Talent Reshuffling for a Successful Transformation at Obvion

In 2018, Obvion focuses on supporting mortgage advisors, accelerating digitalization, optimizing processes, and fostering a 'can do' culture centered on connection, execution strength, and putting people first.

Culture Measurement and Customer Feedback

The foundation for Obvion's transition is laid by its key target group: mortgage advisors. In clear terms, several mortgage advisors explain to the management board and the entire leadership team what absolutely needs to improve, making the urgency for change strikingly clear. It all starts with the new strategy, which recenters mortgage advisors. Additionally, Obvion focuses on convenience, effectiveness, and digitalizing processes for mortgage advisors, customers, and employees. Obvion supports independent advice, as securing a mortgage is a long-term commitment that must fit one's financial situation. Independent financial advisors, or the intermediary channel, serve as objective guides, highlighting possibilities and risks.

Another important driver of change was the culture assessment based on the Cameron & Quinn model. It revealed that Obvion had a dominant hierarchical and family culture, which hindered entrepreneurship and external customer focus. These areas were identified as the primary desired changes.

“Based on the culture analysis and feedback from our mortgage advisors, we started working on preserving the positive aspects of our family culture, breaking down the hierarchy, and building a market culture with a greater focus on results, external orientation, prioritizing mortgage advisors, and fostering entrepreneurship among employees.”

Change That Matters!

"Every change begins at the top," says Rob Senden, HR Manager.

"We aimed for truly inspiring leadership and a change program that resonates." The initial tasks were forming a new management board and restructuring the leadership team, critical for translating strategy into action. "To be successful within three years as a mortgage lender, we needed profiles capable of translating strategy into actions and leading with execution power. The focus on 'connection' and 'execution power,' leading to our three core values—'cutting through the red tape,' 'shoulder to shoulder,' and 'hands-on,' with the main theme 'putting people first,' helped us immensely. These values are also the foundation of our new leadership profile, presented as a passport with four distinct competencies: Vision, Responsibility, Change, and Connection."

Talent Reshuffling

Obvion's transformation in leadership style wasn't a clinical operation with external hires. Instead, they sharply focused on internal talent, with part of the leadership team emerging from within. The CEO calls this "talent reshuffling." "By aligning new core values with strategic goals, we created opportunities for talented individuals already within the organization who weren't always visible. I'm aware there's no fixed recipe for leadership. We developed the profile and passport further in a leadership program where Obvion provides the values, but everyone brings their unique style and contribution."

A crucial first step in the leadership program is self-insight and self-management. "We used tools like 360-degree feedback and the Big Five personality assessment. HR fully facilitated this, certified in how to use these tools. Leaders then used these insights for individual coaching, peer meetings, and 'action learning' in small groups. Learning through experience and sharing cases deepens and anchors insights, leading to fundamental change through awareness."

According to Senden, a key condition for the success of such a program is the active and engaged attitude of all participants and the management board. "It's about giving and receiving. We hold plenary sessions and retreats where leaders share their experiences from individual programs. Learning from and inspiring each other happens right before your eyes. We’ll continue this combination of personal and plenary sessions in 2021 to elevate personal development."

Blow Off Steam: 'Work Hard, Play Hard!'

Change demands a lot from people, especially at a fast pace. According to Senden, it’s important to "blow off steam" occasionally. "Social activities and vitality bring relaxation, more energy, and closer connections. At Obvion, we encourage activities like yoga, mindfulness, intervision, shadowing days, coffee talks, lifestyle coaching (also digital), driven by the enthusiasm and dedication of our employees organized in clubs like Boost! (Social, Networking, and Sport & Health) and ObviYoung (the network for young-thinking Obvion employees). With ObviONS (overarching culture organization), we aim to find a common thread."

Obvion has a strong social agenda, emphasizing regional connections. This includes a summer festival with all employees and the entire neighborhood, collaborations with Stichting Leergeld and the Mijnmuseum, and active involvement in the 'VOOR Parkstad' project, which ensures a sustainable balance between economic and social interests.

Analyzing Success Factors

Since 2018, Obvion has achieved numerous visible and measurable successes. The market reach among mortgage advisors has significantly increased, a single clear mortgage product has been established, production has nearly doubled, market share grew from 2.3% to almost 6%, and it continues to rise. Internally, progress is evident too: absenteeism halved in 2018, the Employee Promoter Score improved from -1 at the end of 2017 to +36, and in November 2020, employees rated working at Obvion 8.2 out of 10, even after nine months of working from home during the crisis. Leadership received particularly high marks.

For Rob Senden, this is a clear sign that the transition has firmly taken root in the organization. "We're on the right path, now focusing on sustaining change and development for the future. Key items on the 2021 HR agenda include 'sustainable employability,' 'Collaborate@Obvion' (post-corona work), continuing the cultural change, implementing the 'Impact' leadership program, diversity & inclusion, talent management, adapting recruitment strategies, digital HR, and establishing a central learning and development environment (Curriculum)."