Cuddling the neighbour’s dog…

“In our offices you can work, meet, enjoy a meal, do sports and even map out your future career.” It is no run-of-the-mill office! And that is exactly what FitValue wants with their double Layers unit in Haarlem.

One thing everyone can agree on is that it’s important to have a nice working environment. For FitValue, which was founded in 2017, things are a little more complicated. They employ civil engineering specialists on a permanent basis and then second them to different customers. You can find them working for the Zaanstad and Amsterdam local authorities or for provincial governments, contractors or at Schiphol Airport. “So that is where my colleagues work on a day-to-day basis,” says office manager Danielle den Uijl, “But it’s important to us for them to feel part of the FitValue team. That they feel at home here. An assignment may last one or two years before they then move on to their next job but we are still here, so this is their home base. This is their team.”

Team day

And that’s been part of their thorough approach since they founded the business and set up their headquarters in Haarlem. Their team now includes 15 civil engineering specialists, occupying a wide range of disciplines. They spend most days working at their temporary assignments but return for a team day every three weeks. This involves a rigorous routine designed to keep them physically and mentally fit. They are pushed to their limits by a personal trainer, given coaching sessions for plotting their future career paths, and swap experiences. Communal dining is a fixed part of the team building and they sometimes go out for the day together. This could be for a serious working visit or to relax with a game of cards or even surfing, for example.

Coming home

When setting up the office that they moved into in early 2024, no expense was spared in designing premises that suit them and create a ‘coming home’ feel. The design perfectly reflects the various fields in which FitValue operates. The ground floor includes a meeting room and a large sports hall with two bathrooms (each with a shower and toilet) and is decorated in earthy colours with an ‘under the ground’ theme. This is a nod to soil surveys and the laying of cables and pipelines. The first floor is all about the public space. The colours run from grey on the floor to brown-tinted furniture and green on the walls and ceiling. This floor features workspaces in the centre, with a number of separate concentration areas around the perimeter. On the third floor, the theme is ‘in the air’, with an extensive use of blue. The roof terrace is also on this floor, for those who want to enjoy some fresh air.

Central location

FitValue serves customers in Amsterdam, Haarlem, Emmeloord, Zaanstad and beyond. Finding a central location was therefore important when they decided to buy their own premises instead of continuing to rent their office in Nieuw Vennep. Layers Haarlem was one of many candidates. At first they drew a blank, but FitValue seized their chance when a unit became vacant. “A stroke of luck. This location is very easy to reach thanks to its proximity to the A5 and A9. Amsterdam Sloterdijk railway station is just a quarter of an hour away. Public transport is important for us and it’s just a five-minute bike ride to get to the trains. Our lease cars are all electric and the four parking spaces at the front of the building all have charging points.”

Icing on the cake

The roof terrace is the icing on the cake. This is a multifunctional space that is suitable for a work meeting, lunch, late-afternoon drinks or an early-morning coffee. Weather permitting, of course. And Danielle has discovered one more use: “I sometimes give the neighbour’s dog a cuddle if I see him outside on the roof terrace!”

FitValue
Layers Haarlem