For Alessandro, his experience as a football coach and coordinator played a major role in his appointment as team leader. “I really enjoyed my job as a postman but as a coach and coordinator, I realised I was good at managing people and taking care of practical and organisational matters. That’s why I decided to look for a job where I could put those talents to better use. And then I came across a vacancy for a team leader at Unilin. We clicked straight away during the first interview and not long afterwards I was able to start. I now have a job that suits me better, and the shift allowance is a welcome benefit. Working a two-shift system with early and late shifts was a major change but with good planning and by coordinating things with my family, we manage to make it work.”

For Kathy, taking up the same role again felt like the natural thing to do with fifteen years as a team leader at another company. “When that company was taken over, I worked for a while at a few smaller companies but I wanted to go back to working for a larger one. That’s why I set my sights on Unilin. Obviously, Unilin is literally hard to ignore in this area (laughs).” Her weekend working pattern as a team leader is ideal. “Working weekends fits in perfectly with my private life, as I also take care of my live-in parents and my daughter. After working weekends for 16 years, I spent a few years working during the week but I really missed the weekend shift.” As her husband works part-time and gets home in the morning just as she gets up, they always have time to start the day together.

On top of this, Kathy was no stranger to Unilin. She likes to keep busy and years ago she combined her weekend work with a part-time job during the week. “More than ten years ago, I worked for a while at the site in Ooigemstraat, as one of the first female forklift drivers (laughs).”

Claudia’s path to becoming a team leader was different. For her, it wasn’t so much a conscious choice to join Unilin as an opportunity that presented itself. “I started out working in veneer bonding at the former company. When we became part of Unilin a few years ago, I was given the opportunity to progress to team leader.”

Qualities of a good team leader

What makes them good at their job? Alessandro points to his people skills as his greatest asset: “I’m very sociable, a good communicator and I think I’m good at mediating.” Kathy sees a strong match between her own values and those of Unilin. “I’m enterpreneurial, so never tell me something can’t be done, and I’ve found that my values are closely aligned with those of Unilin. I also fully support the focus on sustainability.” Claudia knows exactly what her strengths are, too. “I’m a very committed colleague. I like seeing things through to the end and try to find solutions when problems arise.” 

Always learning

All three are also keen to learn. When Alessandro applied for the job, he knew straight away that the first year would be mainly about learning. “Unilin made it clear to me that it would take a year of training to get to grips with everything. And they were right. After a year in the role, I finally feel confident enough to make decisions.”

Like Alessandro, Kathy has to spend her first year getting to know all the machines before officially taking up her role as team leader. “I came in with a lot of experience but the learning process in my new role is challenging. That makes it crucial that people are willing to share their knowledge with you. And they’re helping me every step of the way. Unilin gives me excellent support and training. That’s another thing I like about this company: you get opportunities to keep growing.” 

Claudia’s eagerness to learn has also helped her get to where she is today. “I chose to take the step up to team leader because I want to grow professionally and take on more responsibility. Thanks to the experience I’ve gained so far, I really feel I can add value. Not just through the work I do myself, but also by supporting and coordinating my colleagues.” Her drive to keep learning was also precisely why she was promoted to team leader in the first place. Since then, she has completed the necessary training to become increasingly effective in her role.

 

Biggest challenges

Being a team leader also comes with challenges. For Alessandro, the main one is getting to know his team well. “My team consists of 20 people, and I also manage a few colleagues who work in a different shift pattern. They all have different personalities and need to be approached in different ways.”

Kathy sees the intensive learning process as her biggest challenge. “Getting to know new machines and people is my biggest challenge, but also what I enjoy most. I’m 51, but it feels like I’m back at school. Everything is new again. I love it! I have to process an enormous amount of information and stay focused, but that’s exactly why this job is so interesting. Every time I get the hang of something, I think: that’s another thing I’ve learnt!”

For Claudia, the biggest challenge is combining different responsibilities. “For example, dealing with complex situations or managing difficult situations or misunderstandings within a team.” Encouragement from those around her helps her persevere. “Encouragement and recognition from others are very important to me. They give me the motivation and confidence to keep going, develop myself and give it everything I’ve got.”

Stronger together

Leading a team is not something you do alone. They all agree that they can always count on the support and advice of their managers. Alessandro attaches great importance to personal contact with his team. “Communication is really important to me, so I try to involve everyone and have a quick chat with them regularly.” Thanks to her extensive training programme, Kathy is gradually getting to know her colleagues from six different teams and already feels completely at home. Claudia emphasises the importance of listening. “I think I’m good at listening and taking the opinions of those around me into account, which is important for a team to function well.”

 

No two days are the same

What do they enjoy most about their jobs? For Alessandro, it’s mainly the variety. “Every day is different. I never know what’s going to come my way.” Kathy, meanwhile, enjoys everything that’s new. “I learn something new every day and get to meet new people. I haven’t been bored for a second.” Claudia also gets satisfaction from this combination of people and personal growth. “What I enjoy most is working with people, learning new things and being able to grow professionally.”

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