Talent Travel

Employees doing work they enjoy in a healthy working environment, who can use their talents in their job, who are physically and mentally healthy, and who have a good work-life balance: that's what we want at the UG!

Lifelong employability means creating the conditions for employees to stay healthy and active. This is translated into various projects, amongst which Talent Travel. With Talent Travel, an employee can temporarily work at a different department, in a different job, in order to learn new skills and get to know a new environment. At the end of this period, the employee can return to their regular work place.

We think that employees who use their knowledge and skills are the most effective colleagues. And that is great news, both for the organization and for the employees themselves!

Talent Travel events

Talent Travel started with the ‘Ja Maar-show’, the ‘Yes But Show’. Managers were made aware of the usefulness and necessity of the lifelong employability of their staff.

Talent Travel organizes events both for employees and for managers, where they are invited to think about their own career. For example, we held a Talent Event where people were asked: am I in the right spot in this organization? There were workshops with themes like:

• What are my talents?
• How can I demonstrate my talents?
• Am I still in the right job?
• Is my subject-specific knowledge still up-to-date?

Gain work experience through Talent Travel

Through Talent on Tour, employees got the chance to do a short stint of work in a different function or department at the UG. This way, people can get a sense of what it's like to do something else completely, without having to leave their own job.

Furthermore, Talent Travel has a project bank. In this database there are temporary projects (usually for the term of a year) where you can gain work experience. This is a safe way for staff to see if perhaps their ambitions lie elsewhere. The Project data bank also offers people who want to change career direction the chance to gain work experience in the preferred field. This will increase their chances of continuing to develop.

These are some of the ways the University of Groningen stimulates the career development of its non-academic staff and contributes to the working pleasure of its staff. For more information please mail to: r.k.van.der.walle rug.nl / e.f.volbeda rug.nl / coby.de.jong rug.nl