Vondels is known as the brand that turns Christmas into art. What began with sparkling ornaments grew into a collection of luxury gifts and atmospheric homeware that brings magic into the home all year round. Founder Yan Xu runs the creative company with her associate Loesje Donner-Raedts and team. "We used to do HR a bit 'on the side'. Until we noticed that we couldn't do that anymore."
Anyone who knows Vondels thinks of Christmas: glittering ornaments, unique designs and a good dose of humor. But the brand has long ceased to be just seasonal. "We now also sell gift items and homeware," Yan explains. "We want people to think: I'm looking for a special gift, I'll look at Vondels. Not a standard gift, but something with a story."
"We just got too big."
Previously, Yan did HR himself along with Loesje. "We were mostly concerned with supply chain and building the brand. Contracts, arrangements, human resources - we did that by feel. But with a growing team, that doesn't work anymore. We wanted structure, clarity and honesty. And that everything was properly black and white."
To get HR right, Vondels first hired a lawyer. "We wanted our agreements well regulated. But then we noticed: there's a lot more to it than just setting up HR really well. A lawyer looks at the legal side of a situation, but not at the whole picture. We wanted policy, structure and equal agreements for everyone. One employee shouldn't get something different from another - that just has to be well established."
A temporary HR consultant pointed her to So Toff. "You were the only one who offered exactly what we were looking for: customization. Not a standard consulting firm, but a party that really thinks along with our company."
HR professional on site: clarity and peace of mind
Since So Toff came on board, Loes - HR professional at So Toff - has picked up all HR processes. "She created a personnel manual, set up an organizational chart and set up our processes in Nmbrs. This provides clarity, peace of mind and fewer errors. And we can easily scale up the collaboration when things get busier, which is ideal."
"To be honest, at first we thought So Toff only did payroll," Yan laughs. "But when we found that we could also get an on-site HR professional, we were converted. The fact that you have everything under one roof - from payroll to policy and advice - is perfect for us."
"Loes is one of us," explains Yan. "She comes on site with us for a fixed number of hours a month, knows exactly what's going on and totally fits our culture. In the beginning we thought: an external HR person, will that work? But now everyone knows where to find her. She is accessible, knowledgeable and very knowledgeable. And it's great that she also works for other companies, which gives her many insights. We often say here: surely Loes will never leave us?"
"As an employer, it’s nice that Loes also works with other companies. As an entrepreneur, you sometimes want to know how others are doing.” Yan Xu, founder
More than HR administration
Vondels offers its employees many extras. "For example, we have a vitality program. Not only for the gym, but also for relaxation - employees can go to the wellness, for example. We want to record that kind of arrangement neatly. Loes helps us secure that properly in policy."
She also helps think about development and leadership. "We are looking for a coaching program for our managers. Loes is going to set that up for us. She also does this for other companies and always looks at where the need lies. This way she creates customized training programs - that fits exactly with how we work."
Growing together
The partnership with So Toff gives Vondels room to grow further. "We plan together for the coming period. Loes looks ahead, sets priorities and makes sure we are no longer behind the times. That gives peace of mind."
Cooperation with the HR support department also runs smoothly. "They are an extension of Loes. Everything runs perfectly. And the fact that So Toff is constantly working on new functionalities within Nmbrs helps us enormously. They think with us, move with us and understand our world. Otherwise the cooperation would never have turned out so well."
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