"Almost a year later, I can say that I found what I was looking for. I grant that to others as well!"
Mijn naam is Shammai Martis en sinds maart 2021 ben ik Adviseur Arbeid & Gezondheid bij De Arbodienst. Tijdens mijn studententijd heb ik verschillende
bijbanen gehad, maar één thema vond ik het meest belangrijk: ‘werkgeluk’. Zeker gezien we een groot deel van onze dag besteden op het werk. Dit inspireerde mij uiteindelijk om opzoek te gaan naar een baan waarin ik andere mensen kon helpen bij het werkgeluk: gelukkig en gezond zijn in hun werk. Na een grondige zoektocht naar die droombaan klopte ik aan bij De Arbodienst.
My expectation of De Arbodienst was an organization with spirit - where, unlike other health and safety services, there was plenty of room for your own way of working and ideas, a diverse team and a people-oriented service. Almost a year later I can say that I have found what I was looking for and I wish the same for others!
"I've never done it before, so I think I can do it!"
My first day of work at De Arbodienst was unlike anything else. Instead of a dull introduction round and the standard tour, I was allowed to shape my start myself. In the online environment, I was able to look up my new colleagues and approach them for a trial run. Together with other starting consultants, I attended several training sessions that prepared me for the consultant position. The nice thing about this was that I quickly got to know many colleagues. After two weeks I was assigned my first client and the real work could begin. Faster than I had envisioned and thought I was ready. It was very exciting, but the motto of a consultant at De Arbodienst is ''I've never done it before, so I guess I can do it''! Bring it on then!
A unique behind-the-scenes look at organizations
As a Labor & Health Advisor , no two days are really the same. As I start the morning with my tea and look at my calendar, I always get immediately excited for what the day will bring me. For example, a day may consist of an absenteeism meeting in the center of The Hague, consultation with the team, lunch with a colleague and a store visit to a new client.
Case management is only a small part of my work. I make sure that files are watertight, that I schedule employees in time for a consultation with a company doctor and that all paperwork is ready for the UWV. But that is the least exciting part. The most important part is not behind my laptop, but on the work floor. During the week I visit many different places and get a unique look behind the scenes. My clients vary from retail to education and from healthcare facilities to chicken slaughterhouses. By being present and visible with clients, people not only become familiar with me, but I also experience directly what the corporate culture is like, see the environment in which they work and how people interact with each other. I literally step into the employees' world and can therefore pick up signals and offer the right help. As a result, the help I offer as a consultant takes many different forms. I have conversations with employees who get stuck in reintegration, coach managers so that they can have the right conversations and spar on a strategic level with HR about things that can be improved within the organization. I also regularly have preventive talks with employees to see if they are still comfortable in their own skin and at work. After all, prevention is better than cure!
Behind resistance are often other emotions
In the role of Occupational Health & Safety Advisor, you look primarily at the story behind the behavior surrounding absenteeism. That's much more interesting than when someone has a bruised toe or the flu. Above all, you learn that behind resistance are other emotions, and once you make space for that, you reach employees best. It helps that you have a neutral position and that we don't work with targets or secret agendas. I encourage employees to take control of their own recovery process and employers to take responsibility for (workabsenteeism. As a consultant, you honestly give back what you see or think of a situation - after all, that's what they ask for!
Fortunately, you don't do it alone, but together with your employability team that consists of other Labor & Health Advisors from your region and the medical professionals such as occupational health nurses, company doctors and company doctor doctor's practice support staff. By joining forces, we not only learn an awful lot from each other's expertise, but we get absent employees back on the right path in a sustainable way. It sometimes happens that an interview has to be held that I myself find exciting. In that case, I can always discuss the case during the weekly case discussions with the team. And if I need a little practice, I can also pull my colleagues from the training label OffCourse up by the sleeve to prepare the conversation with me.
You are never done learning
Because you are constantly working on behavior, coaching and supporting others, you have to keep developing. I regularly discuss this development with various team managers, client managers or other colleagues during intervision moments. You can never do it perfectly and fortunately I am not expected to. What is expected is that you keep challenging yourself and remain hungry to learn. Throughout the year there are various trainings on for example time management or interview techniques. This is how you keep your knowledge up to date. In the position of Labor and Health Advisor , you have to keep a lot of balls high and be able to function independently. Because you are on the road a lot, have your own caseload and manage your own agenda, you have a lot of responsibility, but with that also a lot of freedom to arrange the work as it works best for you! It sometimes sounds a bit solitary, and it is if you want it to be, but if you are a sociable person like me, you can have a great time at one of the beautiful regional offices scattered throughout the country. When I'm not working from home or on site with clients, I look for my colleagues to work together, have lunch or drinks on Friday afternoons! Working as a Labor and Health Advisor, I'll keep doing that for now!
Like Shammai, do you want to work as a Labor and Health Advisor with the Occupational Health and Safety Service? Sign up for De Arbodienst Talent Days and find out if the profession and De Arbodienst suits you!
