"We are the link between management and employees, with attention to the individual."

My name is Debbie, and I have been working as an HR Business Partner at Oliver Healthcare Packaging for three years.

How it all began

Three years ago, I was approached by a recruitment agency. Although I wasn’t actively looking for a new job, both the position and the company immediately appealed to me. During the interview process, I sensed an HR vision that perfectly aligned with my own ideas. The opportunity to contribute and shape the development of the HR department really attracted me.

Now, three years later, I still experience those same benefits. At Oliver, you are given the chance to take responsibility and launch projects that truly make an impact. There is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach here; we constantly adapt and improve. This gives the work a lot of dynamism and makes it challenging.

A day in my job

There really isn’t a typical workday. I frequently meet with managers to get a good understanding of what is happening within the company and to align our HR policies accordingly. We then translate this into practical processes that support both managers and employees, allowing them to focus entirely on their core tasks. Additionally, we work on various projects to improve the organization. These include HR projects such as launching a new intranet or revising job descriptions, all aimed at continuous improvement. What makes the work even more varied is collaborating with colleagues across different European countries, bringing new challenges and dynamics every day.

A close-knit team

The HR team at Oliver is small but effective. There are three of us: Jort, Rumeysa, and myself, each with our own specialization. I’m responsible for strategic and policy-related matters, Jort focuses on absenteeism and recruitment, and Rumeysa handles administrative processes. She’s currently busy setting up our new intranet, which will be a huge leap forward for internal communication.

The best project so far

Looking back, I am particularly proud of our internal branding campaign, which centered around our employees. The best part of this project was the sincerity and pride of our people. What you saw was who they truly are, and that makes me incredibly proud.

Improving, learning, and connecting

Continuous improvement is a core value at Oliver, and you can see it at every level of the company. We keep learning and improving, and everyone is open to new ideas, which is highly appreciated. Furthermore, working with different cultures makes the work even more interesting. We collaborate a lot with colleagues in other countries, which not only brings more dynamics but also new challenges. Different cultures have different ways of working, and bridging those differences is fascinating.

Working on an open culture

At Oliver, we place a lot of emphasis on creating an open and supportive culture. We encourage employees to discuss their development, and we regularly organize activities, such as barbecues and other (sports) events, to connect colleagues outside of work hours as well.

Internally, we have a change board where employees from various departments work together to solve problems. This ensures that everyone is involved in improving the organization, rather than relying solely on management.

Looking ahead: the new intranet

A project I’m really looking forward to is the launch of our new intranet. This platform is going to make a big difference in how we communicate and collaborate internally. The intranet will be a central place where all important information and processes will be accessible to our employees. This will reduce our dependence on emails and separate documents, enabling us to work more efficiently.

In addition, the intranet will play a role in the transparency of our communication. Employees will be able to quickly and easily access the latest updates, project information, and company news. For me, this is a key step towards further professionalizing our internal processes.

My advice to applicants

To anyone considering applying to Oliver: go for it! If you're looking for a place where your input is valued and where you have the space to realize your ideas, then Oliver is the right place for you. We are an international company with an open culture, and we do everything we can to support our employees in their growth and development.