{"id":16443,"date":"2026-07-21T15:35:48","date_gmt":"2026-07-21T13:35:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rvdb.nl\/hr-as-a-foundation-professionalization-and-cultural-change-in-small-and-medium-sized-enterprises\/"},"modified":"2026-07-27T11:17:47","modified_gmt":"2026-07-27T09:17:47","slug":"hr-as-a-foundation-professionalization-and-cultural-change-in-small-and-medium-sized-enterprises","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rvdb.nl\/en\/hr-as-a-foundation-professionalization-and-cultural-change-in-small-and-medium-sized-enterprises\/","title":{"rendered":"HR as a Foundation: Professionalization and Cultural Change in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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HR as a Foundation: Professionalization and Cultural Change in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises <\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Written by: Iris Doornbos, Senior HX Professional at Rvdb<\/p>

In this business case, you\u2019ll learn how Iris Doornbos, as an interim HR Business Partner at an SME with <\/span>approximately<\/span> 50 employees built the HR department from the ground up in just over 10 months. From missing processes and outdated job descriptions to a <\/span>employee survey<\/span> and a <\/span>proposal for <\/span>a new <\/span>performance management<\/span>.<\/span> Iris laid the foundation for a professional HR approach and actively contributed to a cultural shift<\/span> following an acquisition. <\/span> <\/span> I walked in<\/span>,<\/span> through a <\/span>contact from my personal network<\/span>, in an organization where there was a need for greater professionalization both in HR and more broadly. They needed someone who could <\/span>tactical and strategic<\/span> HR work and serve as the right-hand person to the <\/span>new M<\/span>anaging <\/span>D<\/span>irector, I was able to drive projects forward. <\/span> <\/span> <\/span><\/span><\/p>

The Challenge <\/strong><\/h3>

The company was under new management. <\/span>The<\/span> collaboration could be improved <\/span>between managers and employees <\/span> and there was little communication between departments. The new managing director wanted to change that. At the same time, there was a lot going on in HR. There were hardly any templates or formats, and processes such as <\/span>onboarding<\/span> and recruitment were not described<\/span> and<\/span> job descriptions were outdated<\/span>.<\/span> People weren\u2019t sure what to expect from one another<\/span>; <\/span>not from colleagues, not from managers, not from HR.<\/span><\/span> <\/span> <\/span><\/p>

Role and Approach<\/strong><\/h3>

My approach wasn\u2019t to impose things from above, but to engage in dialogue. I conducted in-depth interviews with managers and employees. These focused on their roles (tasks, responsibilities, and authority), as well as what they would like to see improved. I used that input to develop the new job profiles, but it also gave me a clear picture of the culture and the pain points within the organization. <\/span> <\/span><\/p>

Next, I rolled out an employee survey (MTO). I shared the results transparently with the management team and later with the rest of the organization: \u201cThis is what you\u2019ve told us, and this is what we\u2019re going to work on.\u201d That gave employees the feeling that their input mattered. <\/span> <\/span><\/p>

At the same time, I fully documented processes\u2014for recruitment, onboarding, and offboarding\u2014and developed templates and formats that simply didn\u2019t exist yet. I also provided more active guidance to managers in their roles: what is expected of you in cases of absenteeism, underperformance, and more. Managers began to view HR (previously still referred to as PZ) more and more as a valuable department. <\/span> <\/span><\/p>

HX in Practice – A People-Centered Approach<\/h3>

The cultural shift began with listening. Not with a plan I\u2019d already drawn up, but with the question: What do you see? What do you need? This applied to both employees and managers. By asking people honest questions\u2014and responding with honesty in return\u2014we created space for conversations that hadn\u2019t always been possible before. <\/span> <\/span><\/p>

A concrete example: managers who had been fulfilling their roles for years without clear guidelines, and who were accustomed to HR (or the Managing Director) handling the difficult conversations. By clarifying what a leadership role entails\u2014and holding them accountable to it\u2014responsibility shifted to where it belonged. That was sometimes difficult, but honest conversations, conducted with respect, ultimately make an organization stronger by placing responsibilities where they belong. Of course, this is done with the help and support of HR when necessary. <\/span> <\/span><\/p>

Results Achieved<\/strong><\/h3>

In just over 10 months, I accomplished the following:<\/span> <\/span><\/p>

  • Comprehensive documentation of HR processes, including recruitment, onboarding, and offboarding<\/span> <\/span><\/li><\/ul>
    • Development of templates and formats for contracts, letters, and guidance programs, among other things<\/span> <\/span><\/li><\/ul>
      • Rollout of an MTO, including subsequent analysis, feedback, and a proposal for various improvement actions<\/span> <\/span><\/li><\/ul>
        • New job profiles for the entire organization, based on, among other things, interviews with all employees<\/span> <\/span><\/li><\/ul>
          • Draft performance management plan, ready for the new HR professional to take over<\/span> <\/span><\/li><\/ul>
            • Raising managers’ awareness of their own HR responsibilities.<\/span> <\/span><\/li><\/ul>

              Insights and Impact<\/h3>

              Working on HR projects\u2014such as optimizing processes, rewriting job descriptions, and rolling out an MTO\u2014has given me more than just providing advice. You can actually see what you\u2019re building and the impact it has. That\u2019s valuable, both for me and for the organization. <\/span> <\/span><\/p>

              What I\u2019ve learned: Having honest conversations pays off\u2014with employees and with managers alike. Not to pass the buck or simply tell people what they want to hear, but to be clear about expectations\u2014respectfully, yet clearly. That\u2019s also what HR can do within an organization: not take on every little problem, but empower people to handle things themselves while making them feel supported and assisted. <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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