including Pauwels Consulting, Science@Work, 4people, Vandycke & Partners, Ormit, Developers.nl, Openweb, and more. This rich portfolio illustrates the group’s dedication to offering comprehensive solutions across various sectors. Pauwels Consulting’s strategic growth is further evidenced by its history of discerning acquisitions, significantly enhancing its footprint in the European market.

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Consultant Talks: Prevention and Safety Adviser Younous

29 Nov 2023

At Pauwels Consulting, we have in-house consultants with expertise in life sciences, engineering and IT. Today, we’ll be talking to Younous El Haddouti. He talks about his role as a prevention and safety adviser in high-voltage projects. Younous shares his experience, the challenges he faces and his plans for the future as a consultant.

Consultant Younous talks about his career as a prevention and safety adviser.

Working as a prevention adviser

Part of my work is as a prevention adviser. The rest of the time I primarily provide advice and consultancy on safety in the context of high voltage. The customer involves me when third parties are involved in projects, for example with cranes or other equipment for construction or maintenance. I’ve been doing this for over four years, and it’s never boring. On the contrary, there is more and more to consider as I expand my field of expertise. Different sectors, ways of working and contexts make my work extremely interesting. That’s why I like working as a consultant. You learn quickly because of the great variety involved.

First-line consultants

Major utility companies are flooded with work requests, making it impossible for them to assess every situation immediately. This is where consultants come in: we can intervene quickly and evaluate the urgency of each case. Our role is to ensure that the most critical projects receive the attention they deserve, whether in the short or long term.

Passion for prevention

Earlier in my career, I wanted to be a site manager, so I trained for that. After working at a company for HVAC, electricity, plumbing and building management systems, I completed another qualification that sparked my interest in prevention. To give you an idea, I completed training to become a level 3 prevention adviser and later received my level 2 qualification. This is where I am now active. I’m already looking forward to specialising further in this.

At Pauwels Consulting, you have the opportunity to keep developing as a consultant. There's a huge wealth of in-house knowledge among fellow consultants, which you simply have to take advantage of.

Safety in practice

One recent project that stands out for me is when I was given an essential role in safety management at a major contracting company for industrial projects. A data centre was built where a thorough risk analysis and prevention plan was made for the infrastructure. The main objectives in such projects are to maintain a safe working environment as well as the relationship between the customer and their customer, in this case, Microsoft. We achieve this by carefully managing method statements, using BIM 360 and often explaining and defending safety protocols during daily site meetings.

New opportunities

The customer was satisfied with my contribution and the successful trajectory of the project. This led to new opportunities and gave me a very positive feeling about my work. It made me realise my job is useful and helps people achieve their goals in a safe way. In addition, there are more and more data centres, so the experience I gained from them is still crucial.

Lifelong learning

My current job is the result of my earlier decision to seize opportunities and challenge myself. Taking advantage of training opportunities and finding your passion are the things that turn a job into a career. I also learned new skills as part of the data centre project. I found it challenging to present the method statements in English to an entire team, but thanks to positive feedback on my efforts, I was motivated to sharpen my presentation and documentation skills.

Growing with Pauwels Consulting

At Pauwels Consulting, you have the opportunity to keep developing as a consultant. There’s a huge wealth of in-house knowledge among fellow consultants, which you simply have to take advantage of. This is why I’m delighted to see we are offered training opportunities and mentoring, and that we can present our own suggestions. Together we are stronger and achieve more.

QHSE within the company

In this way, I have also contributed to knowledge sharing within the company. Together with Luc Marivoet, the QHSE Manager of Pauwels Consulting, I designed the internal safety guidelines. We call this the QHSE toolbox. It contains regulations, advice, step-by-step plans for checks and more. Our goal is to raise awareness of risks in environments where risks are present, which we also communicate as part of information sessions to consultants. In addition, I help to keep the job cards up to date, which contain the risks per job.

ISO certification and audits

ISO standards are inherently linked to safety and prevention. I have also conducted ISO audits at customer sites and even carried out daily audits for one customer. Throughout our projects, I always attach great importance to documentation that is in accordance with the practices on the site and to correctly informing all colleagues about recommended working methods and risks.

We are ISO:9001 certified: why is this good news?

We obtained the ISO9001 certification for our quality management system earlier this year. What does it actually mean for us and our clients?

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Six Sigma Yellow Belt: still a hot topic in consultancy

13 Jul 2023
Why is Six Sigma still a hot topic? Every year at Pauwels Consulting we offer training courses on the topic, such as Yellow Belt in Lean Six Sigma, and the training sessions are always full. We have already been able to offer some 60 consultants this Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt training. We are happy to continue to encourage this because it is a great added value for our customers. Kris Van Nieuwenhove is our Subject Matter Expert and now trains other consultants and he is a mentor as well. He talks about why the methodology is a powerful tool across industries.

What is Six Sigma?

Six Sigma is a methodology that focuses on eliminating errors and reducing variation in processes, which promotes efficiency and ultimately cost reduction. By having consultants in-house with knowledge of Six Sigma, companies can better identify problems and solve them for good within their processes. This way, they can aim for better quality products, higher customer satisfaction and an increase in revenue. Moreover, trained consultants can help companies establish a culture of constant improvement to foster long-term success and sustainability. Overall, we can say that Six Sigma is a valuable resource for consultants because it can serve their clients during projects and help them become more competitive.

What is Lean?

Six Sigma focuses on reducing or eliminating variation in processes, while Lean focuses on eliminating waste. In practice, they complement each other because process problems are rarely caused solely by waste or variation.

Why is Lean Six Sigma important to our customers?

Our consultants are there to move the client’s projects forward and for that we want to support them to solve and prevent problems in a structured way. Someone with an understanding of Lean Six Sigma can practically notice the difference between a symptom of a problem and its cause. In this way, we go a step further for our customers than just expected project progress.

 

Can I have Six Sigma implemented?

At Pauwels Consulting, with Kris Van Nieuwenhove and fellow consultants, we have years of expertise to implement the Lean Six Sigma method at our clients. We also offer in-company training to support your employees in practice.

Our QHSE expert Luc Marivoet has more than 30 years of experience in Quality Management. He helps Pauwels Consulting to comply with the ISO 9001 standard and to improve and standardize our operations. As a QHSE consultant, he also provides our clients with a full service for their quality management systems: he gives advice, supports implementation, and monitors compliance with standards. Luc also provides training on QHS management systems (ISO 9001 and ISO 45001).

 

Why we offer Yellow Belt training to consultants

Six Sigma Yellow Belt covers the basics of the method and is very broad. Here, consultants are introduced to the steps PDCA: plan, do, check, act. This is a cycle for implementing solutions and measuring the effect of efficiency efforts. To implement those steps, facts and data are essential. Making results of processes measurable, outlining customer requirements and measuring innovations are part of this. When solutions are implemented, data can be used to identify root causes.
In Six Sigma Green Belt and Black Belt this involves statistics which makes testing more in-depth, but in many business contexts it is sufficient to have someone with Yellow Belt knowledge do an initial analysis to flesh out the next steps.

Does Lean Six Sigma help with ISO 9001 certification?

While ISO 9001 is an internationally recognized standard, focused on establishing a QMS and ensuring that processes consistently meet customer requirements, Six Sigma provides a structured approach to analyzing processes and improving their performance. Six Sigma can be used to complement ISO 9001 by providing a method for identifying and addressing process problems and improving the overall efficiency and effectiveness of processes. By applying Six Sigma methodologies in conjunction with ISO 9001, companies can improve their QMS and ensure that their processes are optimized for maximum quality and efficiency. Overall, Six Sigma and ISO 9001 are complementary practices that can help companies achieve their quality and business objectives.

We have Lean Six Sigma expertise

Our Six Sigma expert Kris Van Nieuwenhove started his career as a consultant at a major player in biopharma, where he provided Lean Six Sigma training and led several Six Sigma Green Belt and Black Belt projects. Afterwards, he applied that knowledge at other international companies. He helped clients in various industries on their way to operational excellence using Six Sigma and Lean methodologies to improve process efficiency. He is convinced that these methodologies work across sectors, which means they are relevant for companies outside the scope of Life Science, Pharma or Engineering as well.

In 2020 during periods of working from home, Kris went to work internally for Pauwels Consulting. He provided Lean and Six Sigma training remotely to dozens of consultants and the demand for training is not diminishing, at least 60 consultants have already been trained and we have the knowledge to provide great value to our customers.

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We are ISO:9001 certified: why is this good news?

13 Jul 2023

Pauwels Consulting obtained the ISO 9001 certification for its quality management system earlier this year. This is good news, but what does it actually mean for us as a company and for our clients? Luc Marivoet is our QHSE-manager and he explains why ISO 9001 makes a difference and which misconceptions exist.

What is ISO 9001?

ISO 9001 is the international standard for quality management. By obtaining the certification, Pauwels Consulting demonstrates that the quality management system meets the standards and is transparent and trustworthy. This means that the business processes in place are aligned in a way that ensures high-quality service, for example to implement changes or to absorb deviations or handle concerns of clients. A quality management system always aims to provide products and services that meet customer and regulatory requirements. And it helps to address risks and opportunities within the company and its business processes, which then facilitates opportunities to increase customer satisfaction.

Why is ISO 9001 important for our clients?

The certificate is a way to reassure our clients and other stakeholders that we offer quality and reliable services to prioritize customer satisfaction. On top of that, we are able to promise them that we strive to improve constantly. We communicate that we are customer-oriented and demonstrate this through the ISO 9001 certification as well.

Long term engagement

Obtaining the certificate is not a one-time achievement. Several teams within Pauwels Consulting have been committed for years to optimizing the processes as the company grows. The ISO 9001 certification also ensures that we are audited annually by an independent party, and through this we have objective proof that Pauwels Consulting is committed to quality and customer satisfaction. Additionally, we must also strive to constantly improve our quality management system to accommodate our increasing growth.

Why does Pauwels Consulting want to be ISO 9001 certified?

The introduction of an ISO 9001 quality management system brings more structure to our rapidly growing organization. It ensures that we further professionalize our organization and are committed to continuously improving our processes and services.  The certificate reassures our customers, stakeholders and employees because they can rely on processes that work well in a demonstrated manner.

What does an ISO 9001 audit look like?

The auditor holds all aspects of our quality management system to the norms of ISO 9001 standards. All documented information the norm requests is closely observed, and our procedures are reviewed with a critical eye.  The auditor is aware that we also help clients implement, evaluate and maintain an ISO 9001 quality management system (or QMS), so she asked very pointed questions and set the bar high for our QMS. That’s understandable, of course, because anyone offering a QMS service should have an excellent quality management system themselves! Every year the auditor will come back to evaluate our quality management system and for a cycle of 3 years, which is the validity period of the certificate. Afterwards, a recertification audit will follow.

We maintain our individuality

In addition, it is important to note that the ISO 9001 standard is logically structured and constructed to use internationally so that it is applicable to any organization, regardless of its type or size or the products and services it provides. However, the level of the quality management system will be adapted to the maturity of the organization. I sometimes compare it to a dish, take meatballs in tomato sauce, for example. In a brasserie you expect to get a classic dish, but when it’s on the menu in a starred establishment, it will probably be served with better ingredients or in a different composition. The bottom line remains that you deliver the products and services to your customers that they expect and deserve.

We raise the bar for ourselves

Now that we are certified, the next audit is a follow-up session. In the meantime, we conduct internal audits to see how we can further improve our business processes to achieve our goals. One action point for Pauwels Consulting was document management. We now have a clear document management process that ensures that all documents and information available to Pauwels Consulting are managed efficiently and in a controlled manner. It has ensured that it is always clear where the final and current version of a document can be found, that this version is easily identifiable, and that document modification and security against changes has been made manageable.

An ISO 9001 certificate turns your company into a so called ‘paper tiger’

A well-known misunderstanding about ISO 9001 is that this standard creates bureaucratic companies. This is nonsense, of course, because the current ISO 9001 standard is actually very pragmatic. It is true that earlier versions of the standard required mandatory procedures. But much has changed since then and now the standard gives freedom as well as responsibilities to the company to determine the extent of their documented information themselves. Of course, this varies from company to company because it depends on the activities performed, the complexity of the processes, the products and services, and the competence of the employees. Of course, records are still needed to have confidence that the processes are carried out as planned.  This is why we choose, for example, to use our CRM application Bullhorn and other software applications to incorporate most of the registrations into our workflows and immediately facilitate the work of our employees.

We have ISO 9001 expertise

Luc Marivoet is our QHSE Manager and has over 30 years of experience in Quality Management. He helps us to comply with the ISO 9001 standard and to improve and standardize our operation. As a QHSE consultant, he also provides our customers with a full service for their quality management systems: he gives advice, supports implementation and monitors compliance with standards. Luc also provides training on QHS management systems (ISO 9001 and ISO 45001).

We stay up-to-date

At the Pauwels Academy, he gives our consultants training in quality management and ISO certification. Luc also continues to educate himself to stay up to date with all standards. So he can also call himself IRCA certified QMS ISO9001:2015 Lead auditor and prevention consultant level 2.

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Insights

Avoiding the Car Crash of Knowledge Loss

11 Jul 2023
Discover the importance of knowledge transfer and organizational development, as external consultants seamlessly integrated into workflows help mitigate the disruptive effects of retirement. Delve into sustainable strategies for knowledge transfer and talent management. Take part in the dialogue to reshape the future of talent management and create a meaningful, long-lasting impact.

Imagine driving for the first time a car with just written directions. How long would it take before you hit a wall? That’s why a live aid comes into play. An instructor is there with you every step of the way. They don’t just tell you; they also observe, correct, and encourage you. They make a potentially disastrous situation a great learning opportunity by their expertise and real-time guidance.

Knowledge centers

In the same way, integrating learning into the workflow in our professional lives requires more than written pre-read instructions. As a keynote speaker at our latest Pauwels Consulting Customer Round Table, Cathleen Heimberg of Showpad, a renowned Learning & Development Specialist, made this point. Pharma, biotech, and engineering industry representatives contributed to the discussion with their unique perspectives. We explored not only knowledge curation but also how external consultants play a crucial role as “a drive instructor” in these processes, as well. And while the concept of “knowledge centers” is a solution to most of our customers we should not shy away from admitting the considerable challenges that come with implementing these platforms.

Cathleen Heimberg
Cathleen Heimberg, Showpad

“When the consultant leaves, we need to start all over again.” This sentiment is one that echoes through organizations across industries when external consultants complete their engagements and bid farewell. The departure of a consultant can often leave behind a void, disrupting the workflow and creating a sense of starting from scratch. This phenomenon highlights the need for a more sustainable and integrated approach to knowledge transfer and organizational development.

The impact of natural de-staffing

The departure of external consultants is not the only challenge organizations face when it comes to knowledge transfer and organizational development. Our customers bring an additional dimension to this problem, particularly with the natural de-staffing caused by the retirement of their own workforce. One of our customers is currently confronting a significant knowledge drain, as a whole generation of baby boomers, who constitute one-third of their workforce, is set to retire within the next two years. This impending wave of retirements further emphasizes the importance of implementing sustainable strategies for knowledge transfer and ensuring the continuity of operations.

Our panel of customers addressed how the knowledge drain resulting from impending retirements, organizations can benefit from the involvement of subject matter expert consultants. These consultants play a crucial role in organizing, maintaining, and distributing knowledge transfers for customers who are facing significant workforce changes due to retirement. “Embedded” consultants possess a deep understanding of the organization’s specific needs and can develop tailored strategies to capture and preserve critical knowledge. By actively engaging in the transfer of expertise, these consultants help mitigate the disruption caused by retirements, ensuring a smoother transition and minimizing the sense of starting from scratch. Their expertise and dedication contribute to a more sustainable and integrated approach to knowledge transfer and organizational development, enabling organizations to effectively navigate the challenges posed by an aging workforce.

Talent management and knowledge curation

The panel acknowledged that the absence of a well-planned knowledge transfer mechanism means that organizations must retrace their steps and rebuild the understanding from scratch. Tom Kiebooms, our senior consultant, and subject matter expert in MES and Digitalisation, shared his ground-level experiences, reinforcing the critical importance of talent management and knowledge curation. A small detail can make all the difference; when a Pauwels Consulting employee attends a training, it’s common for his colleagues who work directly for our customers to attend as well.

Having the consultant aboard embeds the knowledge into the workflow and the main reason for this is known to all: we’re losing the war for talent. As one senior panelist put it: “We’re fighting for talent using methods that failed last time.” A point challenged by Koen De Borle, Business Unit Manager Training Programs at Pauwels Consulting. Talent is available, but it needs to be reskilled to be a perfect match for the customers. In comes the Training Program: new ways of working require us to upskill and reskill ourselves, particularly when it comes to self-management skills such as active learning, flexibility, leadership, and social influence. To meet the ambitions and talent of customers, Pauwels Consulting creates training programs tailored to the needs of today’s clients and focusing on the expertise of tomorrow.

Shared talent pools

Koen De Borle concludes: ‘It is no longer the case that staffing is just a solution to a resource problem. Consulting as a service not only satisfies urgent organizational needs, but also contributes to our customers’ strategic growth. In the ongoing war for talent, knowledge sharing in workflows, talent pools shared among multiple customers, and subject matter experts play a vital role in customer success. Establishing communities of practice or internal networks can facilitate the exchange of knowledge and experiences among employees. These forums provide a platform for ongoing learning, collaboration, and problem-solving. By nurturing a culture of knowledge-sharing, organizations can minimize the impact of consultant departures and foster a sense of collective expertise.”

Koen De Borle, Pauwels Consulting

The collaborative approach outlined above is not only essential for ensuring business continuity but also a recipe for achieving substantial return on investment (ROI) for our customers. It begins by actively listening to the explicit and implicit needs of our clients. Whether we call it co-business development or by any other name, a tailored approach is the X factor that differentiates true success for all parties involved from mere staffing solutions. By understanding and addressing the unique requirements of each customer, we can deliver outcomes that go beyond mere resource provision and create long-term value. This customer-centric approach forms the foundation for building lasting partnerships and achieving mutual success.

5 moments of need

This collaborative mindset brings us back to the hypothetical exercise of driving a car with only written instructions. Cathleen Heimberg introduced the panel to the “5 Moments of Need” learning and development methodology, developed by Conrad Gottfredson and Bob Mosher. This method focuses on addressing performance needs at the moment of learning and the moments of applying or changing knowledge in the workflow. As a certified 5MoN Designer she pointed out the five different learning needs of a person.

  1. New: When individuals are learning something for the first time.
  2. More: When individuals need to deepen their knowledge or skills.
  3. Apply: When individuals need guidance while performing a task or applying knowledge.
  4. Change: When individuals need support to adapt to a change in processes, tools, or technologies.
  5. Solve: When individuals encounter a problem and need to troubleshoot or find a solution.

Solutions that work are according to Cathleen Heimberg:

  1. Blend Learning Modalities: Utilize a blended learning approach to deliver training content. Combine traditional training methods, such as instructor-led sessions or e-learning courses, with performance support tools, job aids, microlearning, and on-the-job training. This enables employees to access the right information and support at the moment of need.
  2. Integrate with Workflow: Integrate training materials and resources directly into the workflow to make them easily accessible. This can include embedding job aids or knowledge repositories within software applications, providing quick-reference guides, or using mobile apps that offer on-demand learning and performance support.
  3. Provide Just-in-Time Support: Offer performance support tools or resources that can be accessed at the moment of need. This might include interactive online guides, videos, searchable knowledge bases, or chatbots that provide real-time assistance and answers to questions.
  4. Continuous Reinforcement: Implement strategies to reinforce learning and encourage continuous improvement. This can involve ongoing assessments, knowledge checks, performance reviews, refresher courses, communities of practice, or mentoring programs.
  5. Measure Effectiveness: Regularly evaluate the effectiveness of training interventions by measuring performance improvements, employee feedback, and business outcomes. Use this data to refine and improve the training programs over time.

Training in the workflow

Koen De Borle describes this as vital underlaying principles in the Pauwels Consulting training program. “The key is to make training resources easily accessible, contextual, and available at the point of need. By integrating training with the workflow, employees can seamlessly access the information they require, reducing the time spent searching for answers and enabling them to perform tasks more effectively, a vital underlaying principle in the Pauwels Consulting training program.”

This customer round table has resulted in all panel members seeing an opportunity to transform knowledge sharing and embrace a new approach that will help both our consultants and their customers succeed in the future. It was evident that the enthusiasm in the room was palpable as we concluded the thought-provoking session. The commitment to advancing our industries and fighting the talent war is unwavering. The journey does not end here. During the second session, we will continue this vital dialogue and gain even more insights into talent management. Together, we can reshape the future of talent management and make a lasting impact.

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News

Press release: Pauwels Consulting takes over 4People

22 Jan 2023

Pauwels Consulting acquires 4People to consolidate its place in the Dutch market as a project sourcer in IT, engineering and life sciences and hereby completes 12th acquisition with 3D Investors in 7 years’ time. 

From left to right: Bert Pauwels, Ronald Ter Beek, Joost Hordijk and Stef van den Broek

Belgian consultancy firm specialized in IT, life sciences and engineering Pauwels Consulting has acquired Dutch project sourcing company 4People. Pauwels Consulting aims to broaden its foreign activities in engineering after recently acquiring other Dutch firms in life sciences and IT, to match its activities in the Belgian market. The core motivation is to grow as a people-minded company and to carry its employee-centered values internationally. 

The Dutch company 4People is specialized in secondment and placing of executives in construction, infrastructure & environment and engineering and employs over 200 people nationwide. Their vision is to help their clients build a livable future through knowledge-sharing of cutting-edge technologies. While doing so, the people remain at the heart of the business. Ronald Ter Beek, founder of 4People, explains: “The name of our company speaks for itself. We place people to help create a better future for people. We believe in investing in our employees, as they invest in their projects.” 

Bert Pauwels, managing director of Pauwels Consulting, found in 4People the missing piece in his foreign ambitions: “We have been expanding Pauwels Consulting in the Netherlands through the acquisition of other players in IT and Life Sciences, and 4People brings outstanding expertise in engineering to the table. In this way, we mirror the activities of our Belgian home base.”  

Stef van den Broek, Managing Director of 4People, considers Pauwels Consulting a strategic partner: “We prioritized a partnership with a company that shows genuine interest in our culture and people. That way, 4People can keep growing in the direction that we have built the foundation for, and our clients and employees will be able to look forward to a future of acceleration.” Bert Pauwels adds: “4People and Pauwels Consulting have in common that we want to service our clients with expertise and respect for their vision. That is exactly what we intend to keep doing, with the only difference being that we now combine a larger pool of experience and resources.” 

Stef van den Broek: “As management, we are excited for this new chapter and together with our employees, who have continuously proven to be a great asset in creating our success story, we are looking forward to keep growing.” 

Following this acquisition, the Pauwels Consulting team numbers more than 1,500 experts in the fields of life sciences, engineering and IT. Founded in 1999, Pauwels Consulting has grown into a successful consulting group active in Belgium, the Netherlands, France and Switzerland under different brands and specialized divisions. Together with 3d Investors, Pauwels Consulting has made 12 acquisitions in 7 years and increased its revenues fivefold from €25 million to over €149 million. 

Read the interview with Bert Pauwels (Managing Director Pauwels Consulting), Ronald Ter Beek (founder 4People), Joost Hordijk (Head of Sales & Strategy 4People) and Stef van den Broek (General Manager 4People).

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News

Pauwels Consulting takes over 4People

22 Jan 2023

Pauwels Consulting duplicates its Belgian success story in the Netherlands with the acquisition of 4People with 200 engineering, construction, infrastructure and environment specialists. 

Pauwels Consulting is doing extremely well in the Dutch market. In the slipstream of the previous acquisition of Science@Work, it is already taking the next step. Managing Director Bert Pauwels, who established the group 23 years ago, has always been clear about the ambitions of his project sourcing model. What once started with secondments for IT projects has now expanded into a prominent market share in engineering and life sciences in Belgium. With 4People on board, Pauwels Consulting is now also serving the Dutch market in the same way. 

We spoke to Bert Pauwels and Ronald Ter Beek (4People founder), Joost Hordijk (4People Head of Sales & Strategy) and Stef van den Broek (4People General Manager). The venue immediately set the tone: Expo A16 Rotterdam, an experience centre on a new major road in Rotterdam. It is a mega project to which 4People is making a real difference. 

Expert explanation at A16 Expo

Ronald, why did you start 4People 21 years ago? 

I came of age in the business world as a consultant at Brunel. After eight years and an IPO, I established 4People in 2001. Initially we focused on IT project sourcing, but that wasn’t really our thing, so we stopped that. I felt we could make a far bigger contribution in civil engineering. That’s where we could really make a difference. We set up in Deventer in the middle of the Netherlands. From there we went to Hengelo. We continued to expand our activities with branches in Groningen, Den Bosch, Rotterdam and Utrecht and more than 200 employees. 

You’ve had 21 years of growth. What sets 4People apart from the rest? 

Without a doubt, it’s the human side of things. People is in our company name for good reason. I saw a lot of good things during my training, but what I missed is having people as the central focus. They are still the success factor. We’re a business, of course, but we grow by building things around and with people. They make or break everything.

4People is a coveted business, so why did you choose Pauwels Consulting?

You’re right: there was a great deal of interest. Our top five included a few strategic players and some financials. In the end, we chose a strategic partner. We really appreciated that Bert Pauwels showed a genuine interest in the company itself. In the people themselves. And he has a whole group behind him that will help 4People thrive even more in the future. 

Stef, you were in the cockpit of this acquisition together with Joost. What’s your take on this?

Now we can keep thinking bigger and bigger. The company is already at a great place, and there’s far more to come. The collaboration with Pauwels as a strategic partner can only accelerate this. And importantly, our content, core values and culture are very well aligned. 

Can you describe 4People’s DNA for us?

We truly reflect the Dutch eagerness to do business. We’ve always been very inventive, especially now that our civil engineering projects need to enter into a dialogue with urbanisation and nature. We’ve been at the forefront of technology with the support of clusters such as Brainport Eindhoven and the Rotterdam area. The place we are now, Expo A16 Rotterdam, is a testimonial of what our team is marketing in the technical field. Tunnelling, bridge construction and engineering: they all come together here. Of course, we’re facing considerable challenges, but we achieve great solutions on a daily basis together with the customers.

Joost, how do you see this?

We speak the language of technology. For this A16 project, we deliver people in positions that others may only experience once in their lives. Contracts like these are full of special technology you need to have expertise in. We make choices according to feasibility and profit in projects of this size very early on. Our teams are put together even before the award process, which often makes us the first and only one who gets to deliver. Our reputation and profits are earned outside, with our feet in the mud. 

Bert Pauwels, if we include 3d Investors, this is the 12th (!) acquisition in seven years. What attracted you to 4People?

We clicked straight away, not just business-wise but on a personal level as well. You can have the best people, the best technical concepts and the right vision, but having the right relationship is very important as well. 4People’s story so far was perfect for us. Our Dutch organisation was particularly strong in IT, whereas in Belgium we offer IT, engineering and life sciences. This was our chance to expand the organisation in a similar way in the Netherlands. We had already developed our life sciences in the Netherlands with the acquisition of Science@Work. In terms of engineering, we’d also been working with Bruggenbouwers already, but now it was time for a significant expansion. Both countries are now at the same high level in all three industries thanks to what I can only describe as a match made in heaven. 

What’s going to change for 4People’s employees and customers?

What is definitely a positive signal to the market and employees is that many people from the current management are joining the new capital structure. This shows 4People’s belief in the company’s further growth. That’s also how we jointly approach the people and the market. I’m really looking forward to presenting the Belgian organisation and letting people discover how much overlap there is in culture, management style and job content. Pauwels Consulting tackles every new tailor-made collaboration with great respect for everyone involved. We have our story, but 4People has also developed a unique DNA as established by Ronald. We’re here now because 4People do many things well, just like us. Now we can learn best practices from each other to accelerate growth. In the long run, we’ll see a healthy culture we create together.  

Stef, as Managing Director, what challenges do you see approaching in your industry?

This acquisition process focused on two questions: who is from a cultural perspective the best party for us as a company and how are we going to do business together? Sometimes you have to look at that separately from the numbers. Of course, as our new partner, Pauwels Consulting can support our acceleration, but the way we do this is just as important. Bert has made a huge difference from the first meeting. We spoke to other people who literally had no idea what we were actually doing and then just pushed out a bid. Bert has both vision and respect for who we are and what we stand for. 

And where do you see the next challenges in your sector?

The war for talent, which will also affect our internal organisation. Fortunately, we’re ever more successful at retaining the right people. This is because we are very clear and specific about our culture and core values. Unlike our competitors, we are much less transactional in our business. We make a difference in job content. Talented people are obviously recognising this when they make their next move in their careers. We also notice this in job interviews. We often hear that starting to work with us is a refreshing experience for many people. Of course, we present a critical front – there has to be a good match – but cultivating the experience afterwards is the real win for our employees. And of course, the key to growth is our internal organisation and the connection with extremely loyal customers. Their commitment only contributes to our joint growth. And it doesn’t stop at the front. Ambitions need to blend. Bert has taught me how much Pauwels Consulting is committed to the continued training of employees’ hard and soft skills. I was happy to hear that there is a wide range of learning and development, coaches and talent managers on hand. In my opinion, we can always learn from a model like that. 

Joost, how do you experience this war for talent from a commercial perspective? 

Success is a choice. Of course, you are dependent on economic factors, but we are in an essential position in the market. Our people are in places that are crucial both in engineering and construction. The biggest challenge is not to find people, but to find people who understand and can convey the vision of 4People and Pauwels Consulting and who can implement the acceleration we want. We expect a lot more from our people than a normal secondment agency, but when we share our plans, you can really feel the urge to achieve them together. As Stef said, applicants experience us differently: personal contact and content go hand in hand here. Both our consultants and our customers endorse this.

A16 Expo

Back to the man who was right there at the very beginning: what will be the next challenge for founder Ronald Ter Beek? 

In any case, I felt the need to distance myself a little after 22 years. That’s why I had already attracted Stef as CEO. However, I did notice that I couldn’t distance myself mentally like I’d wanted to. It goes against my nature, I suppose. You always stay involved and people don’t call you for all the fun things. They tend to call you if there are problems (laughs). They stay with me and it was difficult to let go. So, then I thought: why not make my long-term plan happen a little sooner, knowing that I have a top team ready? What I’m not going to do is sit still. I adore Italy, so I’ll do things there. What I don’t know yet – I’m sure I’ll stumble upon something. I don’t worry about that. 

Bert, how do you see the management team? 

When Stef presented his vision as managing director for the first time, I felt the business undercurrent as well as his insistence to always include the employees of 4People in the story. Success may be a choice, as Joost just put it so nicely, but I really feel that the entire organisation is making that choice. That only works if everyone has a well-developed sense of empathy, and for that alone I have the greatest respect. That’s why we literally started moving forward after just a few weeks to the point where we are now. Of course, 4People are the best in their job; that’s not based on ego, but on pride in proven merits. Joost talks about the market with unprecedented depth. He knows exactly what his customers are doing. The fact that he has a very broad technical knowledge certainly helps, but what also keeps emerging is this empathy for the customer. The fact that Ronald has given his trust to this top team seems logical from a distance, but of course you need that talent to take the company to a higher level. Ronald’s focus on people always went much further than what is suggested by the company name 4People. After all, companies are made by people, but also for people, and at 4People you see very clearly how the team is built on that. 

Nice words for your team, Stef. 

Thank you, and I agree with Bert. Besides ratio, a person has feelings, and I had a good feeling about Bert from the very beginning. You can clearly sense this in all our interactions. We were soon talking about content, constructive questions and, above all, Bert’s enthusiasm to make Pauwels Consulting an even greater success. And we are part of that. 

Bert has a habit of challenging his partners in sports.

Ronald: Absolutely not. I enjoy riding my rally motorbike in the desert or having a nice glass of Italian wine, particularly the latter. But Joost, Stef and Bert are always welcome, because of course I want to find out how the 4People and Pauwels Consulting story continues!

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