Stijn Van Den Hende
“I’ve been working at Ingenium for 29 years now. When I started we were three people in administration: a receptionist, someone for the financial administration and I then joined for the word processing, spelling and layout of all documents. Now there are 11 of us, under the heading of 'Team Pillar'. This name groups together all support services: reception, accounting, sales, communication, building management, legal affairs and project administration. The main evolution in those 29 years is that it has become a different job in terms of working method. Today we work much more efficiently than back then.”
“My two main tasks are project administration and checking quotations. We take part in a lot of government contracts. For these we develop administrative specifications using a highly efficient software package. From these specifications we also obtain bills of quantities: our estimate of the cost price of the installation. Once the files have been published and contractors submit their quotes, I check that they are mathematically correct and that all necessary documents are in the file. In addition, I have a whole range of additional tasks. For example, I manage part of the invoicing in our projects, I do the final 'editorial check' of all kinds of texts, I give new employees basic training in our administrative operation, I take care of the e-mail filing and regularly assist in reception and with the telephone. In addition, I’m the 'helpdesk' for colleagues who want to call on my in-depth knowledge of Word. I make sure our website remains up-to-date and I also look after the administration for the 'quotations': that is the offers that Ingenium submits in order to bring in new projects. This versatility makes it a very exciting job that continues to evolve. What I know and can do today, I’ve learned mainly on the job.”
“What I like about my job is that I master certain tasks well and do them very efficiently because I've been at them for so long. But I’m also open to new tasks and challenges, because then you stay 'fresh'. What gives me even more satisfaction is teamwork: interacting with colleagues and completing an assignment together.”
“I’m not a leader and I feel good in my position. I'm a silent worker behind the scenes, and I like that. Social contact with colleagues is very important to me. I live alone, it’s a pleasure to come to the office. Colleagues appreciate my listening ear and the fact that I can often help out. Some have even become real friends, with whom I sometimes catch a movie or concert in my free time.”
“For me, Ingenium stands for 'positive vibes'. It gives me energy to be able to participate in projects that also prove useful in society. I started to look at buildings in a completely different way. Once upon a time I used to see them more as a kind of necessary evil, but when you know how a building is designed and what it involves, your view changes. We have very nice projects, including government buildings, hospitals and schools, but being a big culture lover myself, our concert hall and museum projects are the ones I’m most enthusiastic at. The integration of TTAS Theaterbouw into the Ingenium Group can only strengthen this.”
“The family feeling is really not an empty concept here. Ingenium is a company with a heart that also knows who you are as a person and takes that into account. Not only do they regularly ask if you are feeling well here at work, but also how things are going at home. When my mother was struggling with health issues and I needed to be able to support her, I got a lot of understanding. Nicolas' father often used to say to the employees: ‘You're family’. And although Ingenium is much bigger today than it was then, it still is.”