People and organisational performance

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

: Over the last few years, the role has evolved considerably, enabling companies to use their HR director to guide corporate strategy, especially in terms of human skills or subjects such as work-life balance and wellbeing at work. The HR director hears what’s going on in the field and helps to steer the strategy.

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

The quest for performance and respect for the work-life balance are not contradictory, but complementary. Employees who are fulfilled and balanced are more motivated, productive and committed. So it’s important to see this as a lever for performance.

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 our recruitment process, which is socially oriented, we don’t really have a war for talent at our level. On the other hand, we do have difficulties in finding certain jobs because of diploma recognition or language requirements. This can take some time, with social workers, for example.

What ‘weapons’ does your company use to fight this battle? And what additional ‘weapons’ would you like to have, if you had the power to change regulations and laws?

I won’t talk about weapons, but we have fairly transparent recruitment and we help employees to acquire the languages they lack through courses. At our level, it’s difficult to change regulations and laws, but simplification would be welcome.

Employer branding

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

At Stëmm vun der Strooss, employer branding reflects our strong social mission and our commitment to people in precarious situations. We offer our employees the chance to contribute to a meaningful project, while benefiting from opportunities for personal development. This combination of social impact and individual fulfilment defines our identity as an employer.

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

Our HR department plays a central role in our employer brand, particularly in recruiting profiles aligned with our values, promoting the development and integration of each employee. The people who apply are often already familiar with our brand, because our mission is almost unique in Luxembourg. Helping people in need is a cause that touches many people.

Reskilling and upskilling

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

At Stëmm vun der Strooss, the priority needs in terms of upskilling focus on the development of social and relational skills, which are essential in our mission to support people in precarious situations. At the same time, there is a growing need for training to boost the effectiveness of our teams, and we are giving everyone the opportunity to enhance their skills by taking part in targeted training courses.

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

To support training, we have set up a time for discussion during the annual interview, direct requests to HR and the opportunity to take part in training sessions for social workers, but also in languages and personal development.

We also encourage learning through the exchange of experiences between colleagues (Shadow Day).

Talent retention

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

In some areas, I would say yes. It is becoming more and more complex to attract but also to retain talent. To retain our employees, it is essential to create a working environment that is stimulating, rewarding and aligned with our social values, while offering opportunities for personal and professional development.

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

We’re trying to focus on personalising the employee pathway by offering more training tailored to individual needs. My door is always open for a chat to understand needs.

We’re also working on internal communication by integrating digital tools, team building and induction days to encourage exchanges.

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?

At Stëmm vun der Strooss, we don’t face this problem, because our business, which is centred on human and social issues, requires a presence on the ground. We offer a degree of flexibility in terms of working hours to meet individual needs, while guaranteeing the continuity and quality of our services. This approach makes it possible to reconcile professional commitment and personal balance without compromising our performance.

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

We respond to this challenge by cultivating a meaningful working environment, where everyone can see the direct impact of their actions on the beneficiaries. We also give people the opportunity to express themselves.

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?

In the social field, we are governed by the SAS collective agreement and labour law. It’s a necessary framework that protects both the employer and the employee. Certain texts can sometimes lack the flexibility to respond to the reality on the ground. Despite this, I would say that it is important to ensure that everyone’s rights are respected.

Same exercise in fiction as before... If you had the power, what additional provision would you like to introduce into Luxembourg law to meet your needs more effectively?

To be honest, I’ve never really asked myself the question. Compared with French law, Luxembourg employment law is more accessible. If I had the power to make a change, I would ask for administrative procedures to be simplified and digitised.

Digitalisation

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

Since last year, we’ve been using digitisation to simplify and optimise HR processes. This includes adopting an HRIS [human resources information system] for administrative management, training monitoring and employee induction. We are also working to improve internal communication via this HRIS so that all employees can share information. We can work in a different way and free up time for requests from staff.

What obstacles do you still face at this stage?

One of the main obstacles to digitisation is the cost of the solutions needed to protect sensitive data, while complying with legal requirements. Striking a balance with our limited financial resources, especially in Luxembourg, sometimes slows down the implementation of suitable systems.

Benefits

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

In our sector, employees are strongly motivated by the meaning of their mission and the values of the organisation. I would say that a balance between a fulfilling working environment, a degree of flexibility and attractive remuneration remains essential to attracting and retaining talent.

Aside from remuneration, what are the elements that can be used to make your organisation more attractive?

In the social field, we have a good agreement that enables us to gain in attractiveness. Beyond that, a sense of mission, a caring working environment and opportunities for personal development are all elements that we can build on.

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?

At Stëmm vun der Strooss, mobility is not a central issue given the nature of our activities. However, we remain attentive to sustainable solutions that could be applied to our specific needs in the future.

In addition to mobility, we have a food processing workshop that helps to avoid food waste.

More generally, what are the points of vigilance that you are keeping in mind in terms of the green transition?

What I keep in mind is that it’s important to transform certain methods to reduce our environmental impact and promote sustainable development.

Corporate social responsibility (CSR)

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

The biggest challenge, I think, is funding for implementation. As an ASBL, it’s difficult to act on all aspects. We’re not a company and, being financially dependent, it can be complicated. We do things differently, by setting up workshops (processing to avoid food waste, raising awareness of recycling, helping other associations, working with local suppliers, etc.).

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?

At Stëmm vun der Strooss, we’re not directly confronted with the specific characteristics of Gen Z, because in the social sector, it’s above all the mission that counts. The young people who join our organisation are mainly motivated by the desire to contribute to a meaningful cause, which is in line with our values. That’s why they choose to study social work.

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

At Stëmm vun der Strooss, we advise young people aged 25-30 to remain open to learning new skills and working together, because working in the social sector requires both technical skills and human qualities. We also encourage them to invest themselves fully in our mission, while taking care to find a personal balance so that they can develop over the long term in this demanding but deeply rewarding sector. We support everyone as they build their careers.

Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI)

As HR director, how would you define your roles and responsibilities in relation to DEI issues?

As HR director, my priority is to ensure an inclusive and respectful working environment, where everyone feels recognised and valued, regardless of their origin, background or differences. This means adopting fair recruitment practices, raising awareness of the principles of integration, and providing opportunities and fair working conditions, while fostering a climate of respect and listening.

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

I always say that perfection doesn’t exist, but we can come close. An organisation can aim to be exemplary by putting its values into practice every day and by adapting to everyone’s expectations. This requires constant improvement to promote equity and strengthen social impact.

For each new employee, I hand over a wooden jigsaw piece to complete the puzzle already in place. This gesture symbolises our conviction that we are not perfect, but that every employee is a key element of our organisation, essential if we are to move forward together.

This article was originally published in .