Every month, Alliander welcomes between 150 and 250 new colleagues for a plenary onboarding session and an interactive game about the energy transition. A diverse group, from technicians to managers, both internally and externally. Since the beginning of 2024, Alliander has been officially bilingual. That presented a challenge, says Lonneke Bruinsma, Consultant Onboarding & Events:
“Colleagues speaking other languages ​​weren't getting the Dutch-language plenary presentation. Our initial solution was to set them aside with a buddy who translated, but that immediately made them feel excluded. That's not in keeping with our inclusive culture.”

The team searched for an effective solution to be an inclusive employer. That solution was found in Soundshape 1 Pro. By simply scanning a QR code, other language speaking colleagues can choose their language and read along live on their own phone or via a special screen. “It's convenient that everything that goes through the sound system—including video—is now subtitled and translated in real time. This makes the plenary session fully accessible in one go.” according to Lonneke.

The approach aligns with the core of the onboarding program: welcoming new colleagues to Alliander's culture and immediately giving them the feeling of belonging. "Previously, it was difficult to find a way to engage English speakers. Now they truly feel part of the group. They see that we're making an effort to share Alliander's overall story and strategic pillars." says Lonneke.“And that fits exactly with what this meeting is all about: offering new colleagues soft landing in our company.”

The solution isn't limited to onboarding. Alliander has also used Soundshape at a leadership event last June.

Where Alliander wants to go next

The possibilities that Soundshape brings are now noticed across the organisation.“From all sides—digitalization, IT, system operations—we hear: ‘We heard you use Soundshape for live translation, can we do that too?” says Lonneke.“The great thing is that the solution is widely applicable: from a small team meeting to a large event with hundreds of people.”

Alliander is already thinking ahead. "We want to have Soundshape available as standard at fixed locations, and also mobile Microphone Kit sets for external or smaller meetings. This way, we combine reliability with flexibility."

About the applicability to other organizations Lonneke said: “Every organization that operates bilingually or wants to be inclusive for the deaf and hard-of-hearing people will sooner or later face the same challenge. With Soundshape, you have a solution that's simple to use, scalable, and truly contributes to inclusive events.”

With Soundshape 1 Pro, Alliander has taken an important step: from well-intentioned efforts to structurally inclusive onboarding. As Lonneke aptly summarizes:“The most important thing is that everyone feels welcome and understands the story. Soundshape helps us achieve that every month.”