“We’re going to grow big and bold,” says Rodenhuis, “but we’ll make changes in small steps.” That many changes were needed was obvious, given the company’s formation in early 2021 from six different businesses. While they shared the ambition to make the world more sustainable, they weren’t yet working together. There were no job descriptions, and employment terms varied widely. “On all fronts, really,” Rodenhuis says. To name a few: some had pension plans, others didn’t; vacation days differed; and some offered extra days off for not calling in sick.
Purpose-Driven and Building from Scratch
Groendus builds and invests in solar installations on industrial rooftops and properties, combined with an energy management platform for businesses and a marketplace that connects supply and demand for sustainable energy. The company also installs smart meters and EV chargers.
“What sets us apart is that we provide the full picture,” says Rodenhuis. In May of this year, pension funds APG and the Canadian OMERS announced they would acquire Groendus from early investor NPM Capital.
It was Groendus’ focus on sustainability that attracted Rodenhuis in the spring of last year. At the time, she was still working as a consultant at EY.
“I wanted to work at an organization with a purpose, and I wanted to build something myself. As HR director at Groendus, I can implement my own ideas in the way I believe an organization should operate.”
And build they did. The first step last year was harmonizing all the diverse employment conditions.
“We wanted to get that done in nine months, so we had to start immediately.” Rodenhuis brought in Highberg for support.
“Their quality, the personal connection, and their pricing appealed to us. The people at Highberg understand our phase and show great empathy. Their flexibility helped us make quick decisions and manage expectations, especially those of employees.”
A Fair Offer
The goal of the harmonization was to create a fair and balanced offer, where no employee would be worse off compared to their previous terms. That succeeded: in the end, all employees received at least a 3% raise. The new terms were well-received by new hires, but existing employees needed some time to adjust.
“Not everyone was over the moon. Some find the changes hard, and as a new organization, we still have to earn their trust,” Rodenhuis explains.
The project was rolled out in several phases. First came job descriptions. Highberg organized workshops for groups with similar roles, where employees described their work. This led to the creation of the job framework, with scalability as a key requirement. “Given our rapid growth, we wanted to be able to add roles ourselves,” says Rodenhuis.
“That’s why we created a separate job family for management. That way, we can add new layers as we grow and adjust the weight of roles over time.”
She emphasizes how important it is that the job framework makes employee development visible.
“At Groendus, you can grow both vertically and horizontally. In semi-annual reviews, we’ll encourage employees to continue developing. I also strongly believe in broadening skillsets.”
‘Now We Can Scale and Professionalize’
Difficult topics
After creating the job framework and benchmarking roles, the next step was developing a completely new reward policy. There were some tough decisions. For example, the company decided not to offer lease cars to employees who don’t need them for work.
“Providing everyone with a lease car doesn’t align with our sustainability goals and isn’t future-proof,” says Rodenhuis. Their new office in Creative Valley, Utrecht, is right next to the central train station and easily accessible by public transport.
Giving up perceived entitlements wasn’t easy. “But we approached it as a cultural change, which makes it easier to understand.” Some employees also had to let go of extra motivation days they could earn by not calling in sick. “We don’t believe that kind of reward is the right motivation,” Rodenhuis adds.
Scalability
Once the new reward policy was completed earlier this year, it was time to harmonize individual employment terms with the new structure. That process is now complete, and Rodenhuis reports that her department has received nearly all the signed new contracts.
The new reward structure is in place, designed with scalability in mind for a fast-growing company. Rodenhuis is already thinking about future additions, such as a bike scheme. “The foundation is now set. We know what the package is. That brings peace of mind. Now we can quickly professionalize further, with a focus on Groendus’ growth.”
