Brand Safway

Speaking is Marieke Koning, Manager International Resources & Planning. She explains: BrandSafway works worldwide. We have around 30,000 customers in 27 countries and we employ 40,000 people for that. I joined BrandSafway in 2018, when my previous employer took over Venko by BrandSafway. At Venko, I worked for the offshore department, which specialized in the maintenance and preservation of platforms. After the takeover, scaffolding and insulation were added. From that moment on, BrandSafway was able to provide the offshore sector with a very wide range of services and people, for which customers normally needed three companies.”
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BrandSafway became one of the largest in Europe in this wide range, although its American branch is even larger. Marieke is responsible for personnel management in the offshore sector. “And now also for onshore staff from outside Europe who work in Europe, because the labor market in Europe is currently very tight and challenging,” she says. “For the offshore sector, it involves personnel that are needed, in particular, in the Netherlands and the UK. To do this, we are working with C&M Labour Supply.” That collaboration started almost immediately with Marieke taking office for Venko. “There was immediately a new customer and thus a demand for more than 140 new employees. Venko had a list of a lot of employment agencies, all of which could provide me with some loose people. But in the end, a few good partners are more useful. That's when I got in touch with Ed. There was an immediate click and the collaboration was good. By the time he made the switch to C&M, it only made sense for us to go with him.”

Issues

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Marieke emphasizes the advantage of working with one party. “At C&M, they know what I need. They understand our business and our company. Emotionally, they are part of it.” It therefore felt natural that BrandSafway asked C&M to help us think about the major self-employed issue. Marieke: “We sometimes outsource jobs to freelancers. The laws and regulations are complicated, and that becomes even more complicated with employees who pay their social security contributions in a country other than they work. In addition, after a job completed, freelancers can choose to take on the next job immediately, without a period of rest. In an industry where safety is the most important thing, you naturally want to prevent that at all times. For example, there are all kinds of complex issues that we would like to deal with in the best possible way. Together with C&M and our lawyer, we discussed it all, drew up agreements and made our freelancers aware of their own rights and obligations. Being able to do that with a partner is very special and it has taken us both a huge step further that many others in the industry haven't made yet.”

Quality

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BrandSafway has to deal with very specific personnel issues. The self-employed pool is one of them, as are the peak periods and a tight labor market. Marieke: “In addition, you need all kinds of qualifications and certifications in the offshore industry. I can't just call an employment agency. C&M is all in there. They often know even better than me what exactly is needed and have a good network. If I need someone who is certified for rope access, who can work at height using ropes, C&M can find one for me. In the offshore industry, you sometimes also need someone with a very specific skill for a while. Fitters or riggers, for instance. If there's anyone who can do it, I know C&M will find it. And what I like: if someone like that isn't there, they say it too. That is just as important. We're sure we won't send anyone who doesn't actually meet the requirements.”
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It all helps BrandSafway's ambitions to stand out in quality. “I can be 100% confident that everything that is needed in terms of certification is in order. C&M is also being audited for this. It's really nice that I don't have to think about that anymore. Just as well, everyone who comes to us does a competency test; they submit a
take the English exam, we check their theoretical skills and practical skills in the various disciplines. There is also a conversation where we see if they are a good fit for us and vice versa. But because C&M knows us very well and knows all that about us, nine out of ten get through that.” Marieke knows that she can also rely on C&M at other times. “Sometimes you have to deal with someone who comes to us via a different route. Then I can call Ed and ask him to think along. The lines are very short.”
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BrandSafway is clearly extremely satisfied with the cooperation with C&M Labour Supply. However, Marieke must admit that she would not recommend the service to others. She laughs: “No, I'd rather not. They will soon have less time for us!” Then more seriously: “We work together at a level that transcends the customer relationship. We need them and vice versa, we can assume that we will not just go to someone else. It is a completely equal partnership where we know what we have in common. That is very valuable.”