Career Display Project Gives Zuyderland a Mobility Advantage

We spoke with Jacqueline Vos at a critical moment. After a relative period of "calm during the Covid-19 era," the Intensive Care units of Zuyderland hospitals are once again nearly full with patients. Covid has left deep scars, and Jacqueline, as a Reintegration Consultant at the P&O Career Center, has faced the consequences: "Our absenteeism has increased significantly since the beginning of Covid due to prolonged high workloads and work pressure. Employees are losing the joy in their work because they are constantly under pressure. We see this reflected in our career center."

Zuyderland Medical and Care Group consists of Atrium Medical Center Parkstad, Orbis Medical and Care Group Sittard-Geleen, and Zuyderland Mental Health Care, known as the Cure branch. The Care branch includes Zuyderland Care Centers, Zuyderland Home Care, and Zuyderland Household Help. With over 9,000 employees, many working in direct care and some in supporting services, Zuyderland has opted for self-insurance when it comes to absenteeism or disability, which brings several responsibilities and obligations. As a good employer, Zuyderland strives to offer (long-term) sick employees prospects and to consider career questions from employees. Thus, a career center was established to promote mobility and sustainable employability.

Rewarding and Challenging
Jacqueline explains that the Career Center supports about 120 colleagues annually in reintegration. Additionally, there is a growing demand for career advice and guidance. "We encounter a broad range of situations: absenteeism, prevention of both mental and physical illness, as well as performance and career issues.

We often see people who have worked in healthcare for a long time and are experiencing physical complaints due to the demanding nature of their work, while still having several years until retirement. We discuss this phase, which could mean reassignment, adjustments to current work, or a career change.

It’s touching when people who have been nurses for decades express that they’ve lost touch with why they chose this profession and reveal deep down that they want to do something else. This marks the beginning of exploring their future opportunities. These conversations are both rewarding and challenging but make the work of a reintegration consultant very valuable."

Combining Interests
"What we often see is that people carry doubts, considerations, or fears for a long time and often seek help too late. I think at least 80% of people don’t dare to admit that work has become too difficult or challenging for any reason." The Career Center has observed that early involvement in a help request, career question, or absenteeism case leads to faster and more appropriate solutions. "This is why the Covid situation has prompted us to communicate and act more proactively with our colleagues. 'Dare to ask' is what we want to promote." Jacqueline is clear about the business aspect: "We combine interests, looking at what’s best for both the employee and Zuyderland. Primarily, we focus on the individual: what are the possibilities and solutions, always approaching from a positive standpoint in a safe environment. In our organization, we have several scarce and specialized functions, and absences in these roles directly impact planning and production. Our career center saves a significant amount on absenteeism costs and UWV penalties."

Empowering Employees
Reintegrating, making a switch, or seeking career advice involves more than just good conversations—it requires insight. "Our insight questions essentially boil down to three parts: who am I, what can I do, and what do I want? Once we have this picture, we can proceed more effectively. We use GITP’s digital tools through a dedicated portal on their assessment platform. We set up assessments and use the automated reports to have discussions with employees. The key principle is never to take control but to empower employees to take charge of their career or situation. Respect for each employee is fundamental. We want the assessment, report, and feedback to be a positive experience, and we believe that the assessment belongs to the employee, not to me, the Career Center, or Zuyderland."

Accept that Not Everything Works
Notably, Jacqueline prefers to know as little as possible about the employee and their story before discussing the tests. “I want to look as objectively as possible. The story emerges during the conversations. By knowing little to nothing, I can ask sharper questions, listen better, and provide advice aimed at offering perspective.” Jacqueline visibly enjoys her work; discussing the conversations, the various cases, and how insights often help people move forward makes her eyes light up. “You have to really love this work and also be realistic, accepting that not everything will succeed but striving to do everything possible. The foundation lies in the instruments used to gain initial insights. Don't rush; delve into the material to make a quality choice, which isn't always the cheapest option.Jacqueline offers additional tips to maximize the effectiveness of assessments: "Make sure you know the tool or assessment thoroughly. Follow the training, practice with it, and read background information on the setup and scientific basis of the tests and tools that map people's capabilities. It's highly beneficial to periodically evaluate the use of these tools, especially the feedback sessions. I see this as a form of intervision. We do this in Limburg and Brabant within a network of healthcare professionals. Learn from each other, visit each other’s processes, and share insights. I experience a great willingness to share knowledge and experiences."According to Jacqueline, it is time for advancements in the development of tools that provide insights. "It would be great if tests and assessments could evolve or adapt to different career stages and changing circumstances of employees. Beyond cognition, competence, or personality, we need more information on work load and work experience. These are currently separate worlds. Integrating these aspects would allow us to have earlier conversations with employees about their preferences and the risks of burnout.”

The Career Display
According to Jacqueline, Covid-19 has made many employees more aware of the need to critically evaluate their future and take proactive steps. This awareness has led Zuyderland to anticipate an increased outflow once the pandemic becomes manageable again. Additionally, Zuyderland faces a structural labor market shortage, especially in crucial roles like (specialized) nurses and caregivers. Historical figures suggest a less optimistic future, particularly given the region’s aging and shrinking population. The Covid crisis has exacerbated this.

To promote sustainable employability and retention, Zuyderland introduced the 'Career Display.' This initiative allows 100 employees to receive a ticket for a career scan. The goal is to offer a customized trajectory focusing entirely on the employee. Various discussions help determine the central question in the career trajectory and how to address it. Tests on cognition, ambition, motivations, skills, and competencies form a solid foundation for the action plans.

Surprisingly, the demand for this service was so high that within a week, there were 150 applications for a ticket—a clear signal to Zuyderland Career Center of a significant need.