In a study by De Tijd, dozens of witnesses speak of transgressive behavior at amusement park group Plopsa. They sketch stories of a far-reaching 24/7 culture, humiliations and divide-and-conquer tactics. CEO Steve Van den Kerkhof denies the allegations to our editors: “It hurts that certain people have had such experiences. Fortunately, we have hundreds, almost 1,000 employees who have different experiences with our companies.”
Editorial
18 Feb. 2023
Source:
VTM News, Belga, De Tijd
The conversations De Tijd conducted reveal a pattern of transgressive behaviour. Steve Van den Kerkhof, the CEO of Plopsa, is appointed as the driving force, supported by his two directors. The witnesses talk about name calling, insults, an excessive 24/7 work culture in which holidays and rest periods are not respected, bullying and turning people against each other.
Van Den Kerkhof says in a response to our editors that he has never received any complaints about the elements that De Tijd reports on. Managers can organize their working time themselves, it sounds. “More performance is a conscious choice of the managers, depending on the need at that moment,” says Van den Kerkhof. For non-executives, the “collective labor agreement of 50 hours a week and 11 hours a day is strictly observed.”
Quote
Swearing is completely forbidden. However, there is a very great concern about everything that has to do with safety and procedures. There is always a response to this, which can come across as ‘hard’ to some.
He also strongly denies that people are humiliated or targeted during ‘hard meetings’. “Swearing parties are also completely out of the question. However, there is a very great concern about everything that has to do with safety and procedures. Personally, I never make concessions to this, and I always respond to this. This can come across as ‘hard’ to some directors or managers.”
It is true, says Van den Kerkhof, that departments with new directors or managers, or departments that do not perform well, are “much more closely monitored by myself, and adjusted if necessary”. “Under no circumstances are departments and/or individuals set against each other, and/or gossip spread by myself.”
Endorsements
Finally, the amusement park top man also says that he never received any complaints. “Neither internally (via works council, prevention committee or trade union delegation), nor via our internal confidential adviser, nor via our external prevention service Liantis. The well-being surveys were also always positive.”
“Fortunately, we have hundreds, almost a thousand, employees who have a different experience with our corporate culture with which we have achieved fantastic things and will continue to achieve,” Van Den Kerkhof responds to our editors. “Since this morning I have had hundreds of messages of support from current employees that they are absolutely behind the current management. That is good, I hope that as a company we will come out of this stronger.”
Dozens of testimonials of transgressive behavior at Plopsa: “Apparently calibrated channels to raise matters have not worked”
Response Studio 100
“We have received serious reports via De Tijd about the working environment at our amusement park division Plopsa. We take these reports very seriously and have therefore launched a thorough and independent investigation.
“The research is led by Master Christine Mussche. As long as the investigation is ongoing, we will maintain confidence in Plopsa’s management. Studio 100 wishes to emphasize that guaranteeing a safe environment, both for employees and visitors, remains an absolute priority.”
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