What does the first couple of months at Viabuild look like?

A new job. An evident fact for some people, a period of uncertainty for others. In any case, a new job always means a new challenge.

Within our organisation, we attach great importance to an onboarding and the general guidance of employees. Onboarding is therefore an integral part of our new Viabuild Academy, a career development & knowledge centre.

Curious about how the first period at Viabuild looks like?

Sandy (Administration) and Renaud (Senior Purchaser), two Viabuilders who recently started, are happy to share their experiences.

Sandy (Administration)

Renaud (Purchser)

What triggered you to decide on joining Viabuild?

Sandy: I was primarily looking for a job at a contractor, and I had been through several interviews. When I was contacted by Greystone for the job at Viabuild, I had a quick look at the website. There, the “Let’s connect” aspect and the slogan “Build to Connect” caught my eye. The human aspect is very central in this company and I also noticed this during the job interviews. I received a very warm welcome at Viabuild. There were two vacancies, I had two nice interviews, and went home with a good feeling. The perfect combination between professionalism and humanity. To be honest, I have to admit that this was decisive for my final decision. In fact, I had another job offer, closer to home, but it is actually the human aspect that convinced me to choose for Viabuild.

Renaud: I can actually only agree with what Sandy says; not to make it easy for myself though (laughs). I already knew Viabuild by name but I was actually curious to know which story was lurking within the company. For me, a clear company culture is very important and I experience this every day at Viabuild. Open communication, a no-nonsense mentality, humanity and the sense of Entrepreneurship is very much present. Viabuild is a contractor where independence is key and where you can always count on help and assistance from your colleagues. The different challenges combined with the collegiality make the corporate culture correspond with the good feeling I initially had.

Sandy: Yes that happened to me as well. I got in touch with Viabuild through a recruitment agency and the person contacting me from that agency was also very enthusiastic about the company, the people, the work mentality and the culture of the Viabuild organisation.

Talking about corporate culture: at Viabuild, we summarise our corporate values in the word STEAM. How do you feel about this?

S for Safety. Safety. Safety is at the heart of our work.

T for Team. Because that is required to deliver quality work. Viabuild employees have a strong desire for mutual collaboration, and are equally capable of forming a homogeneous unit with the client(s).

E refers to Efficiency. Optimal use of time and resources to achieve excellent results.

A for Always an eye on the future. Viabuild keeps pace with new technology, focuses on digitisation, and embraces innovative ways of thinking.

M refers to Motivated and driven. This accurately describes our Viabuild employees. They are the engine, the driving force behind the strong Viabuild company of today.

Renaud: STEAM did indeed feature a lot during my job interviews and it’s great to see that this is indeed being put into practice. In my experience, companies sometimes often nicely present their values on paper but do not apply them in daily work life. This is certainly not the case at Viabuild.

Sandy: Indeed, I encounter the STEAM values on a daily basis during my work. This week, for example, we are having Safety Week with various initiatives such as an AED workshop and tips & tricks on ergonomics, and that really does show that safety is number one. The team effort is also highlighted through various other initiatives.

How do you experience your first couple of months?

Sandy: Very pleasant. I received a warm welcome and a very clear introduction during my onboarding. It has been very tough though (laughs). But I was also looking for that, I was looking for a new “challenge”. I am employed as (site) administrator for the Vilvoorde Viaduct, but in the meantime I have also been given other tasks.  As a result, I have already learned a lot of new things, learned to use different programmes and met a lot of new people. At the Viabuild office and at the Vilvoorde Viaduct project office. So yes plenty of challenge I would say (laughs).

Renaud: Thanks to Steven from the HR department, I had a very nice onboarding, which I think is important in a company. I also settled into a very good team afterwards. You are expected to perform immediately but I don’t mind that at all. You get a lot of independence but you can still rely on your colleagues if needed.

Renaud and the “fish tank” from the purchasing team.

Are there certain emphases set for new employees that you can appreciate?

Renaud: For me, it is clearly the STEAM emphasis that is prominent. You notice that these values are really supported in the company and that there are various actions to emphasise these values, such as communications concerning safety statistics, preventive and corrective measures, now we are having a Safety Week, etc. I also think that flexibility is an important aspect. There is a very flexible working atmosphere where everything is pretty much possible, if the flexibility is followed in both directions, of course. Give and take.

Sandy: What I enjoy is the collegiality within the company, but there is also room for great independence. As a newcomer, you are well taken care of and guided by your mentor and your supervisor. After my onboarding, for instance, I had further talks with Dries, my supervisor, and Steven from HR about training courses I could take. I personally want to grow and learn, and those opportunities are available. I like doing my job but those little perks like the independence, the opportunities for self-development and the human contact make it so much more fun. My goal, my motivation and the image I had of Viabuild all seem to fit so I am satisfied (laughs) .

Can you relate to Renaud and Sandy’s statements? Interested in becoming a Viabuilder yourself?

Then definitely take a look at our vacancies!

Can’t find a job that fits your profile at the moment but are you curious about any other opportunities within our company?

Do not hesitate and apply spontaneously via jobs@viabuild.be.