The Meda II program supported 74 businesses
15 April 2011
Read by 1586 persons
What is your assessment of the support program for businesses in the tourism sector under the Meda II plan?
Even today, in 2011, this program is cited as a reference. The materials produced are available from the sector's trade federations and the National Tourism Federation. And the associations disseminate the information to their members. By the end of 2008, out of 96 eligibility pre-diagnostics carried out, 74 businesses were supported. We also carried out 74 diagnostic missions, 70 strategic analyses and as many skills plans. In addition, 64 business leaders were supported in the context of HR coaching and 51 HR relays were supported in the implementation phase of HR tools. We organized five awareness and information seminars as well as feedback seminars. An HR charter was developed.
What are the HR projects that have been set up in the various structures?
The first challenge was to determine where and how to act in order to have an impact on the sector. It was therefore necessary to identify the sectors supported and the type of business. The second challenge was to determine where and how to act in order to have an impact on the business. We had to determine the nature of the support, the diagnosis, the action plan and the HR tools to be implemented. The last challenge was to multiply the work carried out with the largest number of businesses, professionals and federations. This activity was the subject of numerous seminars, aimed first at raising awareness and providing information, then at training professionals and finally at providing these same professionals with the lessons learned from the support provided.
The tools implemented were not taken from a ready-made catalog, but stemmed from the real needs of each business. They were each developed with a tailor-made approach. In doing so, they allowed the company's resources to take ownership of the method, who worked with the experts to create some of these tools, under the supervision of the experts (see box).
What difficulties were encountered?
The difficulties encountered are inherent in any ambitious project. They were also linked to problems of resistance to change, lack of relevant vision of recurring problems and their solutions, problems of inappropriate strategy and lack of organizational skills.
Has there been any follow-up since?
An evaluation took place at the end of the program. The elements from the program are used in the definition of new actions and feed the reflection of the main public and private actors.
Businesses in the sector are known for not integrating the HR dimension into their management. What are the most widespread HR practices?
This depends on the willingness of the groups, both in international and national groups and independent businesses. As you have seen, most of the structures were in a logic of organizing the management of human resources. When a structure does not have simple job description procedures, dashboards and evaluation systems, it is unimaginable to think of implementing a recruitment or career management system afterwards.
That said, some large and small businesses are well-equipped in terms of remuneration policy or training systems. Accor and Kenzi were among the first to set up apprenticeship training centers, for example.
I also think that to have social peace, many units have put in place social benefit systems to retain their teams.
That said, we found that HR managers had a recurring lack of resources to implement HR tools.
The Meda II program also involved supporting businesses in other sectors (textiles, high-tech...). Are there any differences in approach between these different sectors?
The approach between these different sectors was strictly the same, as was the approach taken, the implementation principles and the activities. The application differed somewhat from one sector to another, depending on the structure of the sectors concerned. Generally speaking, the textile and tourism sectors are heavy consumers of less qualified skills than in ICT. That being said, the three sectors shared a common vision and developed concerted HR support.
Published April 13, 2011
Posted online April 15, 2011
Lavieeco.com
Even today, in 2011, this program is cited as a reference. The materials produced are available from the sector's trade federations and the National Tourism Federation. And the associations disseminate the information to their members. By the end of 2008, out of 96 eligibility pre-diagnostics carried out, 74 businesses were supported. We also carried out 74 diagnostic missions, 70 strategic analyses and as many skills plans. In addition, 64 business leaders were supported in the context of HR coaching and 51 HR relays were supported in the implementation phase of HR tools. We organized five awareness and information seminars as well as feedback seminars. An HR charter was developed.
What are the HR projects that have been set up in the various structures?
The first challenge was to determine where and how to act in order to have an impact on the sector. It was therefore necessary to identify the sectors supported and the type of business. The second challenge was to determine where and how to act in order to have an impact on the business. We had to determine the nature of the support, the diagnosis, the action plan and the HR tools to be implemented. The last challenge was to multiply the work carried out with the largest number of businesses, professionals and federations. This activity was the subject of numerous seminars, aimed first at raising awareness and providing information, then at training professionals and finally at providing these same professionals with the lessons learned from the support provided.
The tools implemented were not taken from a ready-made catalog, but stemmed from the real needs of each business. They were each developed with a tailor-made approach. In doing so, they allowed the company's resources to take ownership of the method, who worked with the experts to create some of these tools, under the supervision of the experts (see box).
What difficulties were encountered?
The difficulties encountered are inherent in any ambitious project. They were also linked to problems of resistance to change, lack of relevant vision of recurring problems and their solutions, problems of inappropriate strategy and lack of organizational skills.
Has there been any follow-up since?
An evaluation took place at the end of the program. The elements from the program are used in the definition of new actions and feed the reflection of the main public and private actors.
Businesses in the sector are known for not integrating the HR dimension into their management. What are the most widespread HR practices?
This depends on the willingness of the groups, both in international and national groups and independent businesses. As you have seen, most of the structures were in a logic of organizing the management of human resources. When a structure does not have simple job description procedures, dashboards and evaluation systems, it is unimaginable to think of implementing a recruitment or career management system afterwards.
That said, some large and small businesses are well-equipped in terms of remuneration policy or training systems. Accor and Kenzi were among the first to set up apprenticeship training centers, for example.
I also think that to have social peace, many units have put in place social benefit systems to retain their teams.
That said, we found that HR managers had a recurring lack of resources to implement HR tools.
The Meda II program also involved supporting businesses in other sectors (textiles, high-tech...). Are there any differences in approach between these different sectors?
The approach between these different sectors was strictly the same, as was the approach taken, the implementation principles and the activities. The application differed somewhat from one sector to another, depending on the structure of the sectors concerned. Generally speaking, the textile and tourism sectors are heavy consumers of less qualified skills than in ICT. That being said, the three sectors shared a common vision and developed concerted HR support.
Published April 13, 2011
Posted online April 15, 2011
Lavieeco.com
