Vendom Talents - At a time when companies are once again welcoming their employees all over the world. Did you feel that the loss of physical ties, which the managers tried to remedy, left traces in the management of interprofessional relations?
Nathatlie Dargham, HR Specialist with Swiss HR Diploma, Learning and Development, Executive Coach for Leadership Development - The distance and the absence of physical contact certainly made the social bond between the collaborators difficult. Telework has not only brought out a lack of presence to others, but also deprived employees of informal and spontaneous exchanges.
Upon returning to face-to-face, many leaders struggle to reconnect with team members. In this context, companies must reinvent themselves in order to reaffirm the authenticity of the links with their employees.
In my opinion, in order to facilitate the return, the management is called upon to mobilize several levers:
- develop a strong corporate culture that puts teamwork at the center;
- organize meeting days that aim to promote openness to others and to encourage the sharing of ideas and collaboration;
- make employees aware of the psychosocial risks of working 100% from home.
- improve the employee experience in order to make them experience positive emotions, such as pride, pleasure, optimism, satisfaction.
Laetitia Girard, CEO The Vendôm Company - It is true that for service and contact professions, such as high-end hotels, there has been a strong break between the company and the employee. This lack of connection has, of course, worsened over the months of crisis. The management part was totally changed in a very short space of time. The obligation to telework required everyone to make an effort of trust and flexibility, since the physical link was temporarily no longer there. The world of luxury has been able to bounce back very quickly on this new problem.
Even if this event was sudden and hard, it opened up other opportunities, which we were perhaps not really aware of at the time, but which were already developing: allowing greater autonomy and delegating more to our employees. It is also undeniable that this loss of contact has pushed employees to take more responsibility for their own role; which makes it possible to move, once again, towards a new form of management, more participatory and much less vertical. Listening and trust in his collaborator becomes the key.
Beyond this addition of empathy, I think that telework will develop greater employee performance by allowing them to get more involved and be creative in their tasks . Let's not forget, finally, that digital contact solutions, such as Zoom, will have a great impact on the values held by the world of luxury – in particular environmental responsibility. Although physical contact can never be replaced, we can now think of more sustainable solutions.
V. T - It is more common to speak of management in elevation than of education in business management. Isn't this the promise of the transformation of a management aimed at even more collaboration and horizontality?
ND - The growing complexity of the environment is pushing companies to create common learning spaces that promote collaboration and the exchange of ideas. Faced with the various challenges, we need leaders who help their employees develop their skills. These leaders play the role of “educators” who pass on their expertise in order to improve the skills of the team and the intellectual capital of the organization. These leaders will be more likely to delegate meaningful assignments and demonstrate trust by cultivating authentic and inspiring relationships.
LG – This has indeed been a major issue for several years. It would not be honest to answer that any manager already plays this role, especially in so-called “family” prestigious addresses/brands. However, the talents that come their way yearn for more freedom – in the sense of proposals and initiatives. Undoubtedly, brands – historical or not, because they are very often the first to smell the spirit of the times – will increasingly try to create this emulation.
VT - Managers and department heads are put forward as holders of the values, of the image of a brand, which they must transmit. Beyond the culture of the company, it seems that a new mode of management privileges the case by case, the person and his desires. What are the methods, the springs to implement to "evangelize" this approach?
ND - Employees' expectations for their individual aspirations and needs to be taken into account are on the rise. To make a lasting commitment, employees need to feel valued, understood and recognized in their uniqueness. They demand personalized and benevolent support in their development and in their journey. These expectations force managers to radically rethink their attention to employees.
However, the “case by case” management method is not completely new. This approach is inspired by the institutional management theory of the works of Paul Hersey and Kenneth Blanchard (1980) which stipulates that a good leader is one who adapts his style of leadership to the situation. The effectiveness of a management depends on the ability of the manager to adopt the style of management that best suits the situation, namely the level of autonomy of the employee in a given activity and context. In a way, situational management is none other than ultra-personalized management, à la carte management according to the company — its DNA, its own identity and according to the uniqueness of each employee. According to the two authors, a leader must analyze and adapt to the skills (knowledge), experience (know-how) and motivation (willingness to do) of each person for each of the missions entrusted.
Personalized management improves the productivity of employees as it is strongly committed to everyone. By adapting to the level of skills, motivation and needs of each member of the team, this approach promotes well-being at work.
The personalization of management has become the key to retaining employees. It is an approach that will allow managers to reconcile the company's competitiveness and the personal aspirations of employees.
Here are some ideas that can promote personalized management:
- understand the needs and personality profiles of each;
- adapt your management style to different personalities;
- practice individualized communication with each employee.
From now on, to guarantee a unique experience, adapted to the aspirations and modes of operation of each person, personalization is key.
LG – I will add an inspiration more in line with the very personality of the employee. Service professions are an integral part of a state of mind, managers feel it almost at first contact – as Nathalie points out, this is nothing new. But, in a world more and more inclined, both to personal recognition, but also to the construction of a significant collective work and bearer of values more adequate to the ones we are going to be confronted with, in fact, refocusing on the individual is key!
VT - With the development and awareness of CSR, can the manager play the role of educator? If so in what?
NA- Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) consists of the translation of sustainable development issues into the organization's strategy. This concept has been defined by the European Commission as well as by the ISO 26000 standard, the international standard reference for corporate social and societal responsibility. In other words, the implementation of a CSR approach results in a responsible, united, sustainable, social approach, in favor of the production of the environment.
The success of the CSR approach is due to its management, that is to say, the company's ability to unite employees around this CSR strategy. Hence the importance of the role of “educator” management, bearer of values and meaning. Beyond setting an example, managers are called upon to become educators as they must create a base of knowledge within their team and develop specific skills related to responsible business in order to bring the CSR culture to life in the duration.
This education will allow everyone to better understand their roles and responsibilities and to be clear about what is expected of them. Organizing training and integrating the key elements of CSR into speeches are priorities of the CSR policy.
LG – I would go even further! More than "manager", we must speak of "leader" (the question is somewhat biased), because this term encompasses both "knowing how to be there" and "carrying", even "inspiring " our employees. I therefore imagine that everything comes together, applying good practices – at least those of which we are now aware – allows them to be projected onto our professional entourage.
VT - Unfortunately, the upscale hotel and restaurant sectors were not the only ones to suffer from the confused times we have just gone through. Change of career plan, social plans... What are the managerial axes to be implemented to limit this turnover?
ND - There are many managerial axes to put in place to reduce turnover. Here are a few :
- rethink the corporate culture to retain employees. Employees need to identify with the company in which they work by sharing its values and ambitions. By focusing on a deep and lasting review of managerial practices, companies can make employee experiences positive and prepare for resilience;
- reminding your team of the company's mission, sharing with it its vision and strategic priorities and highlighting its values will help to retain it. Employees want to be involved in the company's strategic decisions and promote their ideas regardless of their hierarchical position;
- promote exchanges , active listening and set up support and coaching sessions;
- offer development prospects to which employees aspire;
- embrace recognition;
- imagine a new organization of work by focusing on flexibility;
- give employees the tools to enable them to communicate in favor of their company and play the role of ambassador.
LG – Indeed, once again: listening, openness of management, but also not neglecting any vision and motivation will be the key. Exchanging, understanding, education, but above all humility without which everyone's learning will not be able to change the realities that await us. And our flexibility has made us , over the last two years, our greatest strength !
VT - The luxury professions – perhaps less the very specialized professions from a craftsman's point of view – seem to be able to accept a great fluidity of working environments between brands, sectors of activity, etc. Finally, isn't this transversality a great opportunity for this sector? How can managers support this new desire for change and mobility among millennials without losing their talents?
ND - Over the past few years, we have noticed a migration towards a nomadic career model. In companies, the structures are more horizontal and individuals are encouraged to consider moving to side positions to complement their experience. We are also seeing more and more generalist profiles, allowing employees to play several roles and be agile in their missions. In a context that requires adaptation, agility and resilience, the development of transversal skills seems to be key to adapting to new market challenges.
After Covid, we saw a growing turnover rate and a war for talent. Designing a skills development strategy around transversality makes it possible to develop the employer brand and attract new profiles and retain them.
In order for managers to support this strategy of developing transversal skills, they must rethink jobs in a paradigm of meaning. Rethinking the organization around a meaningful mission and strong values is a real retention asset. Individualized support for employees in their professional development is more than necessary.
LG – It is obvious that in the post-health crisis context – and even well before, due to new practices of interaction with brands – the first transversal functions, in terms of luxury, concern marketing, communication, the metaverse etc. However, for the moment, the know-how trades remain the most significant, but also the most difficult to fill. Without the intelligence of the hand, the excellence of the thought, there is no longer any luxury. When, and under what era, could we join two realities that seem – for the moment far apart – to give a real value to the luxury object, the value that is its own?
(Photo: Lux* Le Morne & Oceanopearls)
