Kevin Canales
Management and HRThe Employee Journey

From onboarding to professional development: How do you keep employees engaged?

A strong organization isn’t just about finding the right people—it’s also about retaining them. Especially in the cultural sector, where teams are often small and workloads can be high, focusing on employees is essential. From effective onboarding to opportunities for growth, engaged employees feel at home more quickly, grow alongside the organization, and stay connected for longer.

The first few weeks at a new organization are crucial. Yet, in practice, onboarding is often underestimated. New employees are given a laptop, added to a WhatsApp group, and then left to figure things out on their own. This can lead to confusion, especially in the cultural sector, where many processes are informal and project-based.

Effective onboarding helps new colleagues settle in more quickly. This could include a clear introduction to the team, an onboarding document, or a buddy system. It also helps to set clear expectations: how do you work together, what are the key points of contact, and what responsibilities come with the role? Make sure to schedule introductory meetings with colleagues right away during the first two weeks, and check in at least once a week to see how things are going and if the new employee needs anything.

💡 Tip: Create a simple onboarding checklist for new employees or freelancers. This will help ensure that important information doesn't fall through the cracks.

From Performance Review to Ongoing Dialogue

Whereas annual performance reviews used to be the norm, the focus is increasingly shifting toward continuous feedback and development. Models such as performance management are based on regular conversations rather than a single formal meeting once a year. This makes sense in an industry where roles and projects change rapidly. An ongoing dialogue helps keep expectations clear and identify problems earlier. How is the workload? In what areas does someone want to develop? And does the role still align with the realities of the job? Be sure to schedule these conversations so they aren’t forgotten or so that the focus isn’t limited to practical, day-to-day topics.

Within cultural organizations, it’s becoming increasingly common to combine informal check-ins with more structured evaluation sessions—for example, after a production, event, or project period.

Opportunities for professional development

Many people in the cultural sector are intrinsically motivated and want to continue developing themselves. Yet training and professional development are often the first things to take a back seat when time or budget are tight. Investing in professional development, however, pays off greatly. It yields not only subject-matter knowledge but also motivation, a sense of ownership, and long-term employability. This can take the form of training, coaching, peer review, or knowledge-sharing within the team. Examples include training courses through Cultuur Academy, knowledge-sharing programs organized by Cultuur Oost, or meetings focused on Fair Practice, inclusion, and leadership.

The so-called 70-20-10 model is also often cited in this context: 70% of development occurs on the job, 20% through collaboration and feedback, and 10% through formal training. Development, therefore, does not always have to involve an expensive course.

💡 Tip: Don't limit discussions about professional development to performance reviews; make it a regular part of your collaboration throughout the year—both for the team during special meetings and on an individual level.

Growth doesn't always have to mean moving up

In small cultural organizations, career advancement opportunities are sometimes limited. There isn’t always a higher-level position available. However, professional development doesn’t automatically mean a promotion. Advancement can also mean that someone takes on new responsibilities, leads a project, or specializes in a particular subject. By giving employees a sense of ownership, roles remain challenging and varied. Therefore, don’t just look at job titles, but focus primarily on talents and ambitions. What energizes someone? Which role does someone want to develop further? Not everyone needs to take big steps every year: make sure the steps taken align with the personal situation and capabilities of the specific employee.

Sustainable Employability in the Cultural Sector

The cultural sector thrives on commitment and enthusiasm. But precisely because of this, burnout and blurred boundaries are a constant risk. Temporary contracts, evening shifts, and peak periods make sustainable employability all the more important. Sustainable employability means that both the organization and its employees continue to prioritize vitality, professional competence, and the ability to adapt—even in the long term. This, therefore, requires effort not only from the employees themselves but also from the organizations.

Models such as the Job Demands-Resources model show that high workloads are more sustainable when balanced by sufficient support, autonomy, and opportunities for growth. As a result, more and more organizations are focusing on mental health, workloads, and flexibility. For example, by enabling hybrid work, consciously scheduling quieter periods, or placing greater emphasis on follow-up support after intensive projects or production runs.

A Culture of Care

Engaged employees are ultimately the result not only of HR policies, but above all of the way people work together on a daily basis and the way leadership is exercised. Especially in small cultural organizations, communication, trust, and clarity make a big difference.

What helps keep employees engaged?

  • clear expectations and responsibilities
  • Regular check-ins instead of just annual reviews
  • room for feedback and personal initiative
  • Focus on Workload and Mental Health
  • opportunities to develop new skills
  • express appreciation, even for small successes
  • flexibility wherever possible, such as regarding work hours or hybrid work arrangements
  • coaching leadership

Organizations that invest in these areas often achieve greater continuity, lower turnover, and stronger teams. Especially in the cultural sector, where passion runs high, a healthy work culture makes a big difference in the long run.

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