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Meet Shanti: a permanent fixture at Greenhouse for years!

HEY, SHANTI! HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WORKING FOR GREENHOUSE?

I started working at Intervest 15 years ago. That is the parent company of Greenhouse. Intervest opened the co-working space in Mechelen four years ago. This was followed by the one in Berchem and later also one in Diegem. I currently work for Greenhouse Berchem as well as for Intervest. Both are housed in the same, green building. (Yes, you can recognise it by the beautiful façade with all the plants growing all over it on the Singel.) I have a varied and fascinating job, from which I derive a great deal of pleasure.

 

TALK ABOUT A LOYAL EMPLOYEE! HAVE THERE BEEN MANY CHANGES IN ALL THOSE YEARS?

Yes, there certainly have. At the very beginning, Intervest was located a bit further down the street. At that time, it was still a small business that consisted of Intervest Offices (offices) and Retail. The latter department focused exclusively on leasing retail premises. We were just a small team then, and treated one another like family. As Intervest grew, we started to need more space that would give us more possibilities and opportunities for further growth. In the meantime, we enriched our offering with Warehouses. This is why we moved into our very own building (which was coincidentally located on the same street). We completely renovated this building with the help of our turnkey project team.

In the beginning, my colleagues and I worked on the first few floors. At that time, I was already making sure that our visitors, employees and customers were given the best reception and service possible. When we launched the co-working Greenhouse four years ago, it was no longer practical for me to be located that high up in the building. Having to walk up and down the stairs all day long may be good exercise, but is not very efficient (she says with a smile). With the establishment of Greenhouse came the co-working space, serviced offices, meeting room, boardroom and also the restaurant. (The latter is certainly worth the visit, by the way. They serve great food. I certainly can vouch for this!) To better receive the visitors of Greenhouse and Intervest I moved downstairs, and have been working at the beautiful reception desk ever since.

 

AND YOU DO THIS FANTASTICALLY!

That’s so sweet of you, thank you! Yes, I truly enjoy my job. This is an absolute must in a job like mine where person-to-person contact is so important. You have to be sufficiently empathic, understanding and be able to listen well. And you have to combine this with commercial flair. People like to tell me all about themselves, or need help. It is important to take out enough time to give them what they need. Sometimes, this means being silent and just saying ‘hello’ in a friendly way, or it can mean a long conversation. Depending on which side of the bed you got up on in the morning (she smiles).

 

SO, YOU HAVE FOUND OUT WHAT MAKES YOU TICK?

I sure have! What’s wonderful is that this is confirmed by my co-workers. The best compliment I ever received was from our company lawyer. He is the most discerning man I know and he wears his heart on his sleeve. He once told me that I was the best Hospitality Assistant he has ever known. This meant so much to me! It still makes me feel good to think about it (Shanti smiles happily). And that’s what gives me satisfaction: the wonderful response I get. They appreciate what I do, even if this is completely normal to me. A friendly reception: apparently, it is not as matter-of-course as I thought.

 

IT CERTAINLY ISN’T. WHAT DO YOU EXPECT THE FUTURE HAS IN STORE FOR YOU?

I hope to be able to continue working here for another 15 years. That would make me one of the happiest employees in the world!

 

THANKS, SHANTI!

Would you like to meet Shanti too? Drop by our co-working space in Berchem. PS: You can also visit us in Diegem and Mechelen, where you can be assured of an equally friendly reception!

 

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