Great Place to Work

It’s likely you have already seen it on our website: we’re a Great Place to Work. And while we fully agree with this statement, there’s more to it than words alone

Great Place to Work is a research and consultancy firm dedicated to organisational culture and good employership. Through open and closed questions, the firm interviews employees of participating companies, including Pauwels Consulting, about trust, pride and well-being. Consulting the employees themselves enables us to obtain reliable insights and determine specific areas that we can work on. Together with our Great Place to Work colleagues, we have published an annual survey since 2020. We’ve already had a lot of success with this, but – perhaps more importantly – we’ve also learned a lot from it.

Our L&D Coordinator Céline tells us more about how we obtained the title of a Great Place to Work.

We shoot for the moon

We like to do our bit to collect feedback so we can find ways to improve day in, day out. This is also an integral part of our company values: We shoot for the moon!

Year after year, we collect and view the figures and try to outdo ourselves every time. As an example: we secured fifth place in the Best Workplaces list, where the ten top-rated Great Places to Work are sorted based on other standards. I’m already curious to see how we’ll do next year! This label is a sign of quality for our current and future colleagues. As it is awarded based on research, the label helps us to stand out in the market as a great workplace.

In our culture book, we summarise and explain why people continue to choose us as an employer.

Download the culture book here.

Self-awareness as a company

The Great Place to Work survey consists of two parts: first, we write a culture audit, which means we explain how our company works. We do this based on various questions that they ask us. We put together our own team consisting of colleagues who know the company well. The topics we address in the culture audit are as follows: our core qualities as an employer, the manner in which we create a unique environment, our strategy and philosophy, and our methods for bringing out the best in all colleagues. Together, we also pin down all the services we offer, the aspects we’re proud of and what sets us apart from other companies.

Our internal Great Place to Work team has been around since we first participated in 2020. It consists of representatives from various units of Pauwels Consulting – HR, recruitment, sales, talent management and L&D.

• Mélodie Rogiers: HR Director and partner, has worked at Pauwels Consulting for 12 years

• Björn Nachtegaele: Senior Account Manager, has worked at Pauwels Consulting for 11 years

• Céline Van Puymbrouck: L&D Coordinator, has worked at Pauwels Consulting for 8 years

• Valentijn Velghe: Corporate Trainer & Coach, has worked at Pauwels Consulting for 6 years

• Koen Bogaert: Marketing Director, only 1.5 years at Pauwels Consulting but with tons of experience in marketing and communication

Anonymous answers

The second part of the survey is the Trust Index Survey, an anonymous questionnaire that Great Place to Work sends out to all employees. Participants have two weeks to complete it. This is how we measure the level of pride, trust and joy within our organisation. Our employees receive an anonymous voice, which provides a platform for sharing suggestions and feedback freely.

While Great Place to Work does ask us to record the first part of the survey via an internal team, they, too, can answer the questions anonymously and do not see the answers before they are processed. This enables Great Place to Work to guarantee that they can deliver a quality label with integrity.

In Belgium, the research and consultancy firm Great Place to Work chose to work with Vlerick Business School. This is where the researchers can be found who analyse our results and report back to us with a clear overview of the outcomes.

How we make a difference

The results of the Trust Index Survey are analysed down to the finest detail. Afterwards, we share the results with our colleagues and define action points. Thanks to the feedback from the survey, we have achieved a lot over the past five years. Think, for example, of group insurance as a non-statutory benefit, more diverse mobility options (including electric cars and bicycles), five talent managers who work as direct contacts with our consultants, and a happiness team to launch fun initiatives internally.

We’re already looking forward to the next set of findings and all the insights and projects that will result from this. One thing is for sure: we’re doing everything we can to exceed our colleagues’ expectations every day!

Our L&D Coordinator: Céline Van Puymbrouck

Our L&D Coordinator Céline

Céline Van Puymbroeck is active as L&D Coordinator for Pauwels Consulting. She talks about her experience in the company: I started as a Talent Acquisition Specialist in the Life Sciences sector. After spending two-and-a-half years as a recruiter, I decided to follow a new path and focus on Learning & Development. I’m currently responsible for organising individual and group training courses – including our own Pauwels Academy – and I oversee many initiatives relating to knowledge sharing.

I’m proud of my eight years of service at Pauwels Consulting, where I’ve had the opportunity to further develop and share my expertise in Learning & Development. As a people person, I find satisfaction in helping others to achieve and expand their goals – both professionally and personally.

Outside of work, I’m an enthusiastic traveller who likes to discover new cultures and places. As a foodie, I enjoy a wide variety of culinary experiences. At the beginning of this year, I became a proud mum to our first child, who’s a huge positive addition to my life.