What makes our culture truly People First? We get this question a lot. Our answer? Like our brand name, that’s actually quite simple.   

We believe that People First should be lived and invented by, yes, the people. Because who better to determine whether something works or not than those who are actually doing it?   

That is why we like to give insights into our company culture through our own people. In this recurring feature, they talk about the perfect business culture, bottlenecks, work-life balance and more.   

This week we interviewed Anouk Pasmooij, Culture, Events & Recruitment specialist at Easee Benelux. She joined Easee in November of 2021 and worked in Customer Service & HR before.  

What is People First to you? 

To me, People First means that an organisation’s primary focus is on its people, not on corporate interests or profits. Easee is one of those organisations. This certainly doesn’t mean that we don’t care about results.  We believe that when you take good care of your people, they will (and can) become the best version of themselves. When you can optimally use your potential and everyone is in the right place, the results will follow. 

People First also means that we are in this together. The people at Easee are working together as one towards two goals: shaping the future of electricity and the future of our business culture. You cannot do this alone, nor without resources. You must work together. When everyone (from CEO to intern) takes our core values – Love, Openness, Vulnerability, Honesty, Humbleness, Trust, and Respect – to heart, I truly believe the sky is the limit for us. 

How do you know an organisation is doing it right? 

I believe you’re doing the right thing when it feels right. “Doing the right thing” is more than just achieving results or realising targets. First and foremost, it is about having a job that makes you feel like you can take on the world. It is the best feeling you can have, and it gives you a boost that will help you get ahead. Of course, frequent meetings to discuss your performance and development are valuable and important for your continued growth, but we do not believe in traditional performance reviews in which other people tell you how well you are performing. Instead, we use open and honest feedback sessions to gain insights that will help you grow. 

Do you see any bottlenecks to a People First business? 

Yes, I think there are. It is important to remember that we are a professional organisation, so we do need to make profit. Of course, our people are incredibly important to us, but we cannot lose sight of our business objectives either. In a People First organisation, however, the pursuit of profit must never take precedence over the people.  

How is your current work-life balance? 

I am very happy with my work-life balance. Even though I work forty hours a week, I can maintain a flexible schedule throughout the week. Back when I was house hunting, I could go to viewings during the day, and I recently spent a day working remote in Barcelona. I also don’t take my work home with me because I am given every opportunity to get things done at the office. That is incredibly valuable to me. Easee doesn’t expect you to do eighty hours’ worth of work in forty. All I take with me outside office hours are my amazing colleagues. Because we are still so small locally, we are a close-knit team, and we often get together for drinks outside work. Not because we have to, but because we genuinely enjoy spending time with each other outside the office. 

What do you think the future of business management will look like? 

I hope more businesses will start to live up to their promises. You read about it a lot: ‘our employees come first, and we are fully devoted to your development’. In practice, however, corporate interests are still prioritised. I hope at Easee we can set a new standard and serve as an example for other companies. I also believe many businesses will eventually recognise the need to improve their culture and pay more attention to their employees, given the current state of the employment market. Attracting new talent poses a major challenge. This means it is more important than ever to show the people in your organisation just how much you appreciate them. That commitment should go both ways, instead of just coming from the employees. 

What advice do you have for companies that want to improve their culture? 

To listen! Are people in different parts of the organisation expressing their dissatisfaction? That is a sign, and you should probably do something about it. Talk to your people and truly listen to what they need to become the best version of themselves – and boost their job performance in the process. It is not just about getting together once a month for drinks or buying a table tennis table. No, it is all about giving each other personal attention. Only by engaging in this conversation with openness and honesty you can learn what is really going through your employees’ minds and what you must do to optimally support them. Don’t look at it as a one-way relationship, but as a mutual commitment that allows both parties to do good for the other.