Despite COVID-19, recruitment at LCL gained momentum this year. Candidates are now looking for a safe and stable employer in a thriving sector with a future, and we can offer them that. Dimitri, Human Resources Officer at LCL, gives us a look behind the scenes.

This week, we get to know Dimitri Vanschoenwinkel (27), Human Resources Officer at LCL, also known internally as the joke teller of the LCL family. He joined LCL in mid-2018.

What does your job entail?
In my previous position, Administrative HR Assistant Officer, the emphasis was more on the administrative side of human resources. I am now the Human Resources Officer, which gives me the opportunity to focus more on the recruitment of our new colleagues. I am involved in all parts of the recruitment process: from the search for the right profile to the recruitment of the new employee. My goal? To ensure that all our staff feel good at LCL.

What are the challenges in your job?
I find it challenging to search for the right profiles for a specific position on my own. The candidate must have both the right hard and soft skills for the position. In addition, it is important to us that the values ​​of the person in question are in line with those of LCL. This is important because we want to recruit people for the long term. Only then can we build a good relationship with each other.
It is also useful that LCL is an SME. This means that everyone knows each other well and the lines of communication are short. So I can go to any manager to get more information about the position for which they are looking for a new employee. This helps me to get a clear idea of ​​what the position entails. That way, I can start my quest to find the perfect fit and answer the candidates' questions.  
LCL gives me the opportunity to gain greater insight into the different aspects of human resources thanks to additional training such as ‘HR Manager Recruitment & Selection’ and ‘HR branding’. This enables me to perform my job even better.

Has LCL continued to recruit people during the corona crisis?
LCL has been looking for extra staff for the opening and takeover of a data centre in Aalst and Huizingen respectively. We already started recruiting more actively last year and that has accelerated this year. The corona crisis has had no impact on this. Of course we had to come up with new ways to keep the process safe for everyone.

Has COVID-19 created opportunities for the HR department?
It was often mentioned during job interviews that people are looking for a stable work environment that offers a future. We also had candidates who decided to change jobs because they felt that their employer was not sufficiently aware of the needs of staff during the corona crisis. I can proudly say that LCL is the right place for both aspects.

How many new people have you recruited since the start of the corona crisis?
We have recruited a total of eight new people. A marketing & communications manager, two engineers, two other technical profiles, an accountant, an administrative operations assistant and a receptionist.

Is the recruitment procedure at LCL different now, in view of the corona crisis?
The recruitment process has changed drastically from a live approach to a fully digitized way of working. We have been conducting our interviews via Microsoft Teams since mid-March 2020, which was quite an adjustment. As an HR Officer, you cannot study the candidates' attitude as well because you can only see their upper body. It's better than nothing, but not at all the same as a face-to-face conversation.
But there are two steps at the end of the process that we do not do digitally at LCL. On the one hand, the tour of the data centre itself. We think it is very important to introduce our new colleague to the environment where he/she will end up. On the other hand, the last step of the recruitment process, namely signing the contract, which is still done with pen and paper.

What don’t you like so much about everyone now working remotely?
I especially regret that we don't see each other so much now that everyone has to telecommute. LCL is committed to ensuring the satisfaction of its employees. Normally, we organize numerous group activities from HR, both during and after office hours. For example, there is our “LCL afterwork” every month, but COVID-19 has put a stop to that. We will get something up and running up again as soon as possible. In the meantime, we make do with what we have to maintain the warm family feeling among our staff and do this in various ways. Every morning, for example, I share a joke in LCL's Coffee Corner application. So the day starts with a smile straightaway!

Why choose LCL as a future employer?
As an employee at LCL, you find yourself in a very attractive business with a lot of growth potential. Thanks to data centres, among other things, companies can currently let their staff work from home, which would otherwise not be possible. Data centres are therefore simply crucial in the digitization of our society. During our job interviews, it is often mentioned that IP (video) calls between two parties that are connected to a different telecom provider are co-facilitated by LCL.
In addition, LCL offers you security and stability in these uncertain times. The data centre sector is growing and will become increasingly important in the future. Finally, I would also like to emphasise that LCL is still a Belgian SME. This means that, with us, you are part of the LCL family.