Recruitment – companies must offer more than just a job

Medium-sized companies in France have played a huge part in bringing down unemployment rates in the country, creating 413,772 jobs between 2009 and 2017, far more than the 169,592 positions created by SMEs. Over the same period, the number of people employed within micro-enterprises has fallen by 84,535, while major corporations have cut 11,915 jobs, according to Meti, the French national association monitoring movements within medium-sized companies. Of the 187,200 net jobs created in the business sector in 2016, 156,000 were within medium-sized companies, which play a significant role in driving the local economy in many regions around France, as 78% of their production facilities are based outside the Paris region. Furthermore, medium-sized companies represent the true heart of the manufacturing sector in France as 41% of their employees work in this part of the economy, compared with less than 15% across all businesses.

However, medium-sized businesses often struggle to bring in new talent. Many experienced candidates prefer to work for major corporations, believing they are able to offer greater prestige and security. Graduates are more interested in working for start-ups or setting up their own business.
 

Given these challenges, how can medium-sized companies find, attract and bring in the managerial profiles they need ?

To answer this question, we spoke with Anne Debieuvre, Director at the recruitment company Sirca, and Romain Chevillard, formerly from Deloitte and BDO and co-founder of Roch, a firm specialised in governance advisory services to family-owned businesses.
 

What is the current situation in the job market in France ?

Anne Debieuvre : It is no longer employers, but jobseekers who currently have the upper hand in the market. Medium-sized companies are finding it increasingly difficult to find quality candidates for the positions they need to fill, and they need to step up their efforts to attract the managers they are looking for. This situation has further intensified over the last year.

Romain Chevillard : My clients – family-owned businesses of all sizes all throughout France – tell me about how they struggle to find candidates that have the skills and experience they’re looking for. I don’t believe there is such as thing as good or bad candidates. What I see is that these businesses don’t effectively promote what they have to offer, such as stability, long-term vision and trust between shareholders and managers.

Which sectors have been hit hardest by the dearth of candidates ?

A.D. : There is considerable tension in construction, property services and manufacturing in general. Engineers today prefer to work in sectors such as finance or IT, and don’t seem to want to work in operational positions in manufacturing industries. Emerging digital professions are also struggling to attract candidates. People with strong managerial skills are always hard to find, indeed management is a job in and of itself !

Exactly, so what is the secret to finding the right profiles ?

R.C. : It is absolutely essential to bring in a headhunter to select the right candidates. Far too often, I see my clients trying to sort their recruitment by themselves, or taking recommendations from their network. Generally, the results aren’t great, and can sometimes even be catastrophic. Executives need to be sure the candidates they interview fit the values the family owners want to uphold in their company.

A.D. : After having assessed the candidate’s experience and skills to ensure they properly match the vacant position, it is important to find out about their values by asking them questions, for example about the way in which they manage their teams or their hobbies and interests. We need to look beyond the candidate’s work experience to understand their personality and ensure they can assimilate into the corporate culture and ensure an effective long-term collaboration.

So how can medium-sized companies go about attracting the candidates they are looking for ?

R.C. : Medium-sized companies must offer more than just a job. Nowadays, it is essential to respect employees’ work/life balance. It is something candidates really look for in recruitment interviews, and many leave major corporations to join medium-sized companies as they believe these employers better understand their expectations.

A.D. : Candidates are interested in working for medium-sized companies as they believe their contribution to the company’s success will be seen and appreciated directly by those at the top, whereas in major corporations, their responsibilities are diluted by the many levels of management above them. Medium-sized companies are also appreciated for the powerful people-focused values they uphold. Their long-term stability and staying power also represent strong pull factors. Employees today want to play a part in making the world a better place. They want to be proud to work for a company that is renowned for its values and commitments, such as CSR, HR policies for people with disabilities and anti-discrimination policies.

So medium-sized companies need to promote and advertise themselves to their target candidates. How do they do that ?

A.D. : Medium-sized companies need to develop an HR focus within their employer brand strategy. They need to explain how they strive to improve quality of life at work for their employees and set out their approach to social responsibility. What is their training strategy and do they have career development programmes? What is their growth plan? Prospective candidates are genuinely looking for meaning, rather than just a wage.

R.C. : Medium-sized companies have for many years thought they were better off flying under the radar. But I tell them that they need to open up and shout about everything they have to offer. They shouldn’t be ashamed of their size or their performance. Family-owned medium-sized companies (45% according to the Institut Montaigne) are the driving force behind our country’s economy.

After a candidate has been hired, how can the company retain their high-potential managers ?

A.D. : Quality relationships between people within the company are so important in today’s market. That’s why companies need to regularly give their managers the opportunity to work on interesting, fulfilling projects so they can develop their skills and further their career. For example, I know an engineer who joined a company as a workshop manager after graduating. They then became head of production, before going on to manage one then two factories. They are now 48 years old and Supply Chain Director sitting on the Management Committee. Such career paths help retain the best talent. Avoiding staff turnover is essential as, unless of course we experience an unforeseen economic crisis, the recruitment problems we’re facing aren’t likely to get easier any time soon. You therefore need to develop a quality HR strategy to hold on to your most valued employees.

R.C. : Medium-sized companies, and particularly family-owned ones, operate on long-term cycles. To retain high-potential managers, it is important to include them in the discussion, so the family can benefit from their professional expertise. When we work with our clients on their 10- or 20-year vision, we always advise them to involve the company managers at some stage so the two worlds can collaborate and build the future together.

To attract top talent and retain the great people they already have, medium-sized companies can put in place generous group health cover and group protection cover. Employees really appreciate these solutions, as they enable them to take advantage of quality health care at preferential rates. By offering such complementary health care packages, the company proves they recognise the importance of employee well-being, which is key for many candidates during the recruitment phase.