Written by: Laura van Sabben, HX professional, November 2025

In this case study, you’ll learn how Laura van Sabben, as an interim HR Representative, temporarily supported the HR team at ASML during a period of high workload. She not only strengthened the team but also implemented structural improvements. She combined process optimization with a people-centered approach to restore job satisfaction within the team.

Challenge

In 2024, the HR team at ASML faced a major capacity issue. Due to the high workload, approximately 20% of the team members were absent with burnout symptoms. This put additional pressure on the rest of the team. The solution was found in temporary staffing: as an HX professional, I temporarily joined the team.

The challenge lay not only in staffing but also in training new employees. Just as I was starting, an experienced colleague left. As a result, there was hardly any capacity to train new hires, even though the need for immediate productivity was high. This became painfully clear during a team meeting: our team was labeled as insufficiently productive.

My role and approach

That message resonated with me personally, but I decided to share that feeling with the team. That created an atmosphere of openness and gave us the space to tackle the challenge together. Together with a colleague, I began analyzing the data on our team’s workload and productivity: what types of cases were most common, during which periods, and how many people were available to handle them? These insights formed the basis for a concrete training plan with two pillars: 1. Updating and clarifying work instructions. 2. Setting up training sessions so that new employees could work independently more quickly.

In addition to these process improvements, I felt it was important to focus on team dynamics. The atmosphere had been tense ever since we were told that we, as a team, were not considered productive, and we were no longer taking the time to acknowledge the successes we *had* achieved. I decided to bring this up in a team meeting, after which one of the senior staff members introduced a biweekly poll in which colleagues could vote for the greatest achievement or the most helpful contribution. The biweekly “award” that resulted from this provided recognition, fostered positivity, and visibly improved team spirit.

Results and Impact

The training plan enabled new colleagues to start working independently more quickly and allowed existing employees to have more time for their own work. This reduced the workload and brought more balance to the team. In addition, there was greater collaboration: tasks were no longer handled individually, but collectively. The weekly poll helped shift the negative atmosphere toward a more positive dynamic.

Personally, I found the combination of process optimization and a focus on people to be very energizing. It was rewarding to see that this balance, in particular, led to better results and greater job satisfaction.

Lessons and insights

The most instructive moment was the big team meeting where productivity was on the agenda. My first instinct was to look for the problem within myself, but by sharing my doubts, I made it possible to discuss the pressure we were under. This led to greater understanding and a collaborative approach.

The most important lesson I’ve learned from this is that productivity isn’t about working harder, but about collaborating more effectively and giving new colleagues the attention they deserve. Small gestures, such as acknowledging successes, can make a big difference.

This experience has taught me that a people-centered approach is essential for structural improvements. By focusing on both processes and people at the same time, you create lasting change.