The interim manager and HR risk management in companies

HR risk: an increasingly unstable ground in France

The 2024-2025 context has profoundly transformed HR risk mapping. Three weak signals that have become strong deserve a careful reading by the management committees.

1. Structurally high absenteeism

In 2024, the absenteeism rate was 4.84% in France, down slightly from 2023 (5.06%) according to the Diot-Siaci Social Performance Observatory. Recent barometers confirm a worrying trend in occupational health, with increasing pressure on PSR and long-term absences. Absenteeism directly affects the wage bill, disorganizes teams and weakens the quality of service.

2. Mental health at work with a massive economic cost

According to a study by Asterès relayed by MGEN, mental health at work concerns 3.4 million workers at a cost of about 25 billion euros per year. The France Burnout association also estimates that between 2 and 3 million workers are exposed to a high risk of burnout. Psychosocial risk is no longer a peripheral issue: it conditions operational performance.

3. A tough recruitment market, key vacancies

The labour market remains tight on strategic functions. The industrial sector alone predicted 153,000 positions to be filled in 2025. And the financial impact of a bad decision is heavy: a failed recruitment costs between €20,000 and €50,000 according to Helloworkplace. A prolonged vacancy in an HR, finance or production leadership position can derail an entire strategic plan.

The challenge for the Executive Committee: HR risks are no longer just “social”. They have become economic, legal and reputational. Their management requires management profiles capable of acting quickly, without a learning phase.

HR risk mapping: internal, peripheral, external

Before arbitrating an intervention, the general manager must have a clear reading of the types of risks. Traditionally, there are three families.

Insider risks

• Psychosocial risks (PSR), chronic stress, burn-out
• High turnover and loss of key talent
• Recurring absenteeism and disengagement
• Obsolescence of skills and lack of GPEC
• Unfair or market-inappropriate remuneration policy
• Abuses of the wage bill

Peripheral risks

• Working conditions and safety of field teams
• Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and occupational diseases
• Degraded quality of life at work (QWL)
• Tensions related to teleworking and hybrid modes of organization

External risks

• Social conflicts, strikes, deterioration of social dialogue
• Damage to employer brand and reputation
• Shortage of talent in professions in short supply
• Resistance to change during an M, restructuring or HR digital transformation

The control of these risks is a legal obligation formalised in the DUER (Single Risk Assessment Document). Beyond the regulatory framework, it is part of a real risk management approach integrated into strategic management.

The HR interim manager: an expert in risk management

The interim manager specialising in HR – often referred to as an interim HR director – is an external manager appointed for a period of 6 to 18 months. His profile generally combines 15 to 25 years of experience in executive positions, a habit of complex environments and an ability to execute immediately.

It intervenes in four main types of high-stakes situations:

• HR crisis management : social conflicts, repeated strikes, threats to jobs, major internal tensions.
• Relay management : compensating for the prolonged absence or unexpected departure of an HR director, an HR manager or a director of social relations in a key position.
• HR change management : deployment of an HRIS, post-merger harmonization, overhaul of the remuneration policy, implementation of structuring change management .
• Sensitive operations : job protection plan (PSE), site closure, negotiation with employee representative bodies, restructuring of a subsidiary.

Concrete Wayden intervention cases

Case n°1 — De-escalating a social conflict in an industrial site

Context: an agri-food manufacturer is facing a renewable strike at its main site after the announcement of a reorganization. The HR department is overwhelmed, the dialogue with the trade unions has broken down.

Intervention: mission of a Wayden interim HR Director in less than 15 days. Flash social audit, resumption of negotiations, restoration of the communication channel with the IORPs, establishment of a joint monitoring committee.

The result: the end of the strike, the signing of a method agreement and the sequenced deployment of the reorganisation, without lasting deterioration in the social climate.

Case n°2 — Piloting a job protection plan

Context: an industrial mid-sized company must close a production site. The historical HR director does not have the experience of a PSE of this magnitude; The legal and reputational risk is major.

Intervention: an interim manager experienced in restructuring operations oversees the procedure (information-consultation, CSE expertise, negotiation of the PSE), coordinates legal advice and structures the support system (redeployment unit, internal mobility, training).

Result: PSE approved, limited litigation, employer brand preserved in the employment area.

Case n°3 — Reducing absenteeism that has become structural

Context: In a group of services, the absenteeism rate is well above the sectoral average and weighs on productivity. Long stoppages related to PSR are multiplying.

Intervention: PSR diagnosis, update of the DUER, “health at work” action plan (local management, workload, psychological support), dashboard of social indicators monitored by the Executive Committee.

The result: a measurable reduction in the absenteeism rate over 12 months and a gradual re-engagement of field teams.

Case n°4 — Securing the recruitment of strategic executives

Context: unexpected departure of a director in a profession in tension. The vacancy threatens an industrial plan. However, a failed recruitment is expensive: between €20,000 and €50,000 according to Helloworkplace.

Intervention: relay management mission to ensure operational continuity, management of the final recruitment process, onboarding of the successor.

The result: zero disruption to the strategic project, successful recruitment as a target.

Concrete solutions by type of HR risk

Social risk and conflict

Things to doReopen a channel of formal dialogue with IORPs, frame a social agenda, restore trust through measurable commitments. What to avoidCommunicate in an emergency without legal coordination or prior consultation with staff representatives.

Absenteeism and PSR

Things to doPSR diagnosis, update of the DUER, prevention plan, training of local managers, social indicators piloted by the Executive Committee. What to avoidTreat absenteeism only as a disciplinary issue, without addressing organizational causes.

Turnover and talent shortage

Things to doAudit the remuneration policy, structure the employer brand, set up an offensive GPEC, secure critical positions through relay management. What to avoidMultiplying defensive salary counter-offers without reviewing the psychological contract and the employee experience.

Restructuring and safeguard plan

Things to doFrame the legal procedure, anticipate the IRP schedule, structure a support system (redeployment, training, mobility). What to avoidUnderestimating the reputational risk on the employment area and the employer brand in the medium term.

The Wayden Method in HR Risk Management

Wayden mobilizes a pool of executive interim managers, selected on the basis of a demanding operational background. On a high-risk HR mission, the intervention follows a proven method:

1. Scoping in 48 to 72 hours : qualification of the need with the general management, definition of measurable objectives, selection of the target profile.
2. Audit and diagnosis of HR risks : analysis of social indicators, listening to the field, mapping of stakeholders (IRP, management, teams).
3. Priority action plan : sequenced roadmap (short/medium term), arbitrations submitted to the Executive Committee, monitoring indicators.
4. Operational deployment : management of actions, social negotiations, internal communication, legal coordination.
5. Transmission and sustainability : structured transfer to the incumbent HR Director, capitalization of good practices, securing of the systems put in place.

This posture requires exceptional interpersonal skills: emotional intelligence, leadership, active listening, ability to arbitrate in uncertainty. This is precisely the profile that Wayden mobilizes.

A sensitive HR situation to be secured?

Social conflict, critical absenteeism, PSE, vacancy of a key position, transformation to be conducted: Wayden mobilizes an HR interim manager in a few days, operational as soon as he arrives.

Talk to a Wayden expert

FAQs — HR Risk Management

What is an HR risk?

An HR risk refers to any event related to human resources management that may impact the performance, compliance or sustainability of the company: absenteeism, turnover, social conflicts, PSR, skills shortage, payroll drift, damage to the employer brand.

When to call on an HR interim manager?

In any situation where the HR department has to manage a high-stakes project without being able to absorb it internally: social crisis, PSE, site closure, vacancy of a key position, mergers and acquisitions, overhaul of an HRIS or peak in structural absenteeism.

How much does a failed recruitment cost?

According to Helloworkplace, a failed recruitment costs between €20,000 and €50,000, not including indirect costs (disorganization, loss of productivity, demotivation of teams). In a management position, the real cost is much higher.

What is the cost of mental health at work in France?

The Asterès/MGEN study estimates this cost at nearly 25 billion euros per year for 3.4 million workers concerned. This is a major economic HR risk, which justifies dedicated management.

How long does an HR interim manager mission last?

A Wayden mission generally lasts between 6 and 18 months, depending on the complexity of the project: 6 to 9 months for relay management, 9 to 18 months to manage an HR transformation or a restructuring operation.

What is the average absenteeism rate in France?

In 2024, the absenteeism rate was 4.84% in France according to the Diot-Siaci Social Performance Observatory, down slightly from 2023 (5.06%).