Samenvatting

This article describes a flexibility program for plateaued professionals in a technical Dutch firm operating in the consultancy sector we will refer to with the pseudonym Greentree Corp. First, we will discuss the impact reorganization had on job-requirements and career opportunities for technical employees. Secondly, we will discuss the program the company developed in close cooperation with external consultants to make the plateaued workforce more flexible and the outcomes of the flexibility program. Important components of the development policy were a three-day workshop designed for team managers to stimulate effective career discussions with their professionals, regular progress reviews within the organizational hierarchy and for the plateaued employees the use of Personal Development plans. Interviews with both managers and participants one year after the start of the program were carried out to measure the outcomes of the program in terms of the employability of the technical employees and satisfaction with the program.