Stichting Hart is a prominent cultural centre in Haarlem where art and cultural education is made accessible for all residents. Stichting Hart’s facilities department needed expert advice on the best way to redistribute tasks and responsibilities. In cooperation with Frithjof de Waard, Elise Vermeulen and Carlijn Dobbe provided independent advice.

The assignment

Hart currently employs around 35 people in various departments, most of whom work in the facilities department and in the café team. Responsibilities have become fragmented or are no longer assigned, partly because the nature of the organisation has changed. There is a need for independent, unbiased and professional advice on a possibly better, different and/or more logical division of responsibilities, roles and tasks.

In order to get to know the organisation well, we held discussions (individually and in groups) with key figures in the organisation. These conversations revealed, among other things, what is going well, what people are proud of, what they need to be successful and what they themselves want to tackle first. We included the most important outcomes in the advice.

The advice

There was an immediate need for a manager for the facilities and café team who could act as a point of contact from the organisation to the team and vice versa. An interim professional was part of the advice.

The interviews also revealed that the position of Head of Rental & Facilities needed to be expanded. In order to ensure that all work is assigned, no one is left out and every employee has a direct manager to spar with, a broader range of tasks and a larger team to manage were considered.

Clear communication, well thought-out and realistic advice, contributing ideas and applicable results. In the meantime, the organisation has been restructured based on the advice, and that works out well.Frans Funnekotter, Directeur

On the basis of the above input, we set up a new, more efficient organisational structure to stimulate synergy between employees and collaboration among departments. The basis of this new organisation was a restructuring of the management team. The recruitment of an operations manager was the first step.

By stepping outside the fixed framework we were able to provide insight into necessary changes, also outside the facilities department. Stichting Hart Haarlem is ready for professionalisation, which will allow us to work together more efficiently now that positions are better assigned. In short, with the right people in the right place.

Would you also like HR advice on the deployment of facility professionals? Please contact Elise Vermeulen via e.vermeulen@hospitality-group.nl or tel: 033 – 462 55 55.