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The South African’s Guide to Thriving in the Dutch Workplace
Om in ’n nuwe land te werk, vra meer as net ’n nuwe adres, ’n werkskontrak en die vermoë om die taal te verstaan. Elke land het sy eie werkskultuur – daardie ongeskrewe reëls oor hoe mense kommunikeer, terugvoer gee, besluite neem en professionele verhoudings bou.
Dit is iets wat Natasha Viljoen eerstehands ontdek het nadat sy agt jaar gelede Suid-Afrika vir Nederland verruil het.
Met ’n agtergrond in finansies en ’n passie vir mense het Natasha gou besef dat een van die grootste aanpassings nie noodwendig die taal of die praktiese kant van emigrasie was nie, maar die verskille tussen die Suid-Afrikaanse en Nederlandse werkskultuur.
Uit haar eie ervaring en die kennis wat sy oor die jare opgedoen het, het The South African’s Guide to Thriving in the Dutch Workplace ontstaan – ’n onderneming wat Suid-Afrikaners help om die Nederlandse werksomgewing beter te verstaan en met groter selfvertroue daarin te funksioneer.
Van aanpas na floreer
Wanneer ’n mens na ’n nuwe land verhuis, kan jy suksesvol gevestig wees en steeds soms wonder waarom sekere situasies by die werk anders verloop as wat jy gewoond is.
Kommunikasiestyle verskil. Kollegas benader terugvoer anders. Hiërargie, vergaderings, besluitneming en selfs die manier waarop professionele verhoudings opgebou word, kan anders lyk.
Dit beteken nie dat een manier beter as die ander is nie. Dit gaan eerder daaroor om die verskille te verstaan en te leer hoe om jou eie sterk punte binne ’n nuwe werksomgewing te gebruik.
Natasha se opleiding is juis daarop gemik om Suid-Afrikaners met hierdie proses te help.
Deelnemers kry praktiese leiding om:
- met meer selfvertroue in die Nederlandse werksomgewing aan te pas;
- kulturele verskille tussen Suid-Afrika en Nederland beter te verstaan;
- moontlike misverstande in die werkplek makliker te herken en te hanteer;
- sterker professionele verhoudings met Nederlandse kollegas en werkgewers te bou; en
- hul eie vaardighede en ervaring só aan te wend dat hulle nie bloot aanpas nie, maar werklik in hul nuwe werksomgewing kan floreer.
Die opleiding is geskik vir Suid-Afrikaners wat nog ’n verhuising na Nederland oorweeg, pas in die land aangekom het of reeds daar woon en werk.
To work in a new country requires more than just a new address, an employment contract and the ability to understand the language. Every country has its own work culture – those unwritten rules about how people communicate, give feedback, make decisions and build professional relationships.
It is something that Natasha Viljoen discovered firsthand after she left South Africa for the Netherlands eight years ago.
With a background in finance and a passion for people, Natasha quickly realised that one of the biggest adjustments was not necessarily the language or the practical side of emigration, but the differences between the South African and Dutch work culture.
From her experience, and the knowledge she has gained over the years, The South African’s Guide to Thriving in the Dutch Workplace was born – a venture that helps South Africans better understand the Dutch work environment and function in it with greater confidence.
From adapting to thriving
When you move to a new country, you can be successfully settled and sometimes still wonder why certain situations at work turn out differently than you are used to.
Communication styles differ. Colleagues approach feedback differently. Hierarchy, meetings, decision-making and even the way in which professional relationships are built, may look different.
This doesn’t mean that one way is better than the other. It’s about understanding the difference and learning how to use your own strengths within a new work environment.
Natasha’s training is aimed at helping South Africans with this process.
Participants receive practical guidance to:
- adapt more confidently to the Dutch work environment;
- better understand cultural differences between South Africa and the Netherlands;
- more easily recognise and handle possible misunderstandings in the workplace;
- build stronger professional relationships with Dutch colleagues and employers; and
- apply their own skills and experience in such a way that they do not simply adapt but can truly thrive in their new work environment.
The training is suitable for South Africans who are considering a move to the Netherlands, have just arrived or are already living and working there.