Arkin

Mobility programm

Arkin is a major Dutch mental healthcare institution with an extensive and wide-ranging expertise. Driven by social responsibility, Arkin provides proper care for all its clients. Especially for those clients who are most vulnerable or who need care from multiple specialisms, because it is exactly in that specialized care that Arkin’s versatility can be seen at its best. Arkin includes 12 specialist ‘brands’, including Jellinek and Mentrum.

Question

Arkin strives to utilise the full potential of its employees. This initiative is in line with the investments Arkin is making to ensure that employees remain committed and captivated, and that their added value serves the organization and its clients.

In that regard, the following questions arise:

• How can we reach people who are ready for their next career step in time?
• How can we help these people to identify the necessary prerequisites for their next step, what they are seeking for in their career and what they want in this phase of their life?
• How can we support them in taking the step to explore whether this is feasible within Arkin?

Approach

Managers were encouraged to raise awareness of the mobility program among their employees on various occasions. In addition, a stand for the mobility department was arranged at the annual Career Day and the program was brought to attention via the intranet. Interestingly, the municipality of Amsterdam contributed a substantial part of the funding through a grant application.

An intake with a mobility consultant was conducted and the appropriate pathway was discussed with the employees:

1. Compass Conversation: The ‘Compass Conversation’ is a refreshing and in-depth conversation in which you reflect on yourself with a professional coach. At this very moment, where are you positioned in you professional life? What did recent events bring you and how do you feel about your level of energy? How do you wish to proceed from this point and what do you need to do so? From an ‘helicopter view’ but ‘close to yourself’, you reflect on your vitality, career and personal leadership.
2. Workshops: The workshops consist of 3 separate half-day sessions which all focused on a specific subject: Discovering qualities 2. Values and purpose 3. Personal and professional perspective. At the third session, the mobility consultants were also present to help explore opportunities within Arkin and to establish connections with other departments.

Result

During this program, 16 Compas Conversations were conducted and 24 employees participated in 3 series of workshops.

The program contributed to the success of retaining 82.5% of the employees at Arkin. 27.5% of the participants of the program either found alternative positions within Arkin or combine their current employment with external activities.

Workshop participant: Rink

‘Thanks to following the workshops, I knew what naturally energizes me, what my qualities are and what suits my personality. As a result, I have now moved into a combined role within Arkin: Three days a week I work in the field and one day for prevention. The perfect combination for me!’

Mobility consultant/ corporate recruiter: Erik van Berkhout

‘Expertise, professionalism and the human touch, that’s what makes it a pleasure to work with AVOP.’