100 years of workplace happiness: a conversation with five colleagues
On 12 November, we marked the 25th anniversary of Joanne’s employment, who is by now the organisation’s walking memory. Such milestones are much more common: Rob, Ronald, Koert and Martijn have also been employed for many years. Altogether, they have been building their careers at Blink (then called Janssen de Jong Projectontwikkeling) for 100 years. High time to put these valued colleagues in the limelight. And fair is fair, we are curious to hear their stories. So… fire away!
For those who don’t know you yet, how about a quick introduction?
Rob: “It all started with an internship at Bruns & Bonke Bouw, later Janssen de Jong Bouw. Now, more than 25 years later, I am regional director of Blink, for the East Netherlands region.”
Koert: “After a foray, I have been back since 2012, this time in the role of company lawyer! And no, the grass was clearly not greener on the other side…”
Joanne: “Been with Blink for 25 years. Once entered as a secretary, now a real spider in the web in marketing, communications and human resources.”
Ronald: “Since 1998, I have held various legal roles: from head of general affairs to legal advisor in a variety of areas.”
Martijn: “I have now been working here for more than 12.5 years in the role of development manager. Both the market and the organisation are constantly developing, which makes it fun!”
And suddenly it was 2024. Congratulations on your 12.5 years and 25 years of service!
In chorus: “Thank you! Time flies, doesn’t it?”
What is your secret to still enjoying going to work after all these years?
Ronald: “Being part of a family and the always prevalent entrepreneurial spirit make sure that I enjoy going to work every day. It’s nice to work in an organisation where we really care about each other, both professionally and privately. It makes the work fun and the years fly by.”
Martijn: “What motivates me is the variety and the chance to work on challenging projects, such as Merwede in Utrecht. That sometimes requires a long breath, but it is precisely that complexity that keeps the work exciting and gives me energy.”
Joanne: “For me, the secret is to keep learning and growing. The opportunities to discover new things, such as AI tools, keep my work fresh and challenging. In addition, working with fine colleagues makes it really special.”
Koert: “Working together and coming up with solutions, I love that. Everyone at Blink is driven and that motivates me to get the best out of myself every day. You work hard, but it should also remain fun – and it certainly is here.”
Rob: “I enjoy going to work every day because I get the freedom to do my job my way. Of course there are times when things are busy or a project goes awkwardly, but it is precisely this responsibility and the close bond with my colleagues that make the work valuable.”
And if you could choose one word?
Martijn: “Challenge.”
Joanne: “Development.”
Rob: “Freedom.”
Ronald: “Family.”
Koert: “Cooperation. And all of the above.”
When you started at Blink.
Joanne: “We were still working with 1.44 MB floppy disks and there was no network yet. Over the years, I’ve seen it change: from WordPerfect to Microsoft Office and from the Nokia 3110 to the BlackBerry and eventually the iPhone. Landline phones and faxes disappeared, and now we’re suddenly in the age of AI! Recently, I did a Midjourney workshop.”
Koert: “I had to immediately solve a legal dispute – welcome to the legal department! The great thing is that since then I have not only solved problems, but also worked with colleagues on preventive strategies to avoid disputes.”
Martijn: “We were in the middle of the economic crisis and the focus was on selling homes yet to be built and homes already completed in projects but not yet sold. It was a challenging time, but we found creative ways to make a difference. For instance, I decorated a sales centre like a living room, so that potential buyers immediately felt at home there.”
Rob: “Did we really still do everything on paper, I remember that very well. Preparing meetings, for example, took hours. Now everything is digital and you work much faster, but I think we can sometimes recall something of that time: you had real contact.”
Ronald: “When we were still a classic family business with about 18 employees. I was involved in the first external ISO audit. Since then we have grown to several offices and projects, but that warm family feeling has remained.”
What has changed since then?
Koert: “At first, my role was much more reactive: solving legal problems as soon as they arose. Now I focus much more on preventing legal problems and keeping the risks manageable within our operations. This has changed not only the way we work within the company, but also the way we work together as a team to avoid risks.”
Ronald: “My work has become much broader: I am not only involved in legislation, but I also support strategic decisions. I find it special that the family feeling has remained, despite the enormous growth of the organisation. The commitment and support we offer each other are unchanged!”
Martijn: “As a development manager, your job is actually always in motion. The market and organisation are constantly changing, which makes my job challenging and fascinating. The projects are becoming increasingly complex, but I myself am also becoming more creative in solutions.”
Rob: “Well, what hasn’t actually changed? Since my internship, I have taken several courses and done several jobs. Challenges are still added daily: the region and market are constantly evolving.”
Joanne: “The function has become much broader and the tools I use today, such as Midjourney, used to be unthinkable! I have also been able to attend several training courses. My days are now filled with all kinds of tasks, from content creation to human resources.”
So, on to the next 15 years?
Koert: “Definitely, there is still so much to achieve! As long as we keep working together as a team, I’m happy to be there in the years to come.”
Martijn: “Why not? I’m looking forward to seeing what the work can bring me further.”
Ronald: “If you guys don’t mind very much, I still choose to retire!”
Rob: “Absolutely! And hopefully I can still give many colleagues the space to develop further too, just like I was given those opportunities.”
Joanne: “Gladly, I look forward to continuing to learn and further develop my knowledge. But also to see our company grow, together with my nice colleagues!”