A company should make its people happy—and help them stay that way

Marieke van der Poel-Derks, aka Mevrouw de Coach

“Finding purpose and joy in the work you do—that’s what my work is all about. Because happy employees are the most productive. To feel and stay happy at work, you need the right skills—and you need to be continuously challenged. Take a young professional who works incredibly hard and is admired by everyone. That person can easily get swept up in the daily grind and suddenly realise the challenge has disappeared. Or maybe someone keeps running into conflicts that stem from a lack of clear communication. These are the kinds of situations I try to prevent or resolve—by helping people become aware of what’s really going on, or by recommending a training or development programme. I always look at people’s education levels to explore the possibilities, but also at what the company needs—both now and in the future.”

High employee satisfaction and low absenteeism matter—because finding new people in the technical sector is a serious challenge.

From production to innovation

“Bos Nieuwerkerk was once a traditional manufacturing company. But over the past few years, it’s gone through more development than ever before in its history. It’s now a company that develops and markets its own new products and services. The team has embraced that shift—and in many ways, they’ve helped initiate it. That’s thanks to the horizontal way of working, and the fact that Bos Nieuwerkerk is a family business. That combination allows change to happen more smoothly—and that’s really special. It helps that Bos Nieuwerkerk actively encourages employees to explore training and coaching options—including the programmes I offer. I’ve had the pleasure of coaching several employees already. Employee satisfaction is high, and so is their sense of engagement. And alongside that, absenteeism and staff turnover are low. That’s important for the team—and for the business. Because in the technical sector, attracting new talent is no easy task.”

Showing the world what makes Bos Nieuwerkerk unique

“We’re now working hard on employer branding—to present Bos Nieuwerkerk to the market as a fantastic place to work. We’re producing interviews and videos featuring our team, to show jobseekers what makes Bos Nieuwerkerk special: a family business where you’re truly seen, with an informal and approachable culture, plenty of room to grow, and a strong focus on sustainability in product development. These are exactly the things younger generations are looking for.”

Who is Marieke van der Poel-Derks?

Marieke worked at Bos Nieuwerkerk from 2004 to 2015. She started as an office manager, then moved into HR, eventually becoming HR manager and a member of the management team. She then spent two years at a recruitment agency to sharpen specific skills before launching her own coaching practice in 2018. Under the name Mevrouw de Coach, she now works as a leadership coach, career coach, and HR business partner. “I had just started my own business when I ran into the entire management team from Bos Nieuwerkerk at a restaurant. They were facing some HR challenges and asked if I could help. And just like that, Bos Nieuwerkerk became my very first client. I don’t believe in coincidence. That was meant to be.”