YWC goes international: follow the onboarding process of Kelly and Ernest
How do Yes! We Connect, Kelly and Ernest prepare themselves for their international adventure? This blog describes what it takes to go international. The conversations with each other, Kelly and Ernest who are joining the events for the first time, the preparation sessions. What is it like for them to grow in the YWC organization?
Ernest has been working with Yes! We Connect for a couple of months. He has done intakes with customers, worked as a project leader, was a match maker on different occasions and presented a couple of events. Over time he got more familiar with our complete toolset and is now ready to do business on his own. For Kelly we are in the middle of the same procedure.
Ernest: ‘It is cool to see that sometimes you just need one conversation with somebody and feel there is an instant click. This is exactly what happened with Frank and Muriel. From the start I got involved in the business. They took the time to explain how it all started, their believes and purpose with the company, and how they help organizations to work in a more connected way. The team is full of specialists who all could help me to understand how they contribute to the bigger cause.’
Skype meeting with Ernest, Frank and Kelly.
Kelly adds: ‘It is so encouraging to get such a warm welcome! I always think it is important to practise what you preach and that is exactly what Yes! We Connect is doing. They are not just “selling” the idea of a good onboarding process, they also turn it into reality themselves. I met-up with colleague Anne-Marie in order to get to know more about the YWC’s software programs and their general way of working and communicating. As a matchmaker, I already participated in several YWC events with different presenters and project coordinators so I could get as much practical input/insight as possible.
Going to another country is a big step
‘It is really great to experience that Ernest and Kelly can quickly adapt our ideas and way of working.’ Frank says. This means that we have created something transmittable which means Yes! We Connect can scale up the business. And that is very good news, because this brings our ambition closer of unleashing the magical power of connection for employees worldwide. Being ready for the US market meant that we had to look into the translations of all our tools. Then we also had to do a lot of work on the website. The English website we had in place was not suitable for doing business in the US. And then of course all legal issues. We now have an insurance that also covers for risks in the US and Canada.
‘Going to another country in itself is already a big step’, tells Ernest. You have to acclimate to a different culture and discover on what points you can connect with each other. American people are very good at networking and from an entertaining perspective they are obviously top of the league. I really have to get to know how they perceive employee engagement and how they incorporate this in their business events.
Ernest at an event as a Yes! We Connect matchmaker
The first Yes! We Connect experience
To prepare for US Ernest got his first Yes! We Connect event as a project leader a couple of months ago. Ernest: ‘Together with the internal communication manager of the client, we were able to design an energizing program with a lot of interaction. At the event itself it was cool to see that everything you’ve prepared came to life and see everybody engaged. And of course, I had the opportunity to present an event as well. This is when you really feel what is happening in the room, you get all that energy from the group. Every time I have that same feeling when I do a Yes! We Connect event, it is over in a blink of an eye, but it could have lasted a lot longer for me.’
The first event in the Netherlands in which Kelly had the chance to participate, took place in Amsterdam at the Amsterdome, a massive and cool architectural highlight. In this impressive event hall, she learnt how to put up the matchmaking machines and the stand with all the badges for the 300 invitees. Kelly: it was the first time I met the project lead, Carola, and some of the matchmakers of Yes! We Connect. They turned out to be really helpful and joyful colleagues. While wearing the YWC Matchmaker T-shirt, I immediately felt part of the team. I loved the fact that there was a good balance between the physical aspect and the psychological/HR aspect of the job. I believe that the YWC tools are so powerful, that I am convinced we will find a way to make it work in Belgium.
If you know anyone in the US or Belgium who’s maybe interested in us or has contacts like HR managers or communication specialists that would be interested in our tools to connect at work, please share this blog with them! Do you want to know more about us or get in touch? Click here.
In the next blog we zoom in on Ernest. He's in America, he's off! In the meantime, check out our social media channels for more updates and news about YWC goes international!