The butterfly effect

Meaningful work for everyone. That's the goal of Vebego: a leading human resource services provider, with clients across Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland. The company's mission reflects the values of its founder, Ton (Tonny) Goedmakers, who launched the company in 1943.

"We still run Vebego according to my grandfather’s values, and I think this continuity is very important," said Ton. "Giving people meaningful work energizes and motivates them to achieve their potential. In turn, people gain a sense of pride and a positive outlook on life, which benefits their families and communities."

Ton and his team feel a duty to help unlock the potential in everyone: "Each employee has their own strengths. Our job is to nurture those strengths and give people every opportunity to achieve their goals."

This commitment to supporting employees runs through every thread of the business. By 2025, Vebego aims to positively impact the lives of 10 million people – every day.

But how could Vebego prove it was truly making a difference, and not just talking about it? How could the company measure the results of giving people meaningful work? And how might the business attach a tangible value to its efforts?

"We're intrinsically motivated and driven to do good. That's very important. But we needed to measure what we do, and to attach a value to it. Because it would make our work more tangible and meaningful for people – and motivate others to get involved."

Measuring impact was only half the story. The team also needed to communicate it: "We weren't telling anyone about our work. But our clients wanted to know about it. So did the younger generations in our family. In the last three years, the family has transitioned from the second to third generation. We needed to communicate our values and activities to motivate family members."

Ton and his team reached out to industry experts, asking for advice on the best ways to measure impact: "If different companies came back to us suggesting the same approach, we felt that approach would probably be correct."

From there, the team contacted the Impact Institute, which helps organizations measure, report and manage their impact: "We know all about financials, such as how much money we've made by the end of the year. But the Impact Institute is helping us measure the social returns of our work."

How is Vebego coping with the challenge of engaging younger generations? "We've communicated our vision and values clearly. They've been written down in family statements for years. But now we're telling that story."

While Vebego works on measuring its impact, the company will keep doing what it does best: making a positive difference: "It's about more than providing meaningful jobs. As a service provider, we also create nice environments. It's like the butterfly effect, where one small change leads to a bigger impact. Someone sitting on a train will have a positive experience. As they get off, they'll pass that positivity on to other people. The impact can be huge. And I think it starts with us."