As workforce manager, Toon Hanegraaf functions as the link between our company and the employment agencies with which we work. Deploying personnel effectively is a puzzle that needs to be solved every day. What does Toon find challenging, why does he enjoy his job so much, and why does he so often taken on extra HR projects?
Toon, let’s start with your position. What does being a workforce manager involve?
“I am the contact person for our planners and for the employment agencies that supply our personnel. The most important part of my work is effectively balancing the expectations of both parties; I act as a sort of referee. Why is something possible sometimes, but not all the time? What are the causes and consequences, and how do we manage unforeseen circumstances?”
But that’s just a matter of good planning, isn’t it?
“In principle, yes. But what if we suddenly need 20 more workers than expected, or conversely, fewer? The reasons may be completely logical and explicable, but there are also consequences, and we want to deal with those as effectively as possible. Discussions arise, naturally, and that’s fine, but they have to be open, constructive and efficient.”
So it’s like doing a puzzle that’s never quite complete.
“That’s right, and that’s what I love about my job. And I’m not doing it all alone of course – I might be putting the puzzle together, but others are creating the pieces of the puzzle. That’s mainly our planners and the contacts from the employment agencies. It’s up to me to make sure the pieces are in the right place. If they aren’t, then I flag that and explain what’s necessary for us to move forward together.”
are going, drop by the employment agencies –
my work has become much more varied”
What else do you enjoy about your work?
“I’ve been working at Vetipak for twenty years now. In my years as a team leader and head of production, I mainly worked in the same environments with the same colleagues. My world has expanded significantly now. For example, I also visit our in-company locations in Zeewolde, Oosterhout and Ede. “I check in with colleagues to see how things are going, drop by the employment agencies – my work has become much more varied.”
And then there are the many HR projects.
“I don’t like being bored, so I love taking on new projects. One major project involved setting up our timekeeping system. We not only keep track of when someone works, but also the position and the type of work involved. We use that data to calculate things like the efficiency of our production lines.”
Do you have any more examples?
“More than enough! For example, I collaborated on the onboarding program, and on strategies to help our employees achieve their best potential. We’re currently developing instructional videos that transcend the language barrier so that all of our colleagues can understand them. And there are many more things I could tell you about.”
What do you enjoy so much about all these challenges?
“I just think it’s important to keep up with the times, both as an employee and a company. For example, I learn a tremendous amount from my immediate colleagues. Small things, such as little tips and tricks for working with updated digitalization, but also big things. One example is the opportunities offered by AI – several young colleagues know a lot about that.”
with clever ideas and then telling everyone
how things should be done”
Is that the power of collaboration?
“I think so. And that’s exactly what our company is about. Take our department, for example. We don’t sit in an ivory tower coming up with clever ideas, and then coming down and telling everyone how things should be done. Of course, we work on improving every day. But we’d much rather say: ‘We think there could be a smarter way to do this. Shall we look at that together?’ That’s what makes you a real team.”
