In a wide-ranging, fast-paced interview held recently with intermediair.nl, Wolters Kluwer CEO Nancy McKinstry shared her thoughts on the company’s digital shift, her approach to employee training, engagement, and planning, as well as some aspects of her personal life.
As the longest-tenured CEO in the Netherlands, McKinstry is able to offer a broad overview of the transformation within the company as well as the changing needs of the workforce over the years.
Among her numerous successes since her start as CEO in 2003, she is especially proud of the digital transformation that has occurred under her watch – from 15% digital products on offer then to close to 90% today, with a steady rise in revenues to coincide with this change.
The interview covered McKinstry’s own transformation as well, learning on the job as she improved her communication skills - while ensuring that her own approach to leadership also evolved: “The most important thing is that I offer people more scope to solve problems in their own way. Various cultures work in various ways. The direction and goals need to be clear, but the path to them is not uniform. So create freedom. You shouldn't look to standardize the way of thinking or doing.”
She went on to say that, where employees are concerned, “engagement is very high in many areas, such as being proud to work for Wolters Kluwer, deployment within the teams, believing in the future, and digital transformation.”
She readily admits, however, that there is room for improvement regarding quicker development, modernization of old systems, and support in career development. “The new generation of employees is very focused on skills development, so we have developed a huge range of online training programs.”
Seeing as the interview is conducted with a website focused on work-life balance, it’s only fitting that the piece concludes with McKinstry’s lifestyle outside of work, which she admits consists of a limited social life but leaves room for walking, cycling, and the mental and physical benefits of yoga.
Learn more about career opportunities at Wolters Kluwer on our global careers site.
