Confidant

Who is Miriam Smit?

My name is Miriam Smit. I live with my family in Houten, near Utrecht. I have been a confidant for various organizations for over 25 years, including AwardNL.

What does a confidant do?

I am the point of contact for issues related to unwanted behavior in the workplace. Think of questions or situations related to sexual harassment, discrimination, bullying, and aggression. As a confidant, I provide support and assistance to employees and volunteers who are affected by unwanted behavior. You can also approach me if you suspect that you have observed a breach of integrity. In that case, we can discuss how you can report it together.

What do you find interesting about your work?

The enjoyable aspect of my work, I find, is that complicated issues that can heighten emotions can often be resolved simply. A conversation with the confidant often makes the situation manageable and thus makes addressing the problem easier. As a result of my work, I often see people feeling good at work again.

Who can contact you?

All employees who have experienced (or are experiencing) unwanted behavior or who have observed a breach of integrity can approach me. This may be because you want to share your story again, talk more about what happened, or gain more clarity about the procedures of AwardNL regarding unwanted behavior, integrity, etc.

Your experience is central here. When you find the situation disturbing or intimidating, you can call on me. If in doubt, you can of course also call me. We will work it out together. And what you should know: everything we discuss remains confidential between us. I have a duty of confidentiality.

Do I discuss unwanted behavior or integrity issues only with you?

If you are dealing with unwanted behavior or breaches of integrity at work, it is, of course, important to discuss this with your supervisor. The advantage of this is that your supervisor has the opportunity to actually address the issue and gain insight into the problems experienced by employees. You can also choose to call me, for example, if you want to discuss the incident confidentially first, or if you have issues with your supervisor.

And what if a supervisor has questions?

Supervisors can also consult me if they have questions. Often it concerns concrete situations: how do I guide my employee, how does the procedure proceed from here, etc. But it can also relate to more substantive situations, your perspective, or the emotions involved. Sometimes you just want a second opinion: “Am I doing this right?”

Finally, I can also provide training on handling unwanted behavior upon request.

How can employees reach you?

If you have questions, do not hesitate to call. I can be reached at phone number: 06-2139 7442

If you can't reach me directly, please leave a voicemail message. I will call back as soon as possible. Texting works too, but I do not use SMS. If you prefer to email, please write to miriam@humanresults.nl.