Article InZaken – July 2023

With over twelve and a half years of experience in the staffing industry and the deployment of international skilled workers, N2 People has a large European network with its own offices in several EU countries. Diversity is in the office’s DNA. Not only on the work floor, but also at the headquarters, people collaborate with multiple nationalities. In recruitment, ‘at the front end’, N2 People traditionally invests above-average time. N2 People has growth ambitions, alongside Logistics, particularly in Automotive and Technology in the near future.

“Our offering of skilled workers is divided into three disciplines: Logistics-Production, Automotive, and Technology,” says Bas Joosten, Operations Director. “We are an organization that strives for sustainable growth, where people – and especially their development – are central. We want to make not only our skilled workers on the work floor but also our own organization as happy as possible. There are now 55 people working in the office, including the Job Coaches. They are the first point of contact and almost a buddy for the people on the work floor.” The human aspect is important, if not leading, for N2 People.

Career Cycle

Bas Joosten has been working here for ten years now. Since March, he has been the Operations Director, as founder Eric Nabuurs focuses more on MENS Group, the holding company of which N2 People and N2 Facility are part. The training academy currently in development is also included. “We have also started panel discussions: from each discipline, we invite flexible workers to ask them how we can improve our services to them. What are the wishes from the group? We do a lot of training and education and are currently setting up our own training academy.”

“In that respect, we see our work as support in a career cycle. Someone comes to us, develops, and after a few years, they settle here and move on. Whether that person stays with us, which we really appreciate, or goes back to their home country – now much better trained – they have many more opportunities there.” Bas Joosten emphasizes that the internal team develops along the same path: “Through learning and moving up. We want all our people to become better. This also helps us retain our clients.”

Mutual Respect at the Core

Mutual respect is central, according to the Operations Director. “There are three points where we want to make a difference for our skilled workers. The first, income, is dependent on the collective labor agreement, so you can only have a slight influence on that. You can do much more in finding the right client for the worker, the best match. That client must fit with us. We want to think along in processes; we really don’t just send a worker without consideration. That feels very uncomfortable.”

A third point is facilitating the employee. “With e-bikes, good and professional transportation, and proper support. We invest in high-quality housing and are known for that,” says the Operations Director. Once a skilled worker is satisfied in these three areas, they feel comfortable. With that, N2 People also aims to work on the desired longer ‘average duration of stay’. It makes the skilled workers less sensitive to external stimuli.

Growth Ambitions in ‘Greater Brabant’

According to Bas Joosten, N2 People has growth ambitions in the area south of Rotterdam-Utrecht-Arnhem. “We like to call it Greater Brabant. We want to grow from 600 to 750 employees there. Our recruitment is pan-European; our skilled workers now come from seventeen different European countries. And: our Job Coaches literally speak the same language as our workers.”

N2 People focuses, as mentioned, on sectors: Logistics-Production, Automotive, and Technology. “In the last two, we want to grow significantly, as there is still an unprecedented demand for technical personnel. These disciplines require a special kind of recruitment. Extending the average duration of stay is mainly achieved by making the skilled worker feel as good as possible. By setting the right expectations and perhaps having them follow e-learning or training in their home country; then the worker arrives better prepared in our country. We strongly focus on skills and what a foreign diploma means in our country. We also address this at the front end. This ultimately saves three parties from possible disappointments. That’s what we mean by fostering long-term relationships.”

Certification

N2 People holds the ABU certificate (the largest trade association for staffing organizations in the Netherlands) and the NEN certificate. The NEN 4400-1 standard sets requirements for lenders and subcontractors based in the Netherlands and being authorized to perform work in the Netherlands. Furthermore, all housing is SNF certified.