Room for the main issue

She was about to start Creative Business, but ended up at International Facility Management. Sjanne Duijghuisen graduated in 2024 and currently works as a Facility Expert on interim assignments for Bijzaak. 

I am curious of course; how come ‘was about to start Creative Business’!?

‘That’s a funny story. I had applied for Creative Business and was already quite far along in the selection process, and had to sign up for an assessment interview, but somehow I had missed that. I had already found a room in Breda, so I really wanted to study there. That’s how I ended up at Facility Management. And now I think, it was meant to be.’

Because?

‘I had affinity with it. Before I started studying at BUas, I had completed my Hotelschool studies at secondary vocational education level. So I had some affinity with hospitality anyhow. The Facility programme seemed a great addition to that.’

And now you work on interim assignments for Bijzaak, which actually means: Minor Issues. First, let's talk about that name, which was obviously chosen for a reason. Do people see ‘facilities’ as a minor issue? What is your view on that?   

‘Our company’s slogan is: We make room for the Main Issue. I think that’s a very meaningful phrase for facility managers. We look at how the main issue can be brought out in the best possible way by organising everything around it properly.’

Great, that ‘room’ can be taken very literally of course, as in: tidying up a room. But also figuratively, right? That your work gives you room in your head to work effectively?

‘Well, you could see it that way too. Although I’m not involved in designing workplaces at the moment. But I am certainly involved in taking care of things. The assignment I’m currently working on for Bijzaak is setting up and managing intake locations for Ukrainian refugees. I’m the site manager and I make sure everything runs smoothly. That gives the staff members on site room for focusing on their tasks.’

Are you the only facilities staff member at such a location?

‘Yes, there are, in total, five people working as location managers, but everyone has their own location. These are usually old office buildings that are converted into reception places. I am currently working on optimising one location, because people have to stay there longer than originally planned. I am the only one at that location with a background in facility management.’

Are you present there all week?

‘I work on site three days a week and, above all, I’m a source of information for residents. That asks a lot of your social skills. As a facility manager, you naturally work with people anyway, but this goes further. Sometimes you have to deal with difficult conflicts; you are almost a social worker.’

What do you think about that? 

‘I find it very interesting. It’s a vulnerable group, and you can really make a difference to people’s lives, even in small ways, such as fixing a broken heater. That sounds simpler than it is. When something needs to be done here, it never goes according to plan. Not even when moving in. You’re not moving boxes, but vulnerable people.’

Quite demanding for a first job?

‘In a sense, yes, your main task is providing care basically. However, you also do some “reception work”, which is less demanding, such as helping people apply for a DigiD. You’re not really involved in strategy and policy, because, in principle, a lot of that has already been decided by the municipality.’

What is – in addition to social skills – the main challenge?

‘I had to figure out a lot of things myself because I joined a new team. It’s mainly about describing processes and procedures to ensure that everything runs as smoothly as possible. You can’t just put 270 people in one location without establishing rules. Furthermore, the buildings are usually old, such as an old gym or a healthcare institution. That makes it very interesting from a facilities perspective. You have to weigh up what you are going to tackle. The basics must be in order of course, but what else can be done with the limited budget? What makes sense? After all, a building like that is often on the list for being demolished at some point. The most important things are heating, sewerage, fire safety, and a place to spend the night and cook.’

Cultural differences?

‘Erm, just an example, I don’t know if all Ukrainians do this, but here oil is often washed down the drain, which inevitably causes blockages. And Christmas is another thing: not all Ukrainians celebrate Christmas the way we do, because they use a different calendar. So what do you do with a tree? Have one or not? And when? You want everyone to feel a little at ease, after all.’

You write on LinkedIn that you take a people-oriented and results-oriented approach. Examples?

‘Before this, I had a job at a power plant, which was quite technical. What I do now has a direct impact on residents. Just think of the example of the broken heating system. I sometimes find the results-oriented approach a bit difficult; we have a limited budget, and sometimes you want to achieve so much more for those people.’

It seems to me a job giving quite some job satisfaction. Yet, I heard you are going to do something else? 

‘Yes, starting in March, I will be working at a project agency as a junior project manager, supporting projects for optimising the workplace. In my opinion, a workplace is much more than a desk, a chair, and a computer. Greenery is important, as are views and light. If you enjoy coming to work, that’s better for the results. The coronavirus pandemic showed us how important the workplace is; people started to miss it, the contacts, the connection.’

And why did you want another workplace?

‘I miss the teamwork a little. Everyone here has their own assignment; I’d like to work on things together more. You are always the new interim in the team, and you actually end up in chaotic situations at all times. As a first job, this was great for gaining experience because it’s a very multifaceted job and you learn to switch quickly.’

What has the time at Bijzaak brought you?

‘It has changed my perspective on refugees and refugee work. It used to be very abstract to me, but everyone comes here with a story, and they don’t come here for no reason. It wasn’t their choice, so you want to make it as pleasant as possible for those people. They learn the language, they work like everyone else. Last week, a baby was born here; people continue with their lives here, and you help them do that. I can look back on that fondly later on.’

Getting started in a more luxurious work environment; quite a contrast to what you are doing now?

‘It’s certainly a contrast, I mean, from an intake location to a beautiful workplace equipped with all the mod cons. That feels a bit strange. But still, I didn’t choose Facility Management over Social Work for nothing; I want to go more in the business direction.’

And where does this specific interest in the workplace come from?

‘My graduation thesis was about designing workplaces in a new building, which sparked my interest in this topic. And through that graduation project, I came into contact with Drees & Sommer, an international consultancy and project management agency for real estate and infrastructure. Ultimately, that led to that new job there. I will be starting at the Eindhoven office in March!’ 

Interview: Maaike Dukker-‘t Hart