Hi Annick! Happy to have you with us today! To quickly introduce you, you joined the HR team a little while ago, as Vice-President. What were your first impressions of Société VIA? Were there things that stood out to you?
What strikes me most is the kindness and caring nature of the people who work here. The atmosphere is unique, and it’s very motivating to be part of this wonderful big team that demonstrates remarkable talents.
It’s true that the caring nature is very palpable! I must not be the only one wondering, but what made you land here?
After 20 wonderful years in private manufacturing, I wanted to experience something different, something more engaging. I fell in love with Société VIA! Plus, I felt that my multi-site experience could bring something to the context of strong growth experienced by VIA in recent years.
That’s really interesting. It also helps us discover more about you. Since your arrival, do you see opportunities to grow Société VIA? For example, what do you see in terms of talent management, company culture?
In fact, it’s important for me to thoroughly understand the organization to ensure I provide guidance adapted to the context. So, I’m currently visiting sites, meeting different teams, learning about the culture, the ways of doing things, the needs, etc.
After this overview, we will be able to implement strategies to properly support employees and offer quality HR services adapted to the context.
With over 650 employees across 6 sites, we need to find effective ways to stay close to people, while ensuring specialized HR services that add value and ensure the organization’s sustainability. We need to find the right balance.
Finally, how do you envision your role in relation to other departments, particularly communications, to create change and strengthen employee engagement?
HR is a function that impacts all staff, all departments, throughout the employee lifecycle. It’s a very varied role, including attracting potential candidates, recruitment, recognition and engagement practices, total compensation, payroll, labor relations, OHS, work organization, skills development, individual and team performance management, career path, etc.
I strongly believe in the following saying: “Alone, we go faster. Together, we go further.” By acting collaboratively and communicating well, we will maximize the achievement of our mission!