Executives as catalysts for wellbeing at Accent
Leading talent placement company Accent has a clear mission, namely to help employers find and keep good talent while simultaneously building successful relationships with its own human capital. Waldon recently came on board as a partner, enabling Accent to tap into its broad network of experienced partners. Together we developed a consistent approach to improve employee wellbeing, with executives as catalysts!
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The request
Although Accent already had a wellbeing programme, it mainly consisted of loose initiatives. Moreover, it was not always clear whose responsibility employee/team/managers wellbeing was. There was no integrated approach. Accent sought to address this fragmented approach by linking employee wellbeing and leadership skills. Its objective? To create a healthy working environment in which executives could better manage and support themselves and their team.
The cooperation in a nutshell
Together with Accent, Waldon set about developing a comprehensive programme for Accent’s executives. This was founded on three pillars: self-leadership, leadership in the context of teams, and leadership within the organisation. We worked with groups of 6 to 10 executives who attended intensive workshops over a period of one year. A series of sessions took place in between, in which executives reflected on their experiences, with feedback provided for continuous improvement.
The story
The fragmented approach to the development of managers, employee wellbeing and the support for team dynamics was the main issue and challenge. For wellbeing to become truly effective, Accent realised it had to be deeply rooted in the way executives manage their teams. The objective? Instead of considering employee wellbeing and leadership as separate issues, they needed to be combined into a comprehensive approach. In other words, executives needed to become a catalyst for employee wellbeing. Just the job for Waldon!
Waldon was able to identify Accent’s needs. And thanks to our integrated approach to wellbeing, and our excellent cooperation with a broad network of partners who are all experts in their fields, we were able to respond quickly to their needs. The scientifically proven and no-nonsense approach of our partner Björn Prins matched perfectly with the identified needs.
Together with Accent, Waldon developed an effective leadership programme for its executives (middle management and team leaders), founded on three pillars:
- Self-leadership: we provided executives with proven methods to reflect on their own behaviour, communication and actions. That way, they were able to develop more self-awareness and improve their leadership style further.
- Team leadership: this aspect focused on managing teams and strengthening team dynamics. We gave executives the tools and methodologies they needed to promote cooperation within teams, tackle problems effectively, and create a positive working environment.
- Leadership within the organisation: in-depth knowledge and skills were shared so that executives could take responsibility within the organisation as a whole. This covered HR processes such as sickness absence policy, absenteeism interviews and employee appraisal and coaching. Aligning internal HR knowledge and processes with reflection on leadership was done in co-creation between Accent and Waldon.
The three-part programme’s structured approach focused on reflection, practical application and knowledge sharing. In addition to being given theoretical tools to better manage their teams, they were also encouraged to use them. They did this both in small groups during the sessions and later within their own teams. The changes were immediately apparent on the workfloor and managers received direct feedback and suggestions for the future
Getting started with your executives yourself?
“Thanks to our partnership with Waldon, we were able to better anchor employee and team wellbeing into our leadership trainings. Besides this, we now also have the tools to create a culture of open communication and collaboration within our teams.”
Continuous improvement and growth
We succeeded in creating a safe environment where Accent executives could reflect openly on their strengths and weaknesses. On their own leadership skills for starters, but also on the skills of their colleagues. This was a huge milestone, as people tended to avoid this in the past. This led to the organic development of a “community of practice”. Executives also gained more confidence thanks to this continuous feedback loop. It also meant that they were better equipped to deal with the challenges in their job on a daily basis.
The programme led to significant improvement in team management and self-confidence from managers. Executives now feel they are more able to guide their teams and actively contribute to their teams’ wellbeing. So where can this lead to in practice? Higher employee satisfaction, lower absenteeism, and increased employee wellbeing.
“As Accent's sparring partner, we were able to provide the solution they were looking for to make their middle management stronger as a person and as a manager. Thanks to the tools provided, the sustainable anchoring within Accent, and the dynamics between Björn and the participants, you witness real change. Not only in the managers, but also in their teams and ultimately within the entire organization. A true success story" concludes Tineke Vanpoucke, Corporate Wellbeing Manager at Waldon.
“As Accent's sparring partner, we were able to provide the solution they were looking for to make their middle management stronger as a person and as a manager. Thanks to the tools provided, the sustainable anchoring within Accent, and the dynamics between Björn and the participants, you witness real change."