Ladies behind the scenes: triple interview with Wendy, Debra-Lynn and Chelsey
What operational tasks are involved in running a company? Who makes sure everything behind the scenes runs smoothly, from personnel administration to events and business trips? Meet our CFO Wendy and Management Assistants Debra-Lynn and Chelsey, and discover what drives them at WKF Engineering.
Hi Wendy, Debra-Lynn, and Chelsey! WKF Engineering has now grown into a strong team of 50 enthusiastic employees. A fantastic climb, which of course also brings a lot of administration and HR tasks. Because the administrative workload kept increasing, a vacancy for a Management Assistant was announced. A smart move?
Wendy: “Absolutely! In the beginning, we were able to handle all the administrative and HR tasks ourselves, but when we grew significantly, that was no longer feasible. Our people deserve the right support, so we decided to professionalize our company further and look for talented assistants who could help us. Our job posting was a hit. I received 35 applications and interviewed 10 candidates.”
That’s impressive. In the end, Debra-Lynn and Chelsey joined the team. So not one, but two Management Assistants. How was the application process for you?
Chelsey: “The vacancy for Management Assistant was posted at the end of April last year. At the time, I was doing an internship at a recruitment agency for my Organization & Management studies and already looking forward to an exciting job. When I saw the vacancy, I applied right away. The interview felt very natural, and I was able to start immediately as a student worker. In September, I officially started as a permanent employee at WKF together with Debra-Lynn.”
Debra-Lynn: “That’s right. I originally came from the education sector but had wanted to make a career switch for several years. The vacancy appealed to me, and I decided to go for it. Thanks to WKF’s fun social media videos, I already had a good feeling about the company culture. After an exploratory phone call, I was invited to the office where I met Wendy and Ben. The conversation went smoothly, and I left feeling energized. It was clear to me that this was my next step!”
So, an immediate connection. You’ve now been working at WKF Engineering for over six months as Management Assistants. What does your job involve?
Debra-Lynn: “A lot! We handle general administration and all email communication. Chelsey manages the bookkeeping, while I prepare purchase orders and send out invoices. We also take care of the HR side together. We handle payroll, recruit new colleagues when needed, and ensure smooth onboarding so that every new employee feels welcome right away. Got an HR-related question? You can always come to us!”
Chelsey: “Exactly. What I really enjoy is organizing business trips and events, like our participation in the FTTH Conference 2025 in Amsterdam. It’s exciting, but above all, super fun to do. We also manage the company fleet: we arrange new cars in time and make sure the right insurance is in place. And we handle informal communication on our socials, like birthday wishes or messages for Mother’s Day and Easter. We’re really the creative all-rounders and the right hands of the board.”
Wendy: “They’re doing a fantastic job! I hardly have to do anything anymore. (laughs) Of course, I stay involved. Chelsey and Debra-Lynn sometimes need our input because we as the board have the bigger picture. But once they know the direction, they take it from there independently. We make sure there’s always someone they can go to with questions, and we work closely together to set the right priorities.”
Those are a lot of responsibilities. What have you learned since starting at WKF Engineering?
Chelsey: “A lot, actually. Because WKF Engineering is still a relatively young company, there weren’t many written documents and procedures at first. We had to create everything from scratch. That came with its challenges, but we learned a lot from it. By now, we’ve managed to bring more structure to the company together.”
Wendy: “A great example: onboarding used to be a bit chaotic. Chelsey and Debra-Lynn have completely developed and streamlined that process. That’s very important because when you start at a new company, you want everything to be well organized. It immediately gives people a warm welcome.”
Debra-Lynn: “Absolutely. It was super interesting to map and structure all the internal processes. I also took some additional training, including a course in social legislation and a program to become a confidential advisor. This has made me feel more confident in HR matters. I also conduct wellbeing talks with colleagues: low-threshold, open conversations about how they’re doing and whether there are any needs we should respond to. These talks help create an open company culture where colleagues feel heard and supported.”
What gives you energy in your job? And how do you see the future?
Chelsey: “What gives me energy is that we’re not only here for the board, but actually for everyone. That means we have a good connection with all our colleagues. If someone has a question or is overwhelmed and we can help, that feels great. The nice thing is that I can be completely myself here. I really hope to stay here for a long time and keep developing.”
Debra-Lynn: “My job as a Management Assistant is very diverse, and that’s exactly what I like about it. Sometimes it’s a challenge to set the right priorities, but that keeps me sharp. I get a lot of satisfaction from working towards special moments, like the team-building for WKF’s third anniversary. That was a real success. The atmosphere at work is very open and informal, with lots of humor and room for discussion. And we’re well taken care of: there’s always lunch for everyone, and after work we often go squash, padel, or to afterwork parties together. I look forward to continuing to grow in my role and experiencing WKF’s future up close!”
Wendy: “And that feeling is completely mutual. For us as a board, Chelsey and Debra-Lynn are real pillars of support. If you want to build a solid house, you need a strong foundation. We really hope they stay with us for a long time—maybe even until we retire! (laughs) Everyone agrees: their arrival has made a big difference. There’s now more structure, a listening ear, and support. That’s hugely appreciated. Their impact is felt throughout the whole company.”
Thank you, Wendy, Debra-Lynn and Chelsey, for this fascinating interview. We look forward to following the adventures of WKF Engineering together with you!
