Partou, a leading childcare provider in the Netherlands, has been named as a finalist in the 2024 Appreciation Awards for its outstanding achievements in transforming workplace culture. The award for “Most Transformational Culture Change Through Employee Experience Programme” recognises Partou’s efforts to overhaul its organisational culture following a major acquisition and integration process.
The Appreciation Awards, organised by Reward Gateway and Edenred, highlight exceptional HR teams across the UK that have created positive employee experiences and fostered a culture of appreciation within their organisations. The 2024 awards will be held at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London on 13 November.
Partou’s nomination comes on the heels of its shortlisting in five categories in the National NMT Nursery Awards, further underscoring the company’s commitment to excellence in childcare and employee experience.
The transformation began in 2023 when Partou acquired two UK nursery providers, Just Childcare and All About Children, adding 106 sites and around 2,500 team members to its operations. The integration involved a significant restructuring of leadership, processes, and corporate culture under the Partou brand.
Samantha Rhodes, Managing Director of Partou, explained that a key part of the transformation was renaming the Human Resources department to People and Culture, reflecting a shift in approach. “A new team was created to lead this function, moving from reactive to proactive practices and placing emphasis on trust and empowerment rather than rigid policies,” she said.
To further this transformation, Partou established two distinct teams – a People Experience team focused on enhancing employee satisfaction and a People Operations team responsible for streamlining processes. The teams worked collaboratively to define a new set of core values for Partou, laying the groundwork for a comprehensive WE CARE plan aimed at improving employee benefits and workplace policies.
Rhodes described the process of identifying these values as a key step in ensuring that the company’s cultural shift was meaningful and sustainable. “We conducted a Culture and Values assessment, asking team members to share their personal values, as well as their perceptions of the company’s current and desired values,” she explained.
The exercise revealed three consistent values across the board: Care, Compassion, and Continuous Learning. These values have become central to Partou’s mission in the UK, shaping both internal policies and the daily working environment across its nurseries.
“I am incredibly proud of the work that has been done and continues to be done to foster a positive culture at Partou,” said Rhodes. “The fact that we’ve been recognised so quickly with a nomination for an Appreciation Award is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team members across the country.”
Nick Burns, CEO of Reward Gateway and Edenred, congratulated Partou on its achievement. “Our awards celebrate organisations that demonstrate how harnessing appreciation and creating a positive employee experience can drive success,” he said.
As Partou prepares for the awards ceremony in November, it remains committed to continuous improvement in the workplace, with a focus on employee wellbeing and creating a supportive and compassionate working environment.
