Jos van Loo, the CEO of Merkle, a people-based marketing agency, firmly believes that a company’s growth hinges on nurturing talent within the organization. He views his employees as the bedrock of the company. “People come first in everything we do,” he asserts.

For Jos van Loo, talent thinking has long been a familiar concept. He started at 2organize in 2001, later Oxyma, the predecessors of the organization now known as Merkle. He participated in a management buy-out in 2007 and became CEO in 2017. In the meantime, the organization has acquired various companies. "And in all those acquisitions, one of the most important things we could bring was talent thinking. We have always been frontrunners in terms of development."

According to Van Loo, the essence of talent development lies in "carefully examining where someone's visible and hidden talents lie." "It's not just about striving for the biggest, best, and most beautiful, but rather about the direction you can and want to go in, and where your boundaries lie. That's the path you should want to follow."

Better in their own skin

For over a decade, Merkle has been utilizing the TMA Method to guide individuals within the organization along the right path. According to Van Loo, it’s a powerful instrument. The TMA report provides a roadmap and a common language that facilitates communication among team members. He emphasizes the importance of involving the environment because it’s not just about an individual’s route; it’s a collective journey with the people around you.

Merkle employs the TMA broadly, even during the recruitment process. “This allows us to immediately assess whether we’re heading in the right direction,” says Van Loo. However, TMA is seamlessly integrated throughout all phases: from initial introductions to farewells and everything in between.

He continues, “We also use it to provide people with insights into why they might not want to pursue a certain direction. Sometimes taking a side path could be much better than sticking to the same upward trajectory. It might be easier to announce a promotion than to transition from one specialization to another. Yet, that latter step often yields greater rewards. When desires and abilities diverge, energy quickly dissipates. That’s something we want to avoid. Our goal is to have people in the right roles, feeling better about themselves.”

Where Energy Leaks

To complete the picture, Merkle also utilizes the 360-Degree Feedback and Team TMA. “We have an open culture, and these tools help us get to know each other even better. Connecting the right talents is crucial for us; when assembling project teams, we can already make a rough selection based on the TMAs. From a management perspective, we aim to dynamically organize teams even more. We want to consciously connect people based on their areas of expertise or talents.”

Vanessa Box, Human Resources Advisor, adds, “We truly prioritize the employee. When you manage to place someone in their ideal position, they can excel. That energizes me too. For leaders, it’s valuable to know how to guide someone effectively, right from the start. When you’re just beginning, without work experience, you need to learn how to work and discover yourself. In the past, employers relied on observable behavior, but now I refer to the TMA when I notice someone isn’t performing well or is experiencing stress. It helps me identify where their energy is leaking.”

Maximum autonomy

Box provides an example. “A lady within our organization exhibited super extroverted behavior, but the analysis revealed that she actually scored very low on extraversion and dominance. When I asked her about it, she mentioned that she needed to recover every evening. If the behavior you display drains so much energy, it doesn’t align with your true self. The lady in question has since transitioned to a different role, and she’s thriving again!”

Employees can receive continuous feedback through the TMA portal; at Merkle, they no longer conduct performance reviews. Box explains, “We want to empower people with as much autonomy as possible, so they can independently initiate the 360-Degree Feedback in the system. For instance, after completing a project. We were among the first to incorporate this feature into the portal, which I find remarkable. While it might not always be feasible, TMA genuinely listens to your feedback and preferences. It’s truly tailored.”

A great mirror

Van Loo and Box both find it rewarding to establish a foundation for talent thinking within the companies acquired by Merkle. This was also the case at Oogst, one of the companies now under the Merkle umbrella. Employee Raoul van Tol shares, “I joined as a junior three and a half years ago and progressed faster than average to become a medior and product lead. Part of this success is due to the TMA, as everyone within the organization knows where I excel.”

Van Tol views the analysis as a “large mirror that you hold up to yourself.” “It’s a great way to enhance your strengths, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t develop in areas where you have less natural aptitude. That’s precisely the challenge,” he explains.

He emphasizes that it’s not only interesting for his personal development. “While self-focus is essential, we also work with a lot of people. I find the Team TMA fascinating because it’s interactive and provides various insights. When you know who is results-oriented or who has high or low stress resilience, you can better understand how to approach each other. It enhances collaboration.”

Promotes customer satisfaction

Van Tol receives coaching from a TMA professional, but he also coaches others. “I assist colleagues who have been with the organization for a shorter period in identifying what they need to take their work to the next level. I challenge them to develop themselves, which makes work more enjoyable. Now that there’s greater focus on employees, we see less energy wasted. This not only makes Merkle an attractive employer but also enhances customer satisfaction. After all, our clients also have an impact on the people they interact with through the 360-Degree Feedback.”

Begin with TMA

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'People come first in everything we do'