Laila Hazes

Why this persona fits the audience

She turns town halls, leadership updates, and training recordings into short internal videos for a 4-person communications team in Amsterdam. She uses SharePoint, Teams, and spreadsheet trackers to manage versions, and usually does the first cut and caption cleanup herself before review.

• Age: 33
• Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands
• Occupation: Internal communications specialist
• Income: €58k/year
• Education: Master's degree in communication science
• Company size: Mid-sized tech company (approx. 500 employees)
• Years in role: 4

“"The goal is to make sure everyone feels like they're in the room, even when they're not."”

Laila Hazes grew up in a small town in Noord-Holland, the elder of two children, where her parents instilled a strong work ethic and appreciation for clear communication. Her fascination with how information flows (or doesn't) began early, observing how local news shaped community understanding. She pursued a Master's degree in Communication Science at the University of Amsterdam, where she developed a keen interest in organizational dynamics and digital media. Post-graduation, she spent two years at a PR agency, honing her skills in content creation and client management. However, she found the agency world too fast-paced and client-focused, craving a more direct impact on internal company culture. Four years ago, she joined her current mid-sized tech company as an internal communications specialist. She’s been instrumental in building out their internal video strategy, often working with a lean budget and existing toolset. She lives alone in a rented apartment, valuing her independence and the quiet focus it allows for her detailed work. Her income of €58k/year supports a comfortable but not extravagant lifestyle; she’s a saver by nature, preferring to invest in experiences or professional development rather than material possessions. She meticulously manages her time and finances, viewing efficiency as a key personal value. Recently, she championed a minor software update for their project management tool, arguing for its ability to better track stakeholder feedback, a decision that slightly reduced her team's administrative burden. Laila is deeply invested in the idea that well-communicated information fosters a more aligned and productive workplace, seeing her role as a crucial facilitator of this process.

Background & daily life

A day in their life

Laila's typical weekday starts with a cycle to the office around 8:45 AM. After brewing a strong coffee, she checks her email and Teams for urgent requests. The morning often involves reviewing a draft video, meticulously going through the auto-captions for accuracy and clarity, then exporting it for her manager. Lunch is a quick affair, often a salad eaten at her desk while scanning industry news on LinkedIn. The afternoon is usually dedicated to editing raw footage from a recent town hall, focusing on creating distinct clips for different departments. She spends about an hour updating project trackers before packing up around 5:30 PM, often stopping at a local market for groceries on her way home.

Lifestyle

Laila lives a structured but comfortable life in a compact apartment in Amsterdam's Jordaan district, enjoying the canals and independent shops. Her routine revolves around her work, but she carves out time for cycling along the Amstel river on weekends and trying new recipes from a well-worn Dutch cookbook. She's conscious of her spending, saving for potential future travel but not depriving herself of good coffee or occasional dinners with friends. Health-wise, she prioritizes walking and cycling over gym memberships, finding it more sustainable. Socially, she maintains a close circle of friends from university and work.

Work life

As an internal communications specialist, Laila's days are a blend of proactive content creation and reactive requests. She’s responsible for transforming lengthy leadership discussions and training modules into digestible video formats for the company’s 500 employees. Her toolkit is standard: SharePoint for file management, Teams for collaboration, and an intricate system of Excel spreadsheets to track video versions and deadlines. She prides herself on her ability to quickly stitch together first cuts and meticulously clean up auto-generated captions, minimizing the review burden on her small team. The pressure is on to keep information flowing clearly and consistently across the organization, especially with remote and hybrid work models.

Relationships

Laila is close with her parents who live in a nearby town, visiting them for Sunday dinners. Her core group of friends, a mix of former university classmates and work colleagues, often gather for casual drinks or board game nights. While she values their opinions, major professional decisions are usually discussed with a trusted mentor from a previous role.

How they decide

Laila is a methodical and research-driven decision-maker. She evaluates options thoroughly, seeking out peer recommendations and comparing features. She prefers to understand the 'why' behind a process or tool before committing, and often creates comparative spreadsheets to weigh pros and cons. Impulsive purchases are rare; she values a clear return on investment, whether that's in time saved or improved output quality. She’s willing to try new things but needs to see a logical benefit.

How they sound

Speaks with a clear, measured tone, avoiding overly casual slang but not being stiffly formal. Her Dutch accent is subtle but present. She uses precise language, especially when discussing processes or technical details. She tends to understate challenges, framing them as 'areas for improvement.' She avoids jargon unless it's commonly understood within corporate communications circles.