“I have a different job every day, in the same company”

What does she like best about her work? Loes Bakker, HR employee and coach at the fashion chain Tally-ho, doesn’t have to think twice. “The intensive conversations and coaching sessions with our managers really make me very happy,” she says. “They can even bring me to tears, especially when everything comes together.”

She also mentions flexibility. “I use Mondays as a focus day for ongoing matters, emails and inspiration for personal development. On Wednesdays and Thursdays I am out and about and visit our branches. Sometimes by appointment, but most of the time I drop by spontaneously.” Bakker follows her feelings. “Then I think: I have to stop by there now. And then I hear: ‘Oh Loes, I was hoping you’d come.'”

“This freedom comes from the great trust that I receive from Barbara,” says Bakker. “And I think it’s wonderful that I don’t know where I’m going when I’m in the car in the morning.”

From a ‘bridging year’ to a 25-year career

What was intended to be temporary turned into a career that spanned 25 years. Bakker graduated from the Modelyceum and then began studying business administration. However, she stopped because she didn’t like it. She started working at Tally-ho to help with a store opening. “The idea was to bridge the year and then look for another training. But in the end the company became my training.”

Bakker rose quickly. First she became assistant manager in Alkmaar, then manager of a large branch and later other locations such as the one in Bergen. “That was a real challenge,” she looks back. “I was a young girl at the time and was leading a huge team. But I got that confidence straight away.”

The word trust comes up again when Bakker talks about ten years ago. At that time, her role in the company changed to her current position. With small children and fewer working hours, she realized that she could no longer fulfill the role of manager as she wanted. She asked Van Leyen to speak and explained what was bothering her. “Barbara said, ‘For me are you tally-ho. What do you want?’ That gave me so much confidence and a feeling of being seen.”

They decided that Bakker should supervise the managers. “It was an organic development. The role as HR and coach emerged from a need: something that I would have wanted myself as a shop manager.”

Freedom and framework conditions

Bakker looks after Tally-ho’s now 15 managers. She doesn’t do this out of a control function, but primarily as a coach and sparring partner. Her way of working is characterized by being open to current topics and reacting directly to them. “I’m actually just going along with it,” she says modestly and immediately adds: “It’s all about constantly feeling what’s needed. Seeing where needs lie and then offering that.”

At Tally-ho, the managers have a lot of responsibility and autonomy. You are responsible for your branch and your team. This ranges from recruiting and selection to employee interviews and assessments. Bakker consciously leaves these tasks to them and is ‘there for them when needed’.

The freedom that managers receive also leads to initiatives in the workplace. The annual ‘Green Week’ is an example of this. It is a sustainability week that is organized by the branches themselves together with local entrepreneurs. “At the last edition, for example, the branch in Alkmaar was converted into a yoga studio on Sunday, including a delicious smoothie.”

Bakker: “I hire the managers and I know what we want at Tally-ho.” Which types suit us? “It has to be authentic: pure. And when the chemistry is right, a lot of things happen by themselves. Then it just flows,” she says. Of course there are also general conditions. Policies are set out in the HR handbook, but the culture is based primarily on shared values.

One of these values ​​is sustainability, an important pillar of Tally-ho. “Not just when Barbara buys clothes or organic food,” explains Bakker. “I transfer sustainability to a lasting relationship with the managers – and above all to the fact that they have this relationship with themselves.”

At Tally-ho, the separation of work and private life is important. “I think that people should really have time off outside of working hours. When they are in business, we expect them to let go of private matters as much as possible. A practical rule, for example, is that employees do not use their cell phones on the sales floor. This ensures more peace and concentration, which contributes to overall success.”

The people behind the managers

For Bakker, good human resources policy is inextricably linked to the people behind the manager. Every January she discusses with her managers where they are and where they want to go. This year they created vision boards with personal goals. “Not goals for the business, but really for them as people,” she emphasizes.

And where will the need be in 2026? According to Bakker, personal development comes first. She also sees a clear need for connection: exchanging ideas with colleagues, reflecting together and sharing experiences. “This will be back on the agenda in the coming period.”

How important are people actually for Tally-ho? According to Bakker, that’s the core of it all. If employees don’t feel comfortable, it’s reflected in the results, she says. “And it works the other way around. Anyone who feels comfortable in their own skin radiates this to the team and ultimately to the customers.”

Bakker believes in the power of constant dialogue and putting challenges into perspective. “If you keep talking to each other, solutions often emerge on their own,” she says. “And when you take that time and attention for each other, you really feel that you can do it together.” This is how connection is created.

“Attention and trust, that’s what I keep coming back to,” she says. “That’s really the foundation.” This is also her tip for other professionals and organizations. “When you give that, something good almost always comes out of it. Attention and trust are welcome everywhere and from everyone.”

According to Bakker, leadership also means being creative in team building and having the courage to change things, she emphasizes. “When you think: Hey, things aren’t going quite well – and, for example, you transfer a colleague from one team to another and you suddenly see that things are going better… These are these beautiful moments that make me very happy. Sometimes it’s almost like a game.”

“Sometimes it’s a new search,” she continues. “After opening the store in Amsterdam, I really had to look: Where am I most needed now?” As the organization grows, the amount of time it has for each employee also changes. “Then I think again: What can I put back and what can I give away?”

“I think the Tally-ho team strong. We really run the business together,” emphasizes Bakker. In her opinion, there is no question of a shortage of staff in the retail sector. “I have a list of people who want to work for us,” she shares. “A representative recently asked me how this is possible. I think it’s about creating a pleasant place to work and a good atmosphere. People stay on average for a long time.”

Constantly moving

On to another 25 years? “As long as I enjoy it,” Bakker beams. “Whenever something becomes too routine or something is missing, I look for new knowledge or a different approach. I recently trained in body-oriented therapy because some employees have difficulty putting their feelings into words.”

This renewal – the dynamic nature of her work at Tally-ho and in the fashion industry – is exactly what gives Bakker so much energy. “I have a different job every day, in the same company.”

“Everything is constantly moving and I really enjoy that.”

In addition to all the liveliness and hustle and bustle, Bakker also enjoys the moments of peace, she concludes. “Consciously enjoying what is there and what you have already achieved – that is what I would like to pass on to others. Peace and space often bring the most beautiful insights.”