Support over evaluation – how we live People & Culture at Format D.
11/2026
5 Minuten reading time
Summary
Employee development is not an annual event.
Many know the feeling—on both sides of the table: once a year, the big annual review, a few goals on paper—and then it's twelve months of waiting. What happens during this time often remains invisible. Progress is not documented, challenges are recognized too late, and potential goes unnoticed. Feedback—in both directions—comes far too rarely. Yet regular feedback is not an optional extra, but the very foundation for true development.
The problem: development doesn't happen on an annual rhythm. People change, teams change, projects change—and if you only look at things once a year, you are always one step behind.
That’s why at Format D, we’ve chosen a different approach. Instead of treating development as a one-off event, we’ve established it as a continuous process—with clear structures, fixed rhythms, and a role specifically designed for it: the People Lead. No HR mindset, no top-down reporting. Just genuine support that stays close to the people—month after month.
People are not resources—the role of the People Lead at Format D.
There is more to the "People Lead" role than just a change in title. Where "Human Resources" views people as resources, a People Lead puts the individual front and center—with their whole personality, strengths, and potential. Self-direction and personal responsibility replace control and rigid templates.
At Format D, we live this exact mindset. Our People Leads are not traditional managers, but guides and sounding boards—with a genuine interest in the team members. Empathy, reliability, and a coaching mindset are just as central as understanding business processes.
People Leads take responsibility for:
- Uncovering and fostering each employee's individual strengths and potential
- Development talks and check-ins
- Psychological safety within the team
- Conflict resolution support
- Onboarding, recruiting, and probationary reviews
In short: They are the first point of contact—not only when problems arise, but whenever it comes down to the person.
What is discussed:
The monthly check-in—a dialogue, not reporting.
The check-in is a fixed 30-minute conversation between People Lead and employee that takes place once a month. No stress, no status meeting—just a safe space for genuine exchange. Everything discussed is documented in a shared file—month after month, all year round. This way, everyone keeps an overview, development becomes visible, and both sides can look back together at what was discussed, agreed upon, and achieved. No conversation stands on its own—it is always part of a bigger picture.
No performance review, no one-sided top-down feedback—just an authentic dialogue on equal footing. And that is exactly what makes the difference.
Tooling: What we work with
To ensure nothing gets lost and development remains truly transparent, we rely on proven tools. Check-ins and development talks are documented in Notion—structured, accessible, and serving as the foundation for the next conversation. For methods and working together on goals, we use FigJam. We get new ideas and inspiration for conversation techniques from 9Spaces.
What inspires me every single time: looking back at the shared document month after month and suddenly realizing how much someone has truly grown over the course of a year. That is the moment that makes this role so special.
Why this works for us.
Development needs continuity. Trust doesn't build in a single conversation—it grows through reliable, regular encounters. The check-in system gives us the structure for this. And the People Lead gives it a human face.
What matters: The conversation is a dialogue, not reporting. For us, guidance means staying close—not just once a year.
