How Petra rediscovered what really suits her...

There I was: 22 years old, just finished my higher professional education and I was able to start working at Vebego immediately. I started as a regional manager in cleaning and quickly became responsible for 150 cleaners and a turnover of 3 million euros per year. From then on, I started all kinds of training courses in management and vocational training for the cleaning industry. After 2.5 years I transferred to the management team of the West Netherlands region. I did all sorts of other things in addition to that and on the side. It was also a challenging time in my personal life. I lived in my head, in top gear, with my foot on the accelerator all the time. I was mainly giving and didn’t realise what I needed myself... Then my light went out.

I became ill more often and developed more and more vague complaints, which I ignored, because I was used to always continuing on willpower. Until it was no longer possible. Then I thought: just recover at home for a week. Then it will be okay. But, that was not the case. Something happened to me that I never thought would happen: a burnout. At my lowest point, all I could do was lie there and stare at the ceiling. Even talking was too much. I was afraid that my colleagues would see me as a ‘problem’. Thankfully, that fear turned out to be unfounded. ‘You are a nice and warm person, and we know your qualities. We really don’t want to lose you’. Together, we went in search of what really suits me. I was given the space and time to discover what I really like and where my talents can best be used. Fortunately, I was able to get back to work after four months, as a project manager. And working a day less in the week. 

Today, I still monitor and coordinate all kinds of projects, a role that really suits me. My Excel sheet has dozens of tabs, but I have it all under control. Also because I now know myself better through all the training courses and the freedom I have within Vebego to organise my own work. Working at Vebego feels very familiar.  Not only because I have worked there for 16 years, but also because I feel seen as a person. Vebego really has the best interests of its people at heart. No matter how big the company is, you never feel like a number here. It remains special how we interact with each other at all levels.