What happens when an engineering and architecture firm shifts its focus from purely technical excellence to human connection? You get Deplasse & Associés - now part of the ALTEO Group consortium - where values, vision and people are as carefully constructed as the buildings they design.
It all started in the Belgian Ardennes - with colour
Three years ago, Deplasse was a typical SME: highly specialised, technically strong, but culturally fragmented. Like many fast-growing companies, they had just enough HR to handle contracts and payroll - and not nearly enough to handle people strategy.
That began to change with the Liège branch of the group, the company A+ CONCEPT. During a forest retreat in the Ardennes, Marielle Grégoire, soft HR trainer at SD Worx, facilitated an Insights Discovery workshop – a personality profiling tool that uses four colour energies to help individuals better understand themselves and improve communication with others. Initially planned as a fun two-day team-building event for a small architecture studio, it ended up laying the groundwork for something much bigger.
“Let’s just say the enthusiasm was... cautious,” Marielle laughs. “Technical profiles like architects and engineers are brilliant problem-solvers, but not always the first to embrace soft skills.” But the colour-based framework quickly sparked recognition. It gave people a shared vocabulary, a moment of reflection, and a glimpse into something they didn’t know they were missing: emotional insight.
What started as a colourful icebreaker became a cultural breakthrough.
A merger, a moment of opportunity
At the time, the company was going through a transformation of its own. Not long after the workshop, Deplasse was acquired and integrated into ALTEO Group, a new and ambitious consortium of sustainable construction and engineering companies in Belgium. From a team of 20, they grew rapidly to 70, then 100, and now over 150 people - across Brussels, Antwerp, Liège and beyond.
Suddenly, the challenges multiplied:
- How do you align cultures across different offices and legacy companies?
- How do you onboard and retain young talent in an industry known for long hours and little people-focus?
- How do you move from operational efficiency to emotional intelligence?
The leadership team at Deplasse didn’t pretend to have all the answers. But they knew this: “If we want to grow sustainably, we need to invest in our people - not just our projects.”
And they did something that still makes them stand out in the sector: they called in their HR partner not just for admin, but for vision.
From service provider to strategic sparring partner
That’s when SD Worx truly stepped in - not just with a contract, but with commitment. Marielle became not only the trainer, but a trusted advisor to the leadership team.
“I wasn’t there to deliver workshops,” she explains. “I was there to listen, challenge, and co-create. Together, we mapped out a leadership development plan, revisited their org structure, and introduced a new conversation about what kind of company they wanted to become.”
Using Insights Discovery as a foundation, Marielle helped the executive board:
- Assess leadership potential in the management team
- Guide people into or out of management roles (based on motivation, not ego)
- Shape a new organisational chart
- Define and activate company values
- Introduce structured leadership training and coaching across the business
The company discovered that when you invite people into real conversation, they show up. “Employees began raising their hand for leadership roles. They started asking for feedback, for development, for more meaningful conversations. It was like a spark had been lit.”
From task managers to people coaches
One of the biggest cultural shifts was redefining what leadership looked like. In many engineering firms, management equals coordination. But at Deplasse, it began to mean something deeper: presence, coaching, active listening.
“Young employees today expect their manager to care,” says Marielle. “Not just about deadlines, but about their growth, their wellbeing, their voice. Deplasse understood that early - and leaned in.”
Managers went through tailored development journeys, learning how to:
- Have real-time feedback conversations
- Adapt to hybrid work and changing schedules
- Manage cross-generational and cross-cultural teams
- Lead with empathy and clarity
And leadership became visible - not only in titles, but in behaviour.
A culture that attracts (and keeps) talent
The impact? A tangible shift in reputation. Where Deplasse once struggled to stand out as an employer, they now attract young talent who actively seek out purpose-driven, people-focused workplaces.
They didn’t need trendy branding campaigns - their culture became their best recruitment tool:
- A clear leadership path for those who want to grow
- Transparent communication and structured training
- Cross-site integration and shared values
- Coaching embedded into the daily rhythm
And they continue to evolve. Twice a year, the executive team hosts strategy offsites - not just to talk numbers, but to reflect on culture, leadership, and future needs. “We don’t just want to be a strong company,” says one of the directors. “We want to be a company where people love to work.”
What others can learn from Deplasse
This isn’t a story of overnight transformation. It’s a story of thoughtful progress - one conversation, one training, one decision at a time. For other companies navigating growth, merger, or just shifts in employee expectations, Deplasse offers five key lessons:
- Put people on the management agenda.
HR isn’t a nice-to-have. It’s the engine of sustainable growth. - Start with shared language.
Tools like Insights Discovery don’t fix culture - but they open doors. - Invest in leadership before it’s urgent.
Don’t wait for conflict. Prepare your managers now. - Design your employee experience intentionally.
Just like you design buildings. Think onboarding, coaching, communication. - Walk the talk - visibly.
Values aren’t words on the wall. They’re behaviours in meetings, break rooms, and emails.
The human side of building
What makes this story exceptional is not that it happened - but that it happened here. In a sector where productivity often outweighs people, and where tradition can trump innovation, Deplasse chose differently.
They chose to lead with trust. To coach, not command. To see HR not as overhead, but as opportunity.
“We didn’t start with a master plan,” Marielle reflects. “We started with curiosity. And that led to commitment.”
Because in the end, the most enduring structures aren’t just built with steel and stone - they’re built with people.
