(*) As a measure of confidentiality, the identity of the interim manager and the client are changed
1. BACKGROUND
We are in September 2017 in Paris.
The French subsidiary of this world leader in business services solutions has a turnover of more than €700 million and currently employs 25,000 people. Since the arrival of a new CEO in 2013, the Group has launched a major plan to regain competitiveness and realign France with the group’s standards. After a successful first launch phase, another is underway to speed up the process.
Implemented in too great haste, this second phase of restructuring leads to a structural crisis. Although the HR Director France is supported by a team of lawyers and a Director of Social Relations, he or she considers it necessary to be accompanied by a dedicated interim manager who specialises in social relations. Indeed, in a service group, human capital is central.
2. DISPOSITION
To help the French subsidiary overcome this crisis situation , the challenges of which he knows well, Benoît DURAND-TISNES turned to a Director of Interim Social Relations at WAYDEN Sélection, an expert in the management of employee representative bodies and in the management of HR projects: Benoît PACTIER.
It is certain that the pair that he will form with him will be the right solution to solve the problem of the WAYDEN customer.
Focus on the Manager journey
A graduate of ESSEC, Benoît PACTIER began his career as Deputy Chief of Staff of the French Overseas Departments and Territories and then as Deputy HR Director at GRANDJOUAN ONYX where he led the creation of a subsidiary following the merger and absorption of several companies and led important social negotiations. In 2000, he was appointed HR Director at ONYX to manage several large-scale projects including the implementation of the 35h00, a SSC and the change of the HRIS software.
After a stint at VEOLIA as Deputy Regional Director for the Centre West, he took over the Human Resources Department of SNCM. During these 5 years, he was strongly involved in social relations in a difficult environment driven by a tense social climate. Benoît PACTIER later specialized in interim management to lead missions closely related to Social Relations.
3. MISSION
In close collaboration with the HR Director France, Benoît PACTIER operationally and end-to-end leads the implementation of the plan on the human and organizational aspects:
- Piloting a Voluntary Departure Plan
- Travel throughout France to meet with structures and group legal entities under the aegis of close regional clusters
- Total transformation of the IORPs organisation
From the start of the mission, WAYDEN sets up and organises a close follow-up with the stakeholders in order to make the link as close as possible. It was a good thing for him, during the course of this 1 year and a half mission, the Group HR Director was replaced by the CEO in the middle of the mission.
4. ASSESSMENT
The group has undergone its transformation, and thanks to the action of the WAYDEN transition mission, the social component of the project has been aligned with the administrative and social requirements. The mission, although complex and difficult, went so well that the client group wanted to hire Benoit PACTIER.
As is often the case with professional interim managers, the latter refused, preferring to keep his “freedom” to sail towards new and exciting subjects; he is now on assignment as HR Director of a high-end French group of exceptional travel and cruises.