How to unleash the human potential of your employees? Interview with Gaël Salomon, Bérénice Conseil

Unlocking the human potential of employees is a central topic in companies’ quest for performance. In recent years, the massive deployment of teleworking and hybrid work have changed the relationship to work. The collaborations have thus developed new aspirations. In this context, managers have also had to adapt and learn to develop their leadership remotely. Nevertheless, changes in the world of work, which have been underway for 20 years, and not only since the Covid-19 crisis, are having a profound impact on companies and teams. Pressure, integration, training, empowerment are all sensitive subjects capable of leading to the success or downfall of a company. For good reason, in a tense context, one factor can make the difference: human capital in the company. BORDEAUX Business spoke with Gaël SALOMON, founder of Bérénice Conseil, about concrete solutions to develop the human potential of teams.

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Gaël Salomon, co-founder and CEO of BERENICE CONSEIL

External and internal factors influencing the relationship to work: setting the context

In 15 or 20 years, the world of work has undergone many changes. If there are fewer industries and more tertiary sectors, paradoxically, there is more pressure. In this regard, we can cite some major reasons that slow down, attenuate or even destroy human potential.

The pressure of innovation

First, companies face obvious pressure from innovation. Just look at the amount of installed brands that are disappearing, like Kodak. Then, they are subject to an acceleration of time that puts additional overall pressure especially on the teams. In addition, all companies operate in a changing institutional framework, in France and abroad. New laws are constantly coming out, forcing companies, management and teams to rethink their model and approach to work. In this context, the number of companies that disappear has increased sharply. In 2015, there were still 15% of the 500 largest companies in 1955. Today, 12 to 13% of these companies disappear each year or undertake a backup plan.

Fast and repetitive movements

Inevitably, employees are exposed to incessant movements that come to curb human potential in companies. So, contrary to what one may think, working conditions are paradoxically more difficult. Of course, we no longer come across water carriers or streetlighters and employees carry fewer heavy loads. To put it in terms of figures, in 1994, 7% of employees were exposed to excessively heavy burdens. We are down to 4.7% today. On the other hand, what is new is that 16% of the active are exposed to serial repetitions of gestures at a high rate. We may have robots, but we continue to use organisms and it is also a source of musculoskeletal disorders. The observation is true in industry, logistics, as in the tertiary sector. So, on the one hand, the load decreased but the handling speed increased.

Tighter deadlines

Another factor that influences the relationship to work and people in companies is the much increased pressure on deadlines. As everything must go faster, produce faster, ship and deliver in an ever shorter time, employees are under a strong constraint on the pace of work. In 15 years, we have gone to 42% of working people who complain about it, or 7 points more.

Workspace changes

Ergonomists, particularly those specialized in the layout of workspaces, confirm this. Open spaces are fashionable, but they actually create stress, overexposure to sound. It is estimated that just before the pandemic, 24% of employees were affected, compared to 16% in 1994.

In this context, it must be noted that the working environment and working conditions, from the psychological point of view, have deteriorated very sharply over the past fifteen years. This is particularly a consequence of the Internet, digital, laptops that can be brought home… This has led to an increase in imbalances in the number of people living, which affects between 15 and 30% of employees, according to studies.

There is also an increase in exhaustion syndromes. From now on, psycho-social disorders replace musculoskeletal disorders. The damage is less physical but more psychological. They have a strong and very negative impact on the expression of human potential in companies.

The evolution of managerial practices

Overall, managerial practices have deteriorated markedly, particularly as a result of these various factors. On the one hand, they increase psychosocial risks for teams, and are costly practices in the company because they generate turnover. On average, turnover is 12 to 13% in France, but it can reach up to 50% in some companies. This is due in particular to inappropriate managerial practices: emotional demands, confrontation of values… It is even estimated that the stress generated by the company, and especially the management, would cost between 2 and 3 billion euros per year. Similarly, the resulting absenteeism is a key issue. According to a study by Malakoff Médéric, a third of workers in all fields take an average of 18 days of sick leave per year.

Managers are also subject to this separation. For good reason, they have more and more will to do well. They want to manage in the concern of the teams and give meaning but lack methodology, on the one hand, and are crushed by very short-term economic constraints, on the other hand. Being truly at the heart of the system, they are often victims of risks themselves.

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Creating the conditions for a new collaborative mode to unleash human potential

The development of human potential and the implementation of processes that favor teams begin with integration. As mentioned earlier, turnover represents an average of 12 to 13% of the workforce. Moreover, this is the case for 36% of permanent recruitments. And in 12% of cases, it’s due to poor integration. However, turnover is costly for a company. An employee who leaves costs between 1.7 and 2.5 times his salary. Equipment, management, HR, training costs…

In most companies, integration processes are either non-existent, incomplete or not systematized. To remedy this, it is a question of setting up very practical-practical actions with 3 main steps. First, upstream, create in the new recruit the feeling of being expected, in particular by giving him the necessary information. Then, during the integration, define who the employee will meet and when. Then, after a month, schedule an appointment with management and management to establish a report of astonishment of the first moments and a return on the beginnings. This step is neither to be neglected nor to be carried out after 3 months. For good reason, in each recruitment, there is a phase of euphoria, then a phase of doubt with blind spots. So doing it quickly helps maintain trust.

Successful integration but also the departure of employees

The involvement of employees is useful for integration but also until the start, at all levels of the company. Indeed, it is essential for the company not to let an employee go into conflict or to give the feeling of having been thrown away with a bang because it is felt throughout the company. It is therefore necessary to do everything to succeed in the departures. As much as it is absolutely necessary to take advantage of it to take feedback because it is a key moment to learn what really happened. Thus, it is better that a neutral person, another manager with a good image takes care of this step.

It is an employer brand issue that impacts both internal and external. For good reason, internally, the treatment of former employees also plays on the commitment of the teams. Externally, well-treated former employees often make themselves good ambassadors.

Transforming management and managerial practices

To adapt to this changing context, companies and management are looking to move towards a new collaborative mode. According to Pascal Raymond, co-founder of Bérénice Conseil, it is a question of setting up a process of security – relationship – task.

That is to say, a team is able to find solutions and prosper as long as the security conditions are sufficiently established to allow everyone to expose themselves, to propose solutions, to experiment without feeling judged or devalued. Security refers to physical, psychological and financial security. In this context, the collective becomes stronger and 2+2 can make 8. Inevitably, a change in management brings its share of difficulties. It is therefore possible to train managers to create these conditions.

Second, the notion of relationships is important. For good reason, it is the lubricant of the company’s engine. The economic return is all the higher the more the relationships are aligned, qualitative. Mutual aid, trust, direct relationship, team cohesion and a sense of belonging… It all depends on the quality of the relationships.

Finally, this well-oiled set mechanically facilitates the notion of tasks. With easier communication, each employee is able to identify the resources needed to achieve their goals.

To develop these abilities, a manager can rely on 3 key factors. First, he must know how to communicate with the right words at the right time. There are a lot of managers who don’t realize that their communication style and the time spent is not aligned with the success of the team. However, communicating well makes it possible to create virtuous working conditions. Then, it is necessary to work on a respectful and responsible management mode. This implies anchoring new practices and therefore, ideally, giving oneself the means to train. Then, good management induces knowing how to limit and predict tensions, even within the right teams. In line, it is also a question of also working on the motivation of the team by adopting correct postures.

Currently, the measured results reveal that where before managers assigned tasks, they are now limited to formalizing and supporting everyone’s relationships and contributions. They thus allow autonomy, initiative and accountability to flourish. Similarly, before, they defined strict processes. Now, they advocate continuous improvement. They laid down rules and imposed control, where now they value autonomy and trust.

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Giving more meaning to the work of employees

In many companies, management does not have time to make sense. Indeed, giving meaning involves communication, co-construction, which necessarily takes more time. In addition, it is a regular approach, with rituals for example, which involves dedicating moments to it throughout the year.

Generally speaking, managers do not necessarily see the consequence of not giving meaning. Yet, each employee comes with his past, his experiences good and bad. Experiences that push everyone to apply a filter to what they are experiencing. So, if the company does not make an effort to bring meaning, employees will necessarily put their imagination to work. Each with different imaginaries, which can not go in the right direction. This situation is destructive of good energy, while on the contrary, giving meaning helps to feed the motivation of the teams and fight against turnover.

For good reason, turnover is often not only due to management. In reality, it is often a problem of meaning. It is therefore a question of knowing how to give benchmarks and attract the support of teams to retain talent.

The 5 levers of the managerial posture to unleash the human potential of employees

Explain the usefulness of the work. Taking the time to explain to the employee the reason for the tasks they are asked to do shows recognition of the people who work in the company. It is therefore the first step to give meaning. It is then important to take the time to present the company’s vision and how each contributes to success.

Increase transparency. Being clearer and more honest with teams actually exposes management and the company more. On the other hand, it is also the best way to calm discussions and limit misunderstandings. This creates a sense of mutual trust that is beneficial to the entire organization.

Know how to grant autonomy. Meaning is built by doing so it is necessary to give latitude to give each potential the opportunity to express itself. In addition, the more pleasure the employee has in carrying out his missions, the more he will bring to the company.

Train teams, at all levels. Work is also for humans a source of progress and development of the feeling of personal development. Training is therefore very important. However, for decades, they were mainly reserved for white-collar workers. From now on, they are open to many other professions and strengthen the sense of belonging.

Advocate for quality relationships within the team. Social relations in companies are essential for the well-being of teams but also for creativity and proactivity. They make it possible to embark on a common project. Thus, the sense of belonging is fundamental. The more teams feel part of a collective, the more the whole enters a virtuous circle.

Finally, to succeed in unlocking human potential, it is necessary to identify areas for improvement in one’s company. Then, Gaël Salomon recommends setting up a roadmap and a very operational action plan. Moreover, it invites to make a roadmap that starts from the teams. The management gives a direction, an objective, some major strategic axes. But it is with the teams, in a logic of co-construction and creativity, that the company defines the stages of the project.

About Gaël Salomon and BERENICE CONSEIL

Founder of BERENICE CONSEIL, Gaël SALOMON has always been passionate about “operational” strategy at the service of the development of companies and their teams. He worked for more than 20 years on the growth or recovery of companies and groups of which he was the general manager.

Today, at the head of BERENICE CONSEIL, he accompanies leaders in their present and future challenges, bringing them both his expertise and his pragmatism. Within his firm specialized in Strategy, Organization and Management, he helps companies in their development or recovery by looking for levers to regain confidence. Guided by the firm conviction that the economic development of enterprises is inseparable from the development of human potential, it addresses all strategies that can avoid restructuring. From vision to action, BERENICE CONSEIL consultants assist managers in the development of their strategy and its effective implementation. They support the phases of diagnosis, development, (re)dynamisation and transformation of companies.

A graduate of a Master’s degree in Strategy and a Master’s degree in International Development, Gaël is also the author of research in strategy and management. His next book dedicated to revitalization strategies will be released in the second half of 2022.

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