In our section: ‘Employee in the spotlight’ we like to show which people are behind our organisation. On a daily basis, Archive-IT is committed to supporting organisations in the transition from a paper to a digital working environment. In addition, software is being developed to guarantee safe, digital accessibility. But who does what? And what are the motivations of the employees of the Archive-IT team? Time for a look behind the scenes.
In the ‘Employee in the spotlight’ in June, Christine Silkens was nominated by Severine Dégives. We would like to introduce Christine to you!
Christine, how did you end up at Archive-IT?
“I started in 2012 as HR Officer at Jalema, then the sister company of Archive-IT. Shortly after I joined Jalema, the then board of directors of Archive-IT was looking for someone for HR. They approached me for this and I took on that challenge. As of August 2013 I will be the contact person in the HR field for Archive-IT.”
Can you tell us something about your job as an HR manager?
“So I work as a Human Resource Manager. This means that I deal with the inflow, through-flow and outflow of people within the organisation. I do this in the form of a combination function, because in addition to the HR work I do at Archive-IT, I am still employed by Jalema. The same function; a completely different company! Since less than a year I also take care of the payroll administration of Archive-IT, with the help of Juul. This combination creates a lot of diversity in my work.”
What does your average day look like?
“I think that most HR Managers recognize themselves in the fact that the days cannot be planned. I often have the intention of finishing certain things on a certain day, but usually something comes between them that confuses this. As an HR Manager, I am the point of contact for employees with all kinds of questions. In addition to contractual matters or pension questions, I discuss the personal development of employees. I’m also a confidential advisor, so if anyone has any concerns, they can always contact me. That simply cannot be planned. I also have to be able to solve matters on an ad hoc basis. An example of this is that I get a call in the morning when something is wrong with an employee, or when someone has fallen out and urgently needs a replacement. This variety and the fact that I am challenged to think in terms of solutions, makes the work a lot of fun.”
Where do you get satisfaction from during your work?
“I like to see that people feel comfortable and in their place in the work they do. That’s the most important thing. This applies not only to work, but also to private life. It’s essential to find a good balance in this and not to get caught up in it. If I can make a contribution to this from my HR function and keep in mind the interests of both employees and employers, then my mission has succeeded. Of course, these Corona times are bizarre for both employers and employees. For me as an HR manager, too, it is sometimes difficult because you can’t always speak to employees face to face. Fortunately, it all goes well at Archive-IT in that respect.”
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
“That depends a little on the development of the companies I work for. I think there are still a lot of successes to be made at both companies, also in the HR field, so that certainly offers prospects for my future at these companies. As long as I can continue to make a contribution, I really enjoy doing that. I like the fact that I have known the people for a couple of years now and therefore I have more depth with them. As long as I can make a difference, I get satisfaction from my work and come to work with a lot of pleasure.”
Nice to know: Christine is part of a cooking club. At this cooking club the intention is to cook something that they have never made before. Christine’s tactic is to choose a specific ingredient and come up with the menu around it!
For the next month you can nominate someone. Who do you want to nominate and why?
“For the month of August I would like to nominate Jordy Schoolmeesters. He works part-time at Archive-IT and is also studying. I’m curious about his motivation and motives.”