VHR Congress 2025: Making Work Better For All

How can we make work better for everyone?

That question was at the heart of the VHR Congress 2025 at the Concertgebouw in Bruges. A day full of sharp insights and reflection on HR for the future.

Three major pain points

Frank Vander Sijpe (Securex) began with an overview of the Belgian labour market and the day's themes. Three red flags stood out.

1. Wellbeing
All indicators on absenteeism are flashing red. Yet, many employees remain strikingly immobile, choosing to “camp” in their current jobs rather than explore new horizons.

2. The struggle for talent
Organisations continue to face severe talent scarcity. There is some relief, with slightly more candidates per vacancy, but Belgium still has one of the highest vacancy rates in Europe.

3. Productivity
The foundation of our prosperity is under pressure. Companies need higher productivity, while rising labour costs weigh heavily.

These three issues are deeply connected. Weak wellbeing leads to absenteeism and extra workload, which in turn makes attracting talent harder and puts further pressure on productivity.

The challenge

The challenge is clear. We must find ways to achieve sustainable progress in wellbeing, talent and productivity without simply asking people to work harder.

The central question remains: how do we make work better for everyone? More human ánd more effective.

Three levers

1) Smart, human-centred technology
Dado Van Peteghem reminded us that the balance between scale and soul will determine the resilience of organisations and their people. 

Technology moves business forward, but soul moves people. — Dado Van Peteghem

In an era where AI scales faster than we ever could, the real question is not what machines can do, but what we as humans uniquely bring to the table. 

Small gains come from individual AI use. Real progress comes when it’s embedded in strategy. And when it’s guided by a human-centred approach that values people’s unique talents.

2) Open view on talent
The next lever is how we view talent. As one participant sharply put it:

There is no shortage of talent, but a lack of open-minded managers.

That insight captured the message. Look at talent with an open mind. Avoid getting stuck in rigid job descriptions. Focus on interests, potential, and customisation.

Reward policies also call for personalisation. Soukaina Bouddount raised the question whether we should keep chasing market-conform pay, or reward based on competencies and values, leaving more room for individual approaches.

To ensure continuity while strengthening impact, consider a strong and flexible layer of external experts, within a total talent management approach where internal and external professionals complement each other.

3) Evidence-based practice
Grounding HR in evidence through scientific research, organisational data, professional expertise, and stakeholder input helps leaders make better, more responsible decisions.

Responsible leadership was central in the words of Geert Aelbrecht (Besix): lead with care, paying attention to the individual, the team and the broader context, including the home environment.

That’s even more true when it comes to absences. As Professor Lode Godderis (IDEWE) pointed out:

After three months of absence, returning to work becomes much harder. — Lode Godderis

His advice: not control, but listening and staying in touch.

Responsible leadership also means staying open to new insights. One illustration came from Sofie Dupré (Ghent University), whose recent research shows that personality is not carved in stone. With small interventions, employees can develop traits that make them more adaptable and employable.

Key takeaways

The message that resonated throughout the day was clear: work can and must be made better for people, especially for those whose talent and potential remain overlooked.

That's also the essence of three enablers essential for HR: smart, human-centred tech, an open view on talent and evidence-based practice. Together, they help HR teams turn today’s challenges in wellbeing, talent and productivity into concrete steps forward.

Thanks to the organisers and all speakers for an inspiring edition. Beam was proud to be a partner once again.

Want to dive deeper into this theme? Join us on 17 October at the HRPro Conference 2025 in Brussels, with 𝘖𝘱𝘦𝘯 𝘏𝘙 as its central theme.