Fluvius: Unlocking Workplace Potential
From Merger to Maturity: The Seven-Year Cultural Evolution of Fluvius
Building a high-trust culture within a large-scale utility provider is a task of significant complexity. For Fluvius, this journey began in 2019 following the merger of three separate organisations, bringing together over 5,000 employees and 16 different employment statutes. What followed was a deliberate, long-term commitment to using the Great Place To Work framework as a strategic compass rather than a mere certification goal.
2019: The Reality of the Merger
The initial baseline measurement in 2019 reflected the typical growing pains of a massive merger. While camaraderie and pride were scored high among colleagues, trust in management was fragile, particularly regarding credibility and fairness.
Employees expressed scepticism about complex management structures and the distance between leadership and teams. The organisation responded not with "quick fixes," but by committing to long-term dialogue and a shift toward shared leadership.
>> View Fluvius' journey in a new window
2020: The COVID-19 pandemic served as an unexpected catalyst for trust.
Homeworking and the large number of online team meetings created a greater sense of equality: across hierarchies, between regions and headquarters. Everyone experienced stress, concerns and personal challenges.
Managers were explicitly asked to closely monitor wellbeing, show understanding and provide flexibility. Many made creative efforts to stay connected with their teams, which built trust. "Life after Corona" dialogue sessions were organised to co-create a new homeworking policy, which resulted in a flexible model of one mandatory office day per week supplemented by team-based charters.
By prioritising transparent communication, job security, and employee care, the company saw a significant spike in its Trust Index Scores. The ability to keep teams connected and supported during a crisis resonated deeply with the workforce.
2021: A return to reality
As the initial crisis passed, "merger fatigue" and "corona fatigue" led to a score correction, which was viewed as a return to reality.
This period marked the shift toward shared leadership: where all 500 managers were given direct access to the anonymous survey results in the new Emprising platform. Every leader became accountable for discussing results and identifying improvement actions within their own sphere of influence.
“The real strength of Great Place To Work for us lies in its adaptability. As our context evolves year on year, we can add targeted questions that make cultural change measurable. By listening closely to how our culture responds to these shifts, we ensure that our actions are grounded in the employee voice.”
“While the survey is at the core, its flexibility allows us to continuously take the pulse of specific changes. This makes it highly customisable to the evolving context of our organisation.”
- Betty Inghelbrecht, HR Expert Culture & Inclusion Fluvius
2022: Bridging the Perception Gap
By 2022, data revealed a gap between the positive outlook of senior leadership and the more cautious sentiment of front-line employees. To bridge this, the organisation launched Open Space dialogues and made psychological safety a mandatory training focus for all middle and senior management. Physical connection was also re-established through CEO roadshows and regional gatherings. Social connection, getting to know each other’s work, and team coaching were prioritised.
2023–2024: The Rise of the Silent Majority
The scores surged in 2023 as the organisation began to hear from the "silent majority": The group of employees who were satisfied but less vocal than the sceptics. During this period, a wave of 2,000 new hires joined the company, bringing fresh perspectives and validating the existing benefits and culture. The STERK (Samen, Trots, Engagement, Respect, en Klant ) campaign further anchored company values into daily behaviours.
Key focus areas of the STERK campaign include:
- Collaboration across teams
- Fairness in HR processes
- Monitoring change capability, given the energy transition
2025: Reaching Cultural Maturity
Seven years after the merger, Fluvius reached a milestone of cultural maturity. Despite external pressures and union challenges, trust in management reached sustainable, high levels. The organisation now maintains a remarkably low voluntary turnover rate of 0.79%, significantly lower than sector benchmarks.
Additionally, Fluvius reports absenteeism levels that remain below industry averages, further validating the high levels of employee engagement. From a recruitment perspective, the Great Place To Work status has become a powerful differentiator; many candidates now spontaneously cite this recognition as a primary reason for applying.
Finally, the shift toward shared leadership has moved the focus of leadership insights away from individual evaluations and toward collective assessments of perception, trust, and shared responsibility, cementing the cultural transformation as a core business success.
Strategic Insights: Lessons from Fluvius
Fluvius’ journey offers critical lessons for any large organisation undergoing transformation:
- Culture is a cycle: Real, sustainable trust cannot be rushed. It takes years of consistent listening and action to move from merger-related uncertainty to a unified culture.
- Ownership drives impact: Impact increased the moment culture became the responsibility of every team leader, rather than an HR-only initiative.
- Consistency as a tool for credibility: By asking the same meaningful questions annually, the organisation created a credible benchmark that allowed for tracking progress and identifying alarm signals early.
Today, Great Place To Work is no longer just a survey for Fluvius; it is the organisational spine that supports its ongoing role in the energy transition and its commitment to diversity and inclusion.
Ready to start your Journey?
Great workplaces don't happen by chance, they're built with intention. Partner with Great Place To Work and unlock the insights, recognition, and support to create a workplace where everyone can succeed.