Coffee Break Smiles at Emons: A Chat with Kasia Petryszak

At Emons, every trip is a mission – and so is making the workplace a more positive and engaging space. That is why the HR team is launching a new initiative to brighten the workday: daily motivational quotes and jokes for a coffee break with smiles!

Employees can submit their favourite work-related quote or a light-hearted joke, and two times per week, one will be posted next to the coffee machine in the common space – the ‘living room’ of the Emons Group headquarters. It is a small initiative, but small things can have a big impact.

To learn more about this initiative and get to know the person behind it, we sat down with Kasia Petryszak, the newest member of the HR team. She shared her journey to the Emons Group, her passion for HR, and her vision for workplace well-being.

I moved to the Netherlands a few years ago and I opened a beauty salon. It went well! I ran it for five years, gave training, and even wrote a book about eyelash techniques.

But at some point, I knew I wanted to do something different. My interest in HR started when my mom was battling cancer. An amazing HR professional helped her. This made me realize how much of an impact HR can have on people’s lives. Thankfully, my mom is doing well now, and I decided to pursue HR. I studied remotely and travelled back to Poland for my exams. When I was looking for an internship, I found Emons, and I immediately liked the team!

I love helping people and working on projects. HR is not just about paperwork; it is about making the workplace better. Every day is different, and I have the freedom to bring in new ideas. I want people to enjoy coming to work.

You know, I love pancakes, but if I had to eat them every day, I would get tired of them. Work can be the same. It is important to bring variety and motivation to keep things exciting.

I handle different tasks, from managing job applications, approving holidays, onboarding new employees, and working on HR projects. One project is improving the recruitment process. Right now, everything is done by email, and we want to make it more efficient. We proposed a new recruitment system, the board approved it, and now we are working on implementing it.

I’m proud to be part of this project! Ruud van Gerrevink, my manager, is a great mentor – he listens to my ideas and supports me in bringing them to life.

I have a lot of ideas in my head – and about 5% of them are even good! This one came to me while talking to my fiancé. I was citing a quote to him, and I thought, ‘Why not share motivational quotes at work?’ Then, I added the joke element to make it more fun.

It is a small thing, but even a little smile can make a difference in someone’s day. Sometimes, a quote can be exactly what you need to hear at that moment. It is a simple way to bring people together and create a positive atmosphere.

We are just getting started, but I have already seen people laughing when they read the quotes. That’s a good sign!

Right now, I am focusing on reducing repetitive tasks, like improving the recruitment system. The less time we spend on paperwork, the more time we have to focus on employees.

We are also working on increasing our focus on employees’ well-being. Our colleague, Tara van Dinther – another new entry – is leading employee surveys and updating the company handbook. Once we have more data, we can make meaningful improvements based on real feedback.

From my first day, I never felt like I had to check the clock and count the minutes until 5 PM. The people here are welcoming, and the work environment is supportive. In some companies, people are constantly watching each other and being extremely competitive. Here, it feels more like a team – everyone smiles and is genuinely nice to each other.

Yes! But I’m not going to spoil anything just yet. Let’s just say that it has to do with how our colleague William Emons feels on Fridays. You’ll have to wait and see, it’s all about making work fun!

With her enthusiasm and fresh ideas, Kasia is already making a positive impact at Emons. Whether improving HR processes, supporting employee well-being, or simply sharing a daily joke, she is committed to making the workplace a better place for everyone. As she said, we will wait, see, and keep you posted!