Steve Jordan talks to Robert Voerman about recruiting a young and vibrant workforce and succession planning in a family business.
Succession planning in any industry is difficult. In the moving industry, because of the number of family-owned businesses, it’s arguably even more so. People start businesses because they are driven to achieve and have a genuine enthusiasm for the industry.
Because this is a service industry, the successful ones have a fundamental appreciation of the human condition and a desire to serve, to help people, to make their lives easier while providing excellent service. When they start to get on in years, finding someone else with the same qualities, interest and drive is difficult. For some it proves to be impossible.
Voerman in the Netherlands is a family business. The company was started in 1986 by Ed Voerman. It now employs around 340 people. Robert Voerman, Ed’s son, is the current CEO. Nick Voerman, Robert’s son, holds a senior role at the company. So, the company is now in its second generation of family management with a strong possibility of moving into its third when the time is right. It also has a young, vibrant workforce that would be the envy of many in the industry.
So I asked Robert Voerman, how he approaches the thorny issue of succession, and how he goes about finding the right people to help his business grow? ...
Photo: Robert Voerman with a portrait of his father, Ed.
Click here to read the full story in The Mover magazine.