Working with a disability: “Go on that adventure together”
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In late 2020, Rabobank employee Jurgen van Haperen was diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder, which was partly why he decided to find a job that suited him better. He ended up in Financial Economic Crime. “I can work independently here and my colleagues are understanding of my situation.” He hopes his story will inspire other people with disabilities.
Jurgen doesn’t beat around the bush: “I would like to tell my colleagues that they should always believe in themselves. That’s my most important message. If you know what you’re capable of and believe in yourself, it will all work out in the end. You just have to keep going.” He speaks from experience. When he ran into a career dip, he refused to give up and proved his mettle instead.
He joined Rabobank in September 2006, holding different reporting positions at Wholesale & Rural for 12 years. In 2018 he moved over to data. Jurgen: “The data role demanded a lot from my communication skills,” he said. “It became clear that conveying the message was not my strong suit. It was hard to hear, but I also knew that my knowledge and skills were strong. I knew what the job was about and I had proven it over several years.”
Reintegration track
In autumn 2019, Jurgen noticed that his job was costing him too much energy. He reached out to the company doctor. Jurgen: “I’d had a hard time recharging my battery after a really busy period at work, so I asked for help. In consultation with the company doctor, I took a step back and my general practitioner pointed me towards a program that would help reveal the cause. I started working again, but I worked fewer hours.”
In November 2020, he was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. He can function perfectly well with this developmental disability, but he does need more time for some things. On the other hand, his “challenge,” as he calls it, works to his advantage. “I can do certain tasks exceptionally fast.” He continued, “Give me a complicated Excel sheet with a lot of data and I’ll have it figured out in half an hour."
Jurgen discovered what was a good fit for him and what made him happy. “I ended up applying for an in-house position at Financial Economic Crime (FEC). The interview started well, but ended on a low note when I was asked an unexpected question. Something like that throws me off guard, and I can get stuck if I haven’t had time to prepare. I tried to come up with an answer, but I couldn’t. Unfortunately, getting stuck that way was enough to bring an end to the application process.”
Being transparent and honest with your disabilities works to your advantage. "
But Jurgen didn’t give up. “I knew that my strong analytical skills meant I’d be right at home at FEC. I shouldn’t be written off because of a single snapshot, right?” He got in touch with different people within Rabobank and quickly established a good network. That was fruitful: “In February 2021 I spoke to somebody in HR. I explained my situation, emphasising that I couldn’t imagine that no-one in FEC would want to give me a chance. She agreed with me and not long after, I was sitting down with the location manager in Amsterdam and my future team leader. The meeting went well right from the start. We agreed that I would complete a two-month in-house course and then join FEC as an analyst.” And so it went. In fall 2021, Jurgen began a new chapter in his career at Rabobank in Zaandam.
Perseverance
It was a good chapter, but one that ended in late 2023. “I’m a person who has a challenge, and I don’t hide it. I noticed that management expected more from FEC analysts than I had to offer and realized that the position wasn’t 100% for me. So I had a look at other internal roles and found a model tester position at FEC. The role was more structured and that’s something I need. I got the job, af first on secondment, and could stay on if I still liked it after three months. There’s no doubt in my mind though, I am really excited about this new opportunity and I know I can do it.”
I notice that the opportunities I get often depend on who I meet within the bank."
Ignorance
Jurgen sees that Rabobank is making good strides when it comes to inclusiveness. But not everyone is “up to date" yet. "I notice that the opportunities I get often depend on who I meet within the bank. That’s because there is still a lot of ignorance about autism. So it’s important to be open about your additional challenges. Being transparent and honest with those around you about what your challenges are works to your advantage. Because you know better where your strengths and weaknesses lie, you don't have to hide your challenges and other people can help you brainstorm about the which roles would suit you best.”
Jurgen also wants to support team leaders and managers with tips like: dare to think out of the box. "Choose people with communication skills, but also people with analytical skills. Don’t go looking for unicorns, because they don't exist. For example, I know that I am very meticulous, down to the smallest details. Dare to choose different qualities for a team. Give people space but go on that adventure together."