The purpose, the dream or the dot on the horizon: if you know where you want to go, you will get there. Then you have something to work towards. Manon van Beek zooms out - and back in - in her introduction to our 2023 annual report.
Please note: this article was translated using a translator app
Those who know me know by now: for me everything always starts with the purpose. Or, as we call it at Refugee Talent Hub, the dream. If you know what your target is on the horizon, you can work towards it. Succeed. In our case: that the talents of newcomers are seen. Just, like talents. And that this gives them the right opportunities and finds a paid job. And 'a job' is of course much more than that. If you have a job, you belong. Can you (re)shape your life? You are no longer dependent on the government for benefits. Are you an example for your children? You are appreciated. Build a social network. And so forth. Refugee Talent Hub has been committed to this since 2016, by building a bridge between employers and newcomers.
And building that bridge remains relevant. In November we celebrated the fact that more than 1,000 newcomers have already found a job through Refugee Talent Hub. A fantastic result. But Wilma rightly indicated that things could be better. That it has to be better. Because approximately 80,000 status holders (recognized refugees with residence status; people who are allowed to stay in the Netherlands) are looking for a job, and that excludes Ukrainians. Since December, asylum seekers have also been allowed to work indefinitely (from six months after arrival in the Netherlands. Read this article for more information). And there are approximately 400,000 vacancies open in the Netherlands. Yet refugee people who have lived here for years still experience too many barriers to finding a job that suits them.
I challenge all companies in the Netherlands to invest in the labor market of tomorrow. To invest in our future. In the future of your company. And in society.
Manon van Beek
Chairman of the board Refugee Talent Hub
Also viewed from my role as CEO of TenneT, I fully agree with Wilma: things really need to improve. If this does not improve, we will not only be wasting talent; it would also mean an unnecessary delay in our social tasks. For example, the energy transition – an essential part of our livable world. For that alone we need 30,000 (!) employees with the right talents. This requires, among other things, investing in technical training. It also requires a diverse and inclusive policy. The workplace should be a safe space where everyone can contribute and grow. Unfortunately, it still works that too many people are left on the sidelines, despite the major shortages in the labor market. We waste talent, don't see it. And given the challenges we face, that is simply not good enough . We all have to do it together. So I challenge all companies in the Netherlands to invest in the labor market of tomorrow. To invest in our future. In the future of your company. And in society.
That may sound abstract, but you can make it very small. Are you looking for a talented professional for your organization? Look beyond the check marks and your existing network; look at people who you would not initially see as the perfect fit. See, recognize and acknowledge the talent that refugee professionals can bring. Open yourself up and have a conversation. Dare to think differently: is the language really a must? Believe me: looking outside your bubble really pays off.
The beautiful? The added value does not only lie in an answer to your personnel issue. It's so much more than that. New perspectives for your organization, for your team. Self-esteem and self-reliance for someone with a refugee background. A society in which more and more people can participate, and where this will hopefully create more understanding for each other.
At TenneT, in collaboration with Refugee Talent Hub, we have been able to give 28 newcomers a role in the past few years. When I see what Farishtah, Ammar, Husam and Emine – to name a few names – have been able to contribute to their teams and our organization, I am so happy about that. Their different perspectives make us stronger. And we see them grow.
Through guidance from a business and culture coach, we have been able to provide all newcomers with a lot of information about Dutch corporate culture. That is a valuable part of our program, but it goes without saying that we are also learning. Together with Refugee Talent Hub we always look at what can be improved. We will therefore start a pre-development track in 2024. This onboarding better prepares the newcomers for working in our organization and relieves the teams of worries.
Back to Refugee Talent Hub. I have been thinking and watching with great pleasure and conviction since 2016. Because I sincerely believe that as a society we need new perspectives. That we have to see how it can be done. That we must take care of each other, look to the future together, become stronger together. That we should be close to each other. And that we must convey this with full passion. Just like the Refugee Talent Hub team does every day.
