Elodie Janse (HR Omoda and Assem): “Not everything needs to be put into policy”

When asked what her work day looks like, Elodie Janse, HR manager at Dutch fashion and shoe retailers Omoda and Assem, laughs: “My husband sometimes asks that too.”

“It strongly depends on what we as a company are working on at that moment.” This quarter, the agenda includes the integration of a recent acquisition of Dutch fashion retailer Mijn Modewereld, a new employee survey (the ‘Feeling Special Score’), and the renewal of the onboarding process for boutique employees.

However, beyond that agenda, it is mainly about something else. “The HR profession cannot always be fully captured in figures or data, but it is definitely strategic,” she states. It is about sensing undercurrents, understanding what is happening beneath the surface, and translating that into concrete actions and choices.

“Omoda and Assem are also simply commercial companies.” What happens internally must be translated into decisions that align with the company's direction and ambitious growth plans. “It is precisely that combination of human insight and business acumen, and daring to provide direction in that, which is where my passion lies,” affirms Janse.

From a side job to a career

Janse’s story at Omoda began as a side job. “I come from Zierikzee and worked as a temporary employee in the store. Even then, I thought it was a really great company and thought: I would like to work there later.”

After her psychology studies, she applied for an HR position. “Omoda had just over one hundred employees at the time. The foundation was there, but there was no elaborate HR structure yet.” She joined as the company began to professionalise.

After six years, she made the switch to coaching in personal development and guidance. She soon realised she missed Omoda.

“At the family business, you can think of something today and start working on it tomorrow,” she says. “Not everything has to go through endless layers.” The lines of communication are short. “And it is genuinely from Zeeland,” true to its regional roots. “If that suits you, it is a good match. I am not the only colleague who has returned.”

After her time away, Janse started as a customer experience manager. “I found it very valuable to get to know Omoda again, but from the business side. It helped me see more clearly what really happens on the shop floor and towards the customer.” Yet, HR continued to appeal. “I have been fully focused on that again for a few years now.”

What appeals to her so much about that work? “You are at the heart of the organisation and contribute to who you want to be as a company, both internally and externally.” She also mentions that each phase of the organisation demands something different from the HR profession. “And those phases are following each other more and more quickly.”

HR on the line: room for individual entrepreneurship

At Omoda and Assem, a lot of responsibility lies within the organisational structure of line organisation, for example, with regional managers and boutique managers. The latter conduct job interviews themselves, guide their employees, and hold performance reviews. HR facilitates and advises, joins in on more complex cases, and monitors overarching themes.

“We think it is important that a manager is truly an entrepreneur of their own store,” she emphasises. Entrepreneurship is a core value within the organisation. “Moreover, the boutique manager knows their team members, their strengths, ambitions, and goals best. HR acts as a sparring partner, but not everything is put into policy, so there is room for individuality.”

The HR team consists of several specialists. An HR advisor is responsible for the daily support of the business for both the logistics organisation and the boutiques. A payroll specialist and an HR process specialist are also part of the team. The latter role was added partly due to the scaling up. It looks at where processes can be improved or made smarter. “Digitalisation and new developments, such as the use of AI within HR, are given attention in this,” explains Janse.

Growth and what it demands

On one hand, growth requires more structure, clear processes and further professionalisation. On the other hand, Omoda wants to maintain the entrepreneurial and personal character that is the strength of the family business. This tension brings challenges, Janse acknowledges, but it also makes the work interesting. “It requires constant consideration.”

“With acquisitions, there is always movement in an organisation,” says Janse. This is often accompanied by tension. People logically wonder what it means for their role, their team and their future. “Anticipating and communicating are crucial then. It is precisely at that moment that HR must not only facilitate but also provide direction and create calm.”

She is also careful not to get bogged down in the many administrative matters during such periods. “The most important thing is to keep seeing and speaking to people.” This becomes more difficult as the organisation grows. “In a company with hundreds of employees, it is not realistic for everyone to walk into HR themselves to raise an issue or sound the alarm.” That remains the ambition, however. “People can come to us with their ideas.”

Recruitment and appreciation

How is the recruitment of new staff going? “In general, we are successful in filling positions.” Some boutique manager roles or vacancies in specific cities can take a bit more time. The position of marketing and e-commerce director was deliberately left open for some time. “We had many candidates with excellent credentials, but we waited for someone who truly fits our team and DNA.”

Does Omoda also face challenges, for example, with regard to Gen Z? “We actually have few problems with that,” says Janse. “We do notice that young employees have different expectations and life plans. Not everyone wants to work full-time as a standard or be available during all holidays, for instance. We try to be flexible with that.” Smiling, she adds: “Sometimes it is simply a matter of hiring more temporary staff than in the past.”

Retail is not a sector where generous bonuses or high salaries are a given, Janse agrees when asked. The work also demands flexibility, she explains. This includes weekend shifts, quick adaptability, and dealing with a fast pace. At the same time, it is precisely this pace, according to the HR manager, that makes the retail sector attractive. “What primarily connects people to us is the dynamism and the direct impact of their work. You are guided by the customer; a lot happens at once, and decisions have an almost immediate effect. What you decide today, you see in the store or online tomorrow.”

Omoda deliberately chooses creative forms of appreciation and focuses on connection. “Because it is really our people who make it happen.” For example, every quarter there is an organisation-wide update and an awards show where colleagues nominate each other for the title of ‘Entrepreneur of the Quarter’. There is also an annual Friends & Family Day, where employees can show their workplace to family and friends.

In conclusion

What does Janse want to share with others? “At Omoda, we simply try to do things as well as possible,” she states. “When I look at where we were ten years ago and where we are now, we can be really proud of that.”

“Very occasionally, I look at other tightly organised companies and wonder if more shouldn't be formalised. When we discuss this internally, we quickly come to the conclusion that the added value lies precisely in the fact that not everything is set in stone. You can completely structure HR, but then you might lose some of your soul.” Too much structure can put pressure on culture and resilience. “For us, it is about consciously choosing both frameworks and freedom,” explains Janse.

For job seekers and employees, her advice is: “Choose an organisation where you feel at home and dare to take responsibility.”

Sources:
- Interview with Elodie Janse, HR manager at Omoda and Assem, February 4, 2026.
- AI tools were used to transcribe the interview and as a writing aid.