People & organisational performance

Paperjam: In the quest for performance, what role does an HR director play alongside the CEO? Does the role involve executing a roadmap, or guiding corporate strategy?

: The HR director is a strategic advisor, a bit like an assistant conductor. He or she ensures that each talent performs their part harmoniously, in the right role. He or she adjusts the dynamics between groups to ensure optimal collective results, anticipates needs and challenges, while remaining aligned with the conductor’s vision. The aim is to achieve a beautiful, harmonious tone, thanks to complementarity and coordination reinforced by shared values. But above all, it is key that the CEO sees his or her HR director as a strategic ally, not just an operational one, and gives them all the tools and space needed to carry out the job properly.

How can we combine the quest for performance with ever higher aspirations in terms of work-life balance?

To achieve sustainable performance, it is essential to support employees in their need to reconcile their professional ambitions with a balanced life in general. By placing employee well-being at the heart of its strategy (support for mental health, flexibility, recognition, trust, etc.), a company can stimulate both commitment and productivity. In this way, well-being becomes a key lever for achieving long-term results.

Talent acquisition

The job market is dominated by the ‘war for talent.’ How does this play out in practice in your own recruitment processes? What difficulties do you face?

In the financial sector, the search for talent is forcing us to be creative and innovative in reinventing our traditional practices. Today, talent retention is the new way of recruiting. That’s why we invest heavily in ongoing training, upskilling, employee engagement and a strong corporate culture, seeing retention as a strategic pillar. We also diversify the ways in which we meet our needs by calling on other KPMG offices (our network).

Finally, in the age of artificial intelligence, we use these modern tools to increase efficiency, enabling our people to focus on more creative, high value-added activities and improving collaboration between teams. These efforts are enabling us to anticipate future developments, but we are also facing challenges, not least the scarcity of certain specialised profiles. So recruiting today requires an ecosystem combining retention, new technologies and innovation in the way we operate.

What ‘weapons’ is your company deploying to successfully fight this battle? And what additional ‘weapons’ would you like to have at your disposal if you had the power to change regulations and laws?

We firmly believe in offering a wide range of continuing education and personal development opportunities. The commitment of our employees, digitalisation and collaboration with the KPMG network are at the heart of our strategy. However, I think it would be beneficial for the legal framework to evolve in line with new needs: a uniform European framework, more contractual flexibility on working hours, as well as easier access to the labour market for third-country nationals and tax incentives for the development of innovation. What’s more, it’s important to strengthen our higher education offering locally in a variety of areas (digital, data, engineering, etc.) to make Luxembourg an attractive hub for students who would then start their careers here.

Employer branding

Applied to your organisation, what is your definition of ‘employer branding’?

At KPMG, even though we are part of the Big Four, we stand out because of our unique and strong identity, our corporate culture. We put the emphasis on people, because we are convinced that sustainable performance is based on caring, our values, the desire to surpass ourselves together and a collective spirit focused on excellence in the service of our clients. It is this vision that defines us well beyond our membership of the sector.

In the light of this definition, how important is HR in promoting this ‘employer brand’?

Our experts in the people & culture department are at the heart of our strategy to enhance our employer brand. They are the pillars that transform our human values into concrete actions, such as: creating an attractive culture; offering a unique employee experience, throughout the candidate and employee career path; reinforcing the external image by collaborating with the communications teams to highlight our actions and the testimonials of our employees in order to share our human vision with potential candidates.

HR is not just a supporter, but the architect of our employer brand, ensuring that it is consistent, authentic and aligned with our culture. Ultimately, every KPMG employee is an ambassador for our employer brand, not just HR.

Reskilling & upskilling

In terms of upskilling, what are the priority needs that you have identified within your organisation?

Beyond the technical aspects, our skills development priorities focus on two strategic areas. First, it is essential that we continue to train and develop our employees in all aspects of leadership and people management, in order to promote caring and effective management that is in line with our culture. Second, we are investing in artificial intelligence skills, focusing on the working methods and tools that will enable our teams to anticipate and meet tomorrow’s technological challenges. These two pillars are essential if we are to guarantee sustainable, innovative performance.

And what tools and systems have been put in place within your departments to support ongoing employee training?

Thanks to our KPMG network, we have access to the best tools to support our employees in their career development and have an exceptional take-up rate of Degreed (the continuing education platform) and Linkedin Learning. Our learning & development team develops and runs a number of business & leadership courses. In addition, we work with external providers for our ‘Development Centres’ dedicated to middle management, to identify their strengths and areas for improvement in terms of leadership skills and to prepare them as effectively as possible for the next stage in their career.

Talent retention

Is the ‘war for talent’ also about talent retention? And if so, what is your conclusion? That today it is just as complex to attract talent as it is to retain it?

Yes, the ‘war for talent’ is also about retaining employees, and it’s all the more difficult because many professionals today are looking to diversify their experience and move between different sectors or locations to enrich their career paths. Faced with this trend, employers must redouble their efforts to adapt by offering development opportunities, greater flexibility and stimulating environments in order to retain them. It is also essential to manage the departure of employees and maintain regular contact with them. This enables them to be potentially reintegrated into the company, benefiting from the experience they have gained to date.

What have been the main changes, or what changes are underway, in your company’s ‘employee pathway’?

The main developments in the employee pathway revolve around several key areas: setting up an integration process ([pre]-onboarding) so that new members already feel part of the #TeamBlue team even before they officially arrive; encouraging more instantaneous and multi-dimensional internal communication, allowing information to flow smoothly and interactively; encouraging learning and the adoption of new ways of working, with an emphasis on developing a growth mindset and promoting co-creation; maintaining links with absent employees over the long term, by nurturing their return after maternity/parental leave, illness or other prolonged absence; digitising many processes to empower employees through intuitive self-service solutions.

New ways of working

Flexibility, teleworking... Since the health crisis, the desire for new ways of working has become more pronounced than ever. How can we respond to this paradigm shift without hampering business performance?

The world of work is changing rapidly, and the health crisis has accelerated this change, especially with the development of hybrid working. It’s not always easy for companies to find the right approach. It’s important to build trust and manage by objectives, focusing on results. Managers also need to be trained in hybrid working by supporting them and giving them the right tools. Finally, it is crucial to strengthen human relations and cohesion during face-to-face meetings.

In conclusion, hybrid working offers many opportunities. However, to take full advantage of them, effective management and alignment with the corporate culture are essential.

At the same time, how can we meet the challenge of employee commitment, which studies show is falling?

To increase employee commitment, we need to understand what motivates them individually. Everyone has their own drivers, but they all share a common need: a healthy working environment. Regardless of generation, we all want a stable and respectful environment, which is essential for our psychological balance. By diversifying initiatives while remaining true to the company’s values and culture, we can meet everyone’s expectations and strengthen their commitment.

Employment law

What is your view of the legislation? As it stands, do you see the Luxembourg labour code as a partner for employers? Or, on the contrary, something of an adversary?

I think it’s essential to review the Luxembourg labour code so that it keeps pace with new realities. Let’s take one or two examples, such as making working time more flexible and better managing peak periods for companies. This could be done with flexitime: employees can adjust their working hours according to their preferences and the needs of the company. An employee could compensate for periods of overactivity by reducing his or her working hours during quieter periods, while respecting an overall number of hours over a given period. In addition, the provisions relating to the keeping of a working time register by the employer, as currently laid down by law, are clearly obsolete. It would be wise for this section of the law to be reviewed and adapted in line with new technologies and the consideration of hybrid working.

I particularly appreciate advances such as the increased flexibility of parental leave, as they promote a better work-life balance. So it’s important to find the right balance to maintain attractiveness, competitiveness and well-being at work.

Digitalisation

How are you transforming digitalisation into an ally of the HR function?

In 2024, we undertook a major transformation with the change of our HRIS [human resources information system] tool. This complex project, like any digital project, was not without its challenges and is still in the finalisation phase. In 2025, our priority will be to integrate this tool with other key systems, such as our finance system, in order to maximise the use of data and derive strategic analyses to support our decision-making. By adopting the right technologies and tools, HR can deliver a better employee experience, while optimising internal processes, talent management and decision-making, and that’s going to keep us busy for some time to come.

But what obstacles do you still face at this stage?

Despite ongoing improvements to HR systems, implementation remains a challenge. There is often a gap between the initial demonstration and the reality of implementation, which can be frustrating. What’s more, these projects are time-consuming and add to day-to-day tasks. The expectations raised by the demonstrations don’t always correspond to the actual functionality once the tool has been deployed, leading to unforeseen adjustments. Isn’t it time we had an HR tool designed by HR professionals that is truly adapted to the needs of the field?

Benefits

How important is salary attractiveness in recruiting and retaining talent today?

Salary attractiveness remains a key factor, particularly for experienced talent, but it is no longer the only lever in recruitment and retention. Candidates and employees also value other elements such as monetary and non-monetary benefits, flexibility, and the quality and impact of the projects on offer. A global approach is therefore essential to attracting and retaining talent.

In addition to remuneration, what other factors should be taken into account to increase attractiveness?

Attractiveness is based on a number of levers, specific to each individual, hence the need for a diversified approach. In jobs that are predominantly human-oriented, it’s vital to create emotion throughout the employer branding and selection process. Every candidate needs to understand why their profile is valued, how they can play a key role in the company’s strategy, and perceive a win-win relationship with their potential future employer. Explaining the vision, demonstrating how the candidate is a major asset, and highlighting the opportunities for professional development are essential to generate commitment and support.

Mobility & fleet

A fleet of electric vehicles, incentives to use public transport... In your company, what measures have been, are being or will be taken to improve mobility?

After assessing our carbon footprint, we found that it was heavily influenced by our company car policy and business travel. As a responsible employer, we therefore decided to review our car policy. From now on, we will only allow hybrid or electric vehicles. In addition, we have taken steps to reduce the impact of our air travel, in particular by encouraging our employees to opt for less energy-intensive classes, such as economy plus, instead of business class. Other initiatives, in line with our ESG ambitions, are also under way to strengthen our commitment to sustainability.

More generally, what are the points to watch in terms of the green transition?

As far as the green transition is concerned, we need to strike a balance between sustainability and economic performance, while meeting the expectations of our employees and stakeholders. We favour pragmatic and progressive solutions, avoiding overly radical approaches that could slow down buy-in or harm our competitiveness. Finally, we are focusing on raising awareness and supporting change, so as to transform this transition into a lever for innovation and collective commitment.

Corporate social responsibility (CSR)

What are the biggest challenges for your organisation in terms of the new CSR obligations?

For us at KPMG, the new CSR obligations represent an exciting challenge. We have to fully integrate environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria into our own operations whilst supporting our clients through this complex transition. This includes complying with the new sustainable reporting standards, reducing our carbon footprint in various areas, and promoting an inclusive and responsible corporate culture.

How do these same obligations impact your internal upskilling or external recruitment processes?

The new CSR obligations have had a direct impact on our training offering. We have created several new modules and integrated ESG-related skills into our in-house training. This means that we have to develop training programmes for our employees so that they can meet the growing expectations in terms of sustainability, ethics and governance. At the same time, we must ensure that our recruitment criteria evolve and are aligned with these new requirements.

Gen Z

They’re said to be less committed, more demanding, and perhaps even difficult to grasp... Is Gen Z really turning the working environment upside down?

Generation Z has a unique relationship with work and the meaning of life in general, reflecting the changes of our time. Each generation brings its own beliefs and values, enriching the whole organisation. It is essential to adopt an attitude of listening, understanding and dialogue in order to co-create an environment where everyone can fulfil their potential. Rather than judging these differences, let’s work together to build a better world.

What advice would you give to newly recruited 25-30 year olds?

Believe in yourself and your dreams, but first take the time to understand the ecosystem in which you are evolving and its challenges. Then put forward your value proposition with conviction. Inspire, unite, and together, let’s build solutions and move towards our common goals.

Diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI)

As an HR director, how would you define your role and responsibilities with regard to DEI issues?

As HR director, my mission is to ensure that diversity, equity and inclusion are not only at the heart of the HR strategy, but that they remain there in a sustainable way, shaping the culture of the company. Over the last few years, my team and I have been implementing targeted initiatives to increase the presence of women in leadership and management positions, actively supporting them to realise their full potential. This includes awareness-raising campaigns, leadership workshops, mentoring and networking programmes, as well as combating bias in recruitment and promotion processes. We are also creating an environment where every employee feels valued and respected. My aim is to raise awareness and support managers and teams so that these values become levers for collective performance and innovation, because these responsibilities must be shared by everyone.

Is an ‘exemplary’ company a utopian dream or a feasible goal?

For us, being an exemplary company means embodying our own values, vision, strategy and culture. It is essential that each organisation clearly defines these elements and commits to a process of continuous progress. Agility and the ability to adapt to changes in the market and in societal expectations are key conditions for achieving this objective. In addition, an exemplary company must recognise its mistakes, understand them and put in place measures to avoid repeating them, thereby demonstrating its commitment to learning and evolving. Such an organisation constantly seeks to improve, to align its actions with its principles and to remain open to change and innovation. And let’s bear in mind that if we want employees to adopt an exemplary attitude, it really does start with the company, because the tone comes from the top.

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