Alain Mauriès: "Employees Feel Like Brand Ambassadors"
11 December 2009
Read by 2725 persons
Alain Mauriès, in charge of "Employee Relations", or more commonly the Human Resources director of Coca Cola for Europe, believes that motivation is not only about money but also about well-being at work.
How to motivate employees during a crisis?
Alain Mauriès: At Coca Cola, unlike other companies, we continued our growth despite the recession. In the first quarter of 2009, our sales increased in Europe. Our employees do not feel worried about the progress of our company. But they know what is happening around them, that the current crisis is quite deep, that the market is very volatile. They may be anxious because of the prevailing gloom. They are currently facing changes, but this is not because of the crisis. We had already started implementing organizational and reorganization projects in 2007. And, already in January 2008, we implemented a significant cost control policy. It was effectively implemented in April-May of the same year and it undoubtedly contributed to the good health of the company. So, employees, even before the explosion of the economic crisis, had been able to experience spending cuts.
What methods do you use to boost employee motivation?
A. M.: There are several approaches, the financial incentive for example. As the 2008 activity was good, we will be able to pay a bonus to employees. Thus, they realize that our investment policy in innovation, very strategic for us, is paying off and that they are benefiting from it.
And the other approaches?
A. M.: We use new IT tools to revamp and modernize management. They are used to set objectives and facilitate performance reviews. Beyond the tools, we work a lot on personal development. For example, we are currently considering a new training course on management in times of crisis and uncertainty.
What is your social responsibility policy?
A. M.: We have a strong commitment to sustainable development and social responsibility. And they are particularly interesting to employees. In terms of sustainable development, we want, for example, to reduce the number of our trucks and we are running a fleet of hybrid models. We are also very attentive to the water problem, our objective is to reduce its consumption and we do not treat it chemically but with plants. We are also thinking about the materials we use in our production. To the frequent questions asked by European employee representatives about these initiatives, I know that they are well received. On the social responsibility side, we have launched an operation "Your neighborhoods have talent" to sponsor young people who live in areas considered difficult.
How do you measure employee satisfaction?
A. M.: Through opinion surveys that we have been organizing every two years since 2002. Employees answer about a hundred questions and we publish the results internally. Each factory and regional manager also presents them to the teams on site.
What are the most frequent demands?
A. M.: They concern remuneration, which is classic, but also the need for career visibility, advancement within the company, and the help we can provide them. We try to respond by explaining the different training courses, CIF and DIF. We want to be very clear about the positions to be filled. All personnel are aware of them. And when the position has been filled, the name of the person concerned is systematically published.
Do employees only mention salaries and careers?
A. M.: The work-life balance is another major point. To be in line, we have offered a whole range of services. For example, there is a concierge service and a crèche at the headquarters in Issy-les-Moulineaux. We always try to respond positively to requests for part-time work. Previously, service managers had difficulty with this type of arrangement, but today, it is less challenged by management.
Posted on December 11, 2009
Published on June 4, 2009
newzy.fr
How to motivate employees during a crisis?
Alain Mauriès: At Coca Cola, unlike other companies, we continued our growth despite the recession. In the first quarter of 2009, our sales increased in Europe. Our employees do not feel worried about the progress of our company. But they know what is happening around them, that the current crisis is quite deep, that the market is very volatile. They may be anxious because of the prevailing gloom. They are currently facing changes, but this is not because of the crisis. We had already started implementing organizational and reorganization projects in 2007. And, already in January 2008, we implemented a significant cost control policy. It was effectively implemented in April-May of the same year and it undoubtedly contributed to the good health of the company. So, employees, even before the explosion of the economic crisis, had been able to experience spending cuts.
What methods do you use to boost employee motivation?
A. M.: There are several approaches, the financial incentive for example. As the 2008 activity was good, we will be able to pay a bonus to employees. Thus, they realize that our investment policy in innovation, very strategic for us, is paying off and that they are benefiting from it.
And the other approaches?
A. M.: We use new IT tools to revamp and modernize management. They are used to set objectives and facilitate performance reviews. Beyond the tools, we work a lot on personal development. For example, we are currently considering a new training course on management in times of crisis and uncertainty.
What is your social responsibility policy?
A. M.: We have a strong commitment to sustainable development and social responsibility. And they are particularly interesting to employees. In terms of sustainable development, we want, for example, to reduce the number of our trucks and we are running a fleet of hybrid models. We are also very attentive to the water problem, our objective is to reduce its consumption and we do not treat it chemically but with plants. We are also thinking about the materials we use in our production. To the frequent questions asked by European employee representatives about these initiatives, I know that they are well received. On the social responsibility side, we have launched an operation "Your neighborhoods have talent" to sponsor young people who live in areas considered difficult.
How do you measure employee satisfaction?
A. M.: Through opinion surveys that we have been organizing every two years since 2002. Employees answer about a hundred questions and we publish the results internally. Each factory and regional manager also presents them to the teams on site.
What are the most frequent demands?
A. M.: They concern remuneration, which is classic, but also the need for career visibility, advancement within the company, and the help we can provide them. We try to respond by explaining the different training courses, CIF and DIF. We want to be very clear about the positions to be filled. All personnel are aware of them. And when the position has been filled, the name of the person concerned is systematically published.
Do employees only mention salaries and careers?
A. M.: The work-life balance is another major point. To be in line, we have offered a whole range of services. For example, there is a concierge service and a crèche at the headquarters in Issy-les-Moulineaux. We always try to respond positively to requests for part-time work. Previously, service managers had difficulty with this type of arrangement, but today, it is less challenged by management.
Posted on December 11, 2009
Published on June 4, 2009
newzy.fr
