Meet Marieke
"Working here has opened up a whole new world for me."
Marieke Meurs, Central Process Control OfficerAbout Marieke
Marieke Meurs started working at an office furniture company after completing her studies in interior design consultancy at a vocational school for wood, furniture and interior design. But when the office furniture company collapsed, Marieke had to look for a new job. Her father-in-law and sister-in-law already worked at Action, and she found a vacancy there. She's been working as a Central Process Control Officer for 10 years now. To top it all off, her husband recently joined the Action team, too.
You, your husband, sister-in-law and father-in-law all work at the same company. Do you only talk about Action at home?
"Ha! That wouldn't be a bad thing. Action is a large company with many different positions and activities. My father-in-law works as a team leader in the warehouse, my sister-in-law is a supply chain allocator, and my husband is a financial controller. So, we all do something completely different and hardly see each other."
What were your first impressions when you started working at Action?
"My father-in-law and sister-in-law were always keen, so I knew everything would be alright! I found it really exciting, but my degree wasn't so relevant and the company I previously worked for wasn't that similar to Action. I also had no idea what working at Action would entail. Even so, I went into it with an open mind and was willing to learn. I spent those early days learning a lot. I started out in the Planning department, which was responsible for the distribution centre in Zwaagdijk at the time. The sheer scale of a distribution centre, the technical terms, everything you need to do to get from an order to a full truck – a whole new world opened up for me."
"At the Central Process Control Office, we work in alternating shifts. That means no two working weeks are the same."
What is your role as a Central Process Control Officer?
"The Central Process Control Office has been in place for a few years and is responsible for order processing, planning and delivery for all Action distribution centres. The great thing about working at the CPC Office is that we work in alternating shifts, so no two working weeks are the same. All of us are also specialists in a particular service. For my colleague Pieter and myself, this means new stores and RER, which stands for "refurbishment, enlargement and relocation". As part of our role, we arrange all sorts of things when a store is closing or (re)opening. If we're working on a brand-new store, we start preparing three weeks before the opening so the store can start to be stocked with products. We're also available for the new store team should they have any questions."
Which qualities do you need to have to succeed at Action?
"If I had to name one thing, it would be that we're all down to earth. What's more, everyone at Action is really different. I see people from different cultures with different personality traits wherever I look. The mix of people really makes working at Action great. We have a young team. I'm still young and I love working with my peers."
Do you feel involved at Action?
"Action has grown hugely over the last 10 years. That's great, of course, but such rapid growth can also make you feel less connected to the company. Luckily, Action sends out an email to all staff every week with news about new distribution centres, stores and products, for example. This helps you to keep track of what is going on within the company. My team leader also makes sure that people from other departments regularly come and talk to us about their work. I really enjoy hearing how colleagues I wouldn't normally run into are doing in their roles. Speaking of running: last January I took part in the Action DC Run with colleagues from across the organisation, raising money for the Princess Máxima Center. Everyone was talking about it, and initiatives like that really bring people together. So yes, I feel very involved at Action!"