Meet Patrick van Vliet
Nedlin takes care of laundry services for Healthcare, Industry, and Hospitality. But who are the people behind Nedlin who ensure that our customers' laundry is taken care of every day? What exactly do they do, and what do they enjoy about their work? We'd like to introduce you to our colleague, Patrick van Vliet. He is the Head of Technical Services at Nedlin Healthcare.
Who is Patrick? I'm 55 years old, living in Kerkrade, and this year I started working at Nedlin Healthcare as the Head of Technical Services. In my free time, I'm passionate about music. I've been playing bass guitar for a year now in the cover band Uppercase. I've been involved in music since I was sixteen, also playing regular guitar, but bass guitar has more groove. Besides music, I enjoy fishing for carp or predatory fish in the surrounding area and sometimes further afield. It's something I love to do to unwind and relax. Additionally, I've been active in motorsport. I raced on circuits for three years. Motorsport remains very exciting to me.
You are the Head of Technical Services at Nedlin Healthcare, what does that entail exactly? You oversee the entire technical department, you lead the technicians, and you ensure that our machines remain in top condition by conducting preventative maintenance. While everything in this laundry facility is relatively new, we still need to schedule and carry out preventative maintenance. I have a great team and I'm really happy with my colleagues. Of course, new colleagues are always welcome. We're a fairly new team, with my colleague Rob being the most recent addition. We also want to engage in more team activities outside of work.
What does a technican do at Nedlin? Technicians troubleshoot malfunctions, ensure that the machines run smoothly, perform preventative maintenance, and ultimately carry out modifications to the machines themselves. Are there any other roles within the technical department? In addition to the technicians, we also have engineers. What does a typical workday look like for you? I start early and kick off the day with the team. Then, I have a PEP talk, which is a brief standing meeting, with the management. During this, we discuss briefly what's going well, what isn't, and what the plan is for today and tomorrow. Around half past nine, I gather information about any ongoing issues and other matters. After that, I focus on work preparation, placing orders, and managing our meeting structure. In the afternoon, it's time for another PEP talk, this time with the technical department. Then, I wrap up all the orders placed and support the technicians. Especially during the holiday season, we all pitch in wherever needed.
"What I find important is that we accomplish the task together."
How would you describe yourself as a leader? A people manager with a direct leadership style. I am honest and expect the same in return. What I find particularly important is that we accomplish the task together. You have multiple individuals in your team, each with their own feelings, so I believe it's crucial that people feel comfortable expressing themselves. Additionally, I am a social person and value mutual respect. Because only together can we create a strong team with a good and enjoyable atmosphere.
How did you end up at Nedlin? Through a recruiter. I was approached by recruiters a lot at that time and had six offers, out of which I wanted to pursue three seriously. Nedlin was one of them. When I arrived here, the Plant Manager at Nedlin Healthcare, shook my hand and said he wanted to talk to me later because he wanted to show me something nice first. I was immediately impressed by the laundry facility, and this quickly helped me make the decision to choose Nedlin.
"I go home every evening with a relaxed feeling."
When do you go home with a happy feeling? I actually go home every evening with a relaxed feeling because we tackle things together. And by together, I mean the technical department along with production and office. I've experienced it differently in the past. Here, too, you can't always just do the fun things alone, but you do it together. And that's what gives me energy.
What is the most remarkable moment you have experienced in your work in the past few months? What I find most remarkable here is the involvement of people. The collaboration between the technical department and the production management and staff. That's not the case everywhere, and it makes working at Nedlin special and enjoyable for me every day.
