A few discarded desks from the Campina milk company, a plan to do things differently and a good dose of optimism. This formed the basis for employment agency HOBIJ on 8 May 1995. And that there were already about 23 temporary employment agencies in the Brabant´s Veghel (which is also not very large) at that time did not deter founders Han van Horen (the HO in HOBIJ) and Peter Bijvelds (the BIJ from HOBIJ) from going for it. Initially mainly in their own region.
At the time, Han van Horen had several years of experience as a personnel officer and head of human resources. That is also why the focus was initially on outsourcing and secondment. Temporary employees who do not have their own transport? No problem. If necessary, Han and Peter personally drive them to their client and back home. It is characteristic of the working atmosphere at HOBIJ. To this day: pleasant, but with sleeves rolled up.
The first relocation
Within two years, the first HOBIJ office was too small and we had to move to a larger building. The range of services also expanded: recruitment and selection, outplacement, coaching and training, psychological research and HR consultancy. We do it all at HOBIJ. In addition to the head office in Veghel, there were also new branches in Best, Dongen, Cuijk, Nijmegen, Woerden, Goirle, Schijndel, Uden and Wijchen.
In 2006, Peter Bijvelds stepped down from the board and the management team, because he wanted to continue his career in the sports world. As a result, Han van Horen continued as the sole director. A few years later, Van Horen also took over the equity portfolio from Peter. In 2007, HOBIJ achieved top sales and the results reached a record high. And then there was the economic crisis. HOBIJ´s biggest client went bankrupt. This caused quite a sensitive hit. What now?
The storm umbrella
HOBIJ´s answer after a short period of reflection? ‘The storm umbrella’. This innovative product of several Delft students is used as a metaphor by the project group that work on the reorientation in organization and strategy. We decided to return to the roots, that which HOBIJ was good at from the start: temporary employment and secondment. Almost all other activities were ended. And the focus of the recruitment was shifted to other countries in the European Union. Expats who are eager to start working in the food, technology and logistics sectors are brought into contact by HOBIJ with Dutch companies that are also eager for these types of employee.
New focus
International recruitment was already part of HOBIJ's activities from the beginning (1998), but on a small scale. But from 2008 Experts in European Workforce will become the new focus. This also requires a new way of working for HOBIJ. The number of offices in the Netherlands was reduced to several regional offices in the Netherlands. However, branches were added in Poland, Latvia, Lithuania and Hungary.
In 2009 we moved to a new head office in Veghel; the former ABN-AMRO building. A building where Han went almost every day as a little boy. Since his father worked in the building for years. It is also right next to Han´s former primary school. And this describes what HOBIJ is all about: growth. Never Stop Growing is the motto from which HOBIJ thinks and acts. Growth. Not necessarily to become the biggest, but to continue to develop, deepen, improve yourself.
And it appears to be a motto that works. Literally. There are now 3000 flex workers working for our clients, from all parts of Europe, every day. HOBIJ is growing explosively. And growth, as far as we are concerned, is what life is all about. With our flex workers, with our clients and with HOBIJ. Contributing to this growth, that is our goal!