Together we connect: “From shared hobby to new connections”
Sometimes connection starts with something very simple—a moment of recognition, a shared interest, or a chance encounter outside of work. For Antoine, it began during a volleyball competition and eventually led to organizing a volleyball tournament at the Boxmeer site.
Who is Antoine?
Antoine has been working as a Technical Support Specialist at JBT Marel for five years, but his journey with the company dates back to 2003. He started as an assembly technician and has grown within the organization over the years. One thing has remained constant: his strong involvement with colleagues. The idea for a volleyball tournament originated outside of work.
“I was playing against a colleague in a volleyball competition. To be honest, I didn’t really know him at the time, but I recognized his face. I thought: ‘Oh, he works at our company too.’”
A nice coincidence: both working at Marel and both passionate about volleyball.
“That got us thinking—maybe there are more colleagues who play volleyball that we don’t know about. So we ran a survey at the Boxmeer location to see if there was interest in a JBT Marel volleyball tournament, with the idea of organizing one. We received quite a lot of responses—around 75 to 80.”
From idea to tournament
What started as a shared hobby grew into an event where colleagues from different departments connected with each other. “Of course, you have teams per department, but you also get to know people from other parts of the company. Then you run into each other later in the hallway and think: hey, we played volleyball together last week. That creates recognition and an opening to talk about something other than work.”
These interactions may not turn into daily contact, but they do lower the threshold.
“It creates a different way of connecting. I don’t speak to those colleagues every day now, but it does create a different kind of connection, making it easier to reach out.”
Mountain biking together
The volleyball tournament wasn’t the only initiative. Earlier on, Antoine and a colleague also organized several mountain biking tours.
“We were already cycling routes through the forest ourselves,” Antoine explains. “There were five of us. At the time, mountain biking was quite popular. We heard from colleagues here and there who were also into it and thought it would be fun to organize a ride together.”
Again, the interest was high.
“The first few times, we had around 35 participants. What made it even more enjoyable was the time before and after. We would gather at a set location, go for the ride, and afterwards sit down together for a coffee and a piece of apple pie to ‘debrief’.”
Those moments before and after the activity turned out to be especially valuable.
Not a role, just colleagues
“What I really liked is that you don’t see which department someone belongs to.”
During one of the rides, Antoine stayed at the back with colleagues who preferred a slower pace to make sure no one was left behind. That’s where he had a conversation that stayed with him.
“I don’t like the term, but it was someone from ‘senior management’ that I started talking to. You know who they are, but you don’t really know each other. Through an activity like this, you naturally start talking, whereas at work there might be a higher threshold.”
The connection lasted beyond that moment.
“Afterwards, when you see each other again, it’s much easier to start a conversation. For example, asking if they’ve been cycling recently. Suddenly, you have more in common than just work.”
In those moments, roles and departments fade into the background—you’re simply colleagues sharing an experience.
More than just an activity
Why does Antoine find this so important? “You spend a lot of hours a day together with colleagues, so it’s important that there’s a good atmosphere.” He also remembers a time when a company sports day was organized.
“When I had just started working here, there used to be a sports day. I really enjoyed taking part in that. It stayed with me. How great is it that a company gives you the opportunity to organize something like that?” Antoine understands that joining such activities can sometimes feel like a hurdle—but he has seen the impact they can have.
“Looking back at the volleyball tournament, it really took on a life of its own—in a positive way. The photos that were shared and the conversations around it kept the momentum going for quite some time.”
And it’s not just about the sport.
“It’s important that we get along well and enjoy coming to work, and that we have something to look forward to together as colleagues. That doesn’t always have to be a volleyball tournament or a mountain biking trip. Just know that there is space for colleagues with shared interests to organize something themselves within JBT Marel—and that’s already happening.”
Small initiatives, lasting impact
What Antoine shows is that connection often starts with a simple thought: maybe there are more colleagues who would enjoy this.
An idea. A quick survey. An activity. And then: recognition in the hallway. Easier conversations. A different atmosphere. Sometimes, the real difference isn’t made by large programs, but by colleagues who take initiative—and set something in motion that goes far beyond the activity itself.