Recruitment and career mobility: higher expectations

Pascale Péron, Head of Human Resources Development

Pascale Péron, the current head of HR Development, started her career at Sofinco (2,000 employees) and stayed there for 15 years, with a first job in sales before moving on to be Training Division Manager and finally being appointed Careers Director. Her career has encompassed recruitment, training and internal mobility. She has been Head of Human Resources Development since 18 January 2001. This appointment came with a new set of challenges in the areas of recruitment and employee career support.

What are your responsibilities in the HR department?

"I work in close collaboration with Bruno Puech, the Human Resources Director and have the direct support of Martine Benguigui, Head of Training, Véronique Herpin and Mélanie Renou, two HR assistants in charge of recruitment, and Patricia Rousselin, office administrator, who looks after recruitment administration and new staff. Our work covers all companies in the Factofrance group, and is divided equally between external recruitment and careers and skills development for internal staff."


How do you see your work?

The job market and people's expectations of work are changing today. Employees demand greater communication and training from companies, and want to be kept well-informed, and it is our job to meet these expectations. This is something I find especially important and it's the starting point for everything I do. We need to make the most of all the communication methods available to us and convey a coherent and detailed image of the company as a whole, including the positions and career possibilities we offer.

What methods are available to you?

In terms of recruitment we have a whole range of communication tools: the written press, the Internet, contacts in education, the Facto website, sponsorship deals, etc. We also work with recruitment and temping agencies. Some of these tools are already in regular use: the Facto website, for instance, which is a highly effective communication method as it projects a very professional image of the company. Sponsorship is also well underway and we have high hopes for this. It is important to update both the style and content of these communication tools constantly, and in doing this we endeavour to meet the expectations of everyone involved. As for training, we engage in lengthy discussions with the management of the group's various businesses and companies to assess the needs of current and potential employees, from the moment they join the group to opportunities for career development on offer from that point.

It seems like a lot to accomplish?

That's for sure! Work has already begun on some of these schemes, while others will be scheduled for later. Our business depends on a regular exchange with the various levels of management and a process of constant feedback from potential and current staff. Without this sense of openness nothing useful can be achieved...