Sometimes, interactions at work can cause tension. Think of seemingly small remarks or well-intentioned jokes that don’t sit quite right. Maybe you brush the feeling off, but sometimes it lingers. In those cases, it helps to talk to someone – for advice, or simply to share your story. That’s why, a few years ago, we introduced a team of Trust Buddies.
Quinte Martens is Employer Branding Specialist and one of the initiators of the Trust Buddies project. “During my traineeship at VodafoneZiggo, I spent six months with the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) team,” she explains. “We wanted to explore how we could improve even more when it comes to diversity and inclusion. To find out, we created a survey and asked employees a wide range of questions about their experiences at VodafoneZiggo – a sort of baseline measurement.”
Encouraging and eye-opening results
As part of this research, employees were asked how safe they feel at VodafoneZiggo, and whether they feel treated equally. “The results were very positive and insightful,” Quinte says. “It turned out that the vast majority of our employees feel they can be themselves at work. That’s a great sign and says a lot about our culture!”
But there was also room for improvement, she noted. “Many colleagues indicated that reaching out to HR or a confidential advisor still felt like a big step. So if something happened – like a colleague making a questionable comment – they wouldn't raise it easily. On top of that, not everyone was aware of the available channels and options within VodafoneZiggo to talk to someone. That’s a shame, because it means some people might carry around negative feelings for too long.”
A low-threshold safety net
That needed to change, Quinte and her colleagues decided. “We spoke with various teams and focus groups to find out what a good solution might be. What we discovered was that many people at VodafoneZiggo genuinely wanted to support their colleagues. That’s how the idea for Trust Buddies was born: a low-threshold support network by and for colleagues, where people can safely share what’s on their minds.” There are now around thirty Trust Buddies, including Quinte herself. These colleagues have received special training to help create a safe environment during conversations and to take the right approach – without judgment.
A deeply rewarding role
Another original Trust Buddy is Bart Cloosen-Verbunt. He’s a Senior People Lead in the IT team and a member of VodafoneZiggo’s LGBTQ+ network. “I find it incredibly rewarding to give colleagues the space to share what they’re going through,” he says. “Everything we hear as Trust Buddies is, of course, confidential. The whole idea is to provide a space where people can talk without fear of judgment. Sometimes the issue is small, but it’s especially good to talk about those things. If you hold it in for too long, it can build up and eventually overflow. Whatever it is, there’s always room for a chat with a Trust Buddy – that’s what we’re here for.”
Every person, every conversation is different According to Bart, how someone connects with a Trust Buddy really depends on the person. “Sometimes, a quick walk or a cup of coffee is enough. Other times, one conversation isn’t quite enough, and someone needs more. It’s all very informal and accessible: you’re never obligated to do anything when you reach out to one of us.”
Helping each other move forward
The Trust Buddies team regularly meets to exchange experiences and refresh their conversation skills. “That’s really helpful, because we learn a lot from each other,” Quinte explains. “Of course, we never share confidential information from our conversations. It’s purely about how we, as Trust Buddies, can best support our colleagues. What challenges do we face, what topics are hard to talk about? That way, we continue to improve how we support others – and stay connected as a community. Incredibly valuable.”