Nathalie, was it written in the stars that you would end up at VPD?
Nathalie: Absolutely! VPD was founded in 1946 by my grandfather and was later taken over by my father and my uncle. When they decided to stop, their eldest sons – my brother and my cousin – took over the company.
From an early age, I was already involved in VPD: I lived where the company was located, played among the drivers, and listened in on conversations with customers. I grew up with it, even though it was not my first job. I was in the fashion industry until my brother asked me to work at VPD.
I started with administrative tasks such as order entry and invoicing, and as I took on more responsibilities, I moved into a management position. Since I naturally place great importance on social contact and the human aspect, it was logical that I would become responsible for HR and personnel management.
Creating a warm feeling
What exactly does your role involve?
No two days are the same for me. On a daily basis, I coordinate matters with the HR team, follow up on recruitments and personnel cases. Every two weeks, I also have a strategic meeting with the management team where we determine future plans. Additionally, I have a weekly meeting with our safety advisor to discuss employee safety.
I am also chair of the Committee for Prevention and Protection at Work (CPPW) and the Works Council (WC). In this context, I regularly have discussions with our union representatives. Exchanging with them is especially important to me to keep my finger on the pulse of what is happening among the staff and conduct important agreements about the support and protection of our employees.
What really drives you?
I enjoy listening to employees and taking care of them. It is important that people feel good at VPD and experience a sense of warmth. This caring aspect has always been in me, even at home. I also find it important that people dare to speak up and not keep their problems or frustrations to themselves. That is why I always try to create an atmosphere of trust and to speak and listen in an open and empathetic manner.
Inclusion is not just inviting someone to a party. It also means inviting that person to dance.
What are you proud of?
VPD has grown rapidly in recent years, but our values and standards have always remained the same. Many different nationalities and cultures work together here, and it is working out great. We want to keep it that way because it is also one of the strengths of our company. Inclusion is not just inviting someone to a party. It also means inviting that person to dance. We continue to pay special attention to this.
Do you have any ideas for the future?
Absolutely! I have developed a five-year plan that includes benefits for our employees and ways to keep them engaged. We continue to innovate and make decisions, which remains crucial for the future.
One of the most important things is improving our onboarding process. New employees receive a comprehensive training programme, and we make sure they feel welcome right away by clearly explaining how we work. This also applies to our temporary workers.
I would also like to start informal lunch meetings where we bring together small groups of people from different departments with someone from management in a relaxed manner. I believe this can teach us a lot, not only about our work but especially about each other. This way, we can form a closer team and better support each other.
Everyone is on the same page
What challenges do you face?
Nathalie: Labour legislation is constantly changing, and it is a challenge to keep up with it. We also want to make more use of AI and technology to improve our HR processes, which brings new questions and learning processes.
In the area of sustainability and social responsibility, we can still do better, although we have already taken important steps. The management team has a good vision and is aligned on it, which is reassuring.
How do you see VPD and your role evolving?
We are an innovative and leading logistics company that wants to stand out and grow. To do this, we want to develop strategies so that employees feel involved and enjoy working at VPD. A good work-life balance and a high level of engagement are crucial. And I am happy to continue working on this for a long time to come!