'I was looking for more challenge and an expanded work package'
At Bakker Goedhart in Emmeloord, thousands of loaves roll out of the oven every day. Thys van der Tempel is working there via NextGen as Junior Manager Production. Together with Bakery Manager Linda Hoek we talked about what it is like to be a young manager and how valuable the cooperation with NextGen is.
"For me, it was a great opportunity to step into a leadership role at a young age."
Thys: After studying Logistics and Economics, I started working in the supply chain, as a coordinator. After a few years, I was looking for more challenge and a more extensive work package. That's how I ended up at NextGen, who had a great position for me as Junior Manager Production at Bakker Goedhart. That really felt like a great next step, it was a junior position but one with managerial responsibilities.
Linda: We deliberately chose to fill this role as a traineeship, because that way you promote the growth of your own people. I quickly felt that Thys, as a down-to-earth Frisian, would fit in well here. This was only confirmed in the extensive discussions we had.
Thys: Yes, we really spent a lot of time getting to know each other and aligning expectations, as well as about the content of the position and the situation I was getting into. So it was completely clear to both of us what we were getting into. For me, it was a great step that I could start in a leadership role at a young age, one in which I still get the space to develop myself.
Linda: The current market demands constant development. Of yourself, your company and your people. That was also the approach in hiring Thys. It's a role that requires a lot and comes with a lot of responsibility, in this case the match worked out very well.
"Development is an interaction between us and NextGen."
Thys: It really took some getting used to for me, though. This work is a completely different branch than I'm used to. We work here with a daily fresh product, that alone brings a lot of pressure. In addition, I naturally found myself in a new team and it was up to me to lead it. Those are a lot of new challenges, but through our conversations beforehand I knew very well what this process would look like. Linda also really made sure that I had time to get used to it and to take steps. First making the work my own, then taking on more responsibilities. And what really helps is NextGen's coaching and their personal development days.
Linda: That coaching is very valuable for us. Thys, for example, is by nature somewhat introverted. His coach Renske from NextGen also helps with that. The cooperation is very good. The three of us talk about it, because development is an interaction. NextGen complements the development opportunities that we discuss together and fills in very well.
Thys: On those development days, you work with professionals who are in the same situation as you and trainers who support you. You can present your case and then you get tips on how best to deal with it. These tips are very practical and directly applicable. For example, I learned about my own personality traits and how best to deal with other personalities. But also about what it's like to step into a leadership position as a young person. That help, and Linda's, is immensely valuable for growing.
Linda: That's very strong. Our organization has not yet established a trainee program and therefore does not yet have the space to provide the same guidance that NextGen does. So it's nice to have NextGen's help so that we can develop a nice program. That's why this way of working is really perfect.
"Development is an interaction between us and NextGen."
"The production line has become a lot more profitable."
Thys: And then I had the Green Belt training, where we ran an improvement project on the packing line for hamburger buns. I researched how the packing line could be set up more efficiently, and it worked out quite well.
Linda: That line involves tens of thousands of sandwiches per hour. Any improvement you do there has a lot of impact. There was a lot of profit to be made and we succeeded. This line has now become a lot more profitable.
Thys: Actually, my work can be divided into two parts: the daily activities and the long-term goals, such as improving the production line. You have to make a good distinction in that, because with a daily fresh product, the day is often filled for you.
Linda: His department has to be ready before 00:30 every day. It has to be, otherwise you have an unsatisfied customer. And now when a customer calls saying they're short, we have to work immediately. That's part of this business.
Thys: I found that a lot to get used to in the beginning. I did come from production, but there we could plan a lot in advance because it was not a daily fresh product. Time-management is very important here, and I'm also being coached in that.
Linda: Time-management is the biggest challenge internally.
Thys: The consumer notices immediately if we don't do something right. Because then he stands in front of an empty shelf in the supermarket. That gives an extra dimension to this work.
Linda: People don't always have that image clearly in mind. With our branch, we supply 270 stores with bread every day. Those are supermarkets throughout the northern Netherlands. So the impact of your work is very big.
"The production line has become a lot more profitable."
"The production line has become a lot more profitable."
Thys: And then I had the Green Belt training, where we ran an improvement project on the packing line for hamburger buns. I researched how the packing line could be set up more efficiently, and it worked out quite well.
Linda: That line involves tens of thousands of sandwiches per hour. Any improvement you do there has a lot of impact. There was a lot of profit to be made and we succeeded. This line has now become a lot more profitable.
Thys: Actually, my work can be divided into two parts: the daily activities and the long-term goals, such as improving the production line. You have to make a good distinction in that, because with a daily fresh product, the day is often filled for you.
Linda: His department has to be ready before 00:30 every day. It has to be, otherwise you have an unsatisfied customer. And now when a customer calls saying they're short, we have to work immediately. That's part of this business.
Thys: I found that a lot to get used to in the beginning. I did come from production, but there we could plan a lot in advance because it was not a daily fresh product. Time-management is very important here, and I'm also being coached in that.
Linda: Time-management is the biggest challenge internally.
Thys: The consumer notices immediately if we don't do something right. Because then he stands in front of an empty shelf in the supermarket. That gives an extra dimension to this work.
Linda: People don't always have that image clearly in mind. With our branch, we supply 270 stores with bread every day. Those are supermarkets throughout the northern Netherlands. So the impact of your work is very big.
"Thys's way of thinking fits the issues of our company very well."
Thys: I quickly realized that, too. When you do and learn so many new things, you are automatically challenged to adapt yourself. Both professionally and personally, you have to keep up. Especially as a manager. That is quite a challenge. I have to get to know processes and people and work with a fresh product. That is a lot at once, so it takes a while before you are at the level where you can do your work comfortably. It took me a year, but this step is really paying off. Of course there are difficult moments, but I have really made great strides.
Linda: Thys is a diesel. He has gained considerable steam and is developing faster and faster. You get so many questions from so many different people and parties in this role. That is difficult, but he is used to that and now handles it very relaxed.
Thys: I always have to land, get a taste of the atmosphere. That takes a little longer with me. But once I grow into it, it goes really well. I started as a junior and I think it would be great to grow into production manager for the whole bakery.
Linda: Nowadays, specialism is demanded in every place. Thys has a certain way of thinking, which fits well with the issues we have in our company. And eventually he has to replace me, haha!
'I was looking for more challenge and an expanded work package'
At Bakker Goedhart in Emmeloord, thousands of loaves roll out of the oven every day. Thys van der Tempel is working there via NextGen as Junior Manager Production. Together with Bakery Manager Linda Hoek we talked about what it is like to be a young manager and how valuable the cooperation with NextGen is.
"For me, it was a great opportunity to step into a leadership role at a young age."
Thys: After studying Logistics and Economics, I started working in the supply chain, as a coordinator. After a few years I was looking for more challenge and a more extensive work package. That's how I ended up at NextGen, who had a great position for me as Junior Manager Production at Bakker Goedhart. That really felt like a great next step, it was a junior position but one with managerial responsibilities.
Linda: We deliberately chose to fill this role as a traineeship, because that way you promote the growth of your own people. I quickly felt that Thys, as a down-to-earth Frisian, would fit in well here. This was only confirmed in the extensive discussions we had.
"For me, it was a great opportunity to step into a leadership role at a young age."
Thys: After studying Logistics and Economics, I started working in the supply chain, as a coordinator. After a few years, I was looking for more challenge and a more extensive work package. That's how I ended up at NextGen, who had a great position for me as Junior Manager Production at Bakker Goedhart. That really felt like a great next step, it was a junior position but one with managerial responsibilities.
Linda: We deliberately chose to fill this role as a traineeship, because that way you promote the growth of your own people. I quickly felt that Thys, as a down-to-earth Frisian, would fit in well here. This was only confirmed in the extensive discussions we had.
Thys: Yes, we really spent a lot of time getting to know each other and aligning expectations, as well as about the content of the position and the situation I was getting into. So it was completely clear to both of us what we were getting into. For me, it was a great step that I could start in a leadership role at a young age, one in which I still get the space to develop myself.
Linda: The current market demands constant development. Of yourself, your company and your people. That was also the approach in hiring Thys. It's a role that requires a lot and comes with a lot of responsibility, in this case the match worked out very well.
"Development is an interaction between us and NextGen."
Thys: It really took some getting used to for me, though. This work is a completely different branch than I'm used to. We work here with a daily fresh product, that alone brings a lot of pressure. In addition, I naturally found myself in a new team and it was up to me to lead it. Those are a lot of new challenges, but through our conversations beforehand I knew very well what this process would look like. Linda also really made sure that I had time to get used to it and to take steps. First making the work my own, then taking on more responsibilities. And what really helps is NextGen's coaching and their personal development days.
Linda: That coaching is very valuable for us. Thys, for example, is by nature somewhat introverted. His coach Renske from NextGen also helps with that. The cooperation is very good. The three of us talk about it, because development is an interaction. NextGen complements the development opportunities that we discuss together and fills in very well.
Thys: On those development days, you work with professionals who are in the same situation as you and trainers who support you. You can present your case and then you get tips on how best to deal with it. These tips are very practical and directly applicable. For example, I learned about my own personality traits and how best to deal with other personalities. But also about what it's like to step into a leadership position as a young person. That help, and Linda's, is immensely valuable for growing.
Linda: That's very strong. Our organization has not yet established a trainee program and therefore does not yet have the space to provide the same guidance that NextGen does. So it's nice to have NextGen's help so that we can develop a nice program. That's why this way of working is really perfect.
"Development is an interaction between us and NextGen."
"The production line has become a lot more profitable."
Thys: And then I had the Green Belt training, where we ran an improvement project on the packing line for hamburger buns. I researched how the packing line could be set up more efficiently, and it worked out quite well.
Linda: That line involves tens of thousands of sandwiches per hour. Any improvement you do there has a lot of impact. There was a lot of profit to be made and we succeeded. This line has now become a lot more profitable.
Thys: Actually, my work can be divided into two parts: the daily activities and the long-term goals, such as improving the production line. You have to make a good distinction in that, because with a daily fresh product, the day is often filled for you.
Linda: His department has to be ready before 00:30 every day. It has to be, otherwise you have an unsatisfied customer. And now when a customer calls saying they're short, we have to work immediately. That's part of this business.
Thys: I found that a lot to get used to in the beginning. I did come from production, but there we could plan a lot in advance because it was not a daily fresh product. Time-management is very important here, and I'm also being coached in that.
Linda: Time-management is the biggest challenge internally.
Thys: The consumer notices immediately if we don't do something right. Because then he stands in front of an empty shelf in the supermarket. That gives an extra dimension to this work.
Linda: People don't always have that image clearly in mind. With our branch, we supply 270 stores with bread every day. Those are supermarkets throughout the northern Netherlands. So the impact of your work is very big.
"The production line has become a lot more profitable."
"Thys's way of thinking fits the issues of our company very well."
"Thys's way of thinking fits the issues of our company very well."
Thys: I quickly realized that, too. When you do and learn so many new things, you are automatically challenged to adapt yourself. Both professionally and personally, you have to keep up. Especially as a manager. That is quite a challenge. I have to get to know processes and people and work with a fresh product. That is a lot at once, so it takes a while before you are at the level where you can do your work comfortably. It took me a year, but this step is really paying off. Of course there are difficult moments, but I have really made great strides.
Linda: Thys is a diesel. He has gained considerable steam and is developing faster and faster. You get so many questions from so many different people and parties in this role. That is difficult, but he is used to that and now handles it very relaxed.
Thys: I always have to land, get a taste of the atmosphere. That takes a little longer with me. But once I grow into it, it goes really well. I started as a junior and I think it would be great to grow into production manager for the whole bakery.
Linda: Nowadays, specialism is demanded in every place. Thys has a certain way of thinking, which fits well with the issues we have in our company. And eventually he has to replace me, haha!
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