Interview with Virginie LINARD, Director of Human Resources, Groupe Up

A digital transformation that impacts both internally and externally

"At Up, digitalisation is a global transformation that is changing our businesses and is part of our long-term HR and corporate policy", explains Virginie Linard. "It allows us to refocus and enhance the added value of our businesses and generates opportunities and new prospects for our employees. This of course means supporting them in developing key skills and acquiring new technical and organisational knowledge."

UpCoop's traditional business - issuing special payment vouchers - has been heavily impacted by digitalisation. The range of products and services offered by UpCoop has expanded to include dematerialised solutions, in particular digital cards and credits for lunch, gifts, culture and social aid.

To make day-to-day customer management easier and give them greater autonomy, more and more digital tools are also being made available (customer extranet, chatbot, etc.).

Internally, digitalisation is also synonymous with process optimisation and operational efficiency, so that we can respond ever more effectively to the needs and expectations of our customers. Many of the cooperative's departments use automation and robotisation tools to minimise human intervention in repetitive, time-consuming tasks. This means we can concentrate our collective efforts on higher added-value tasks, centred on innovation and collaboration.

Symmetry of attention and Quality of Life and Working Conditions (QLWC)

The quality of the relationship between UpCoop and its customers is symmetrical to the quality of the relationship between the cooperative and all its employees. This is why, within the UpCoop cooperative and the Up group, the employee experience and the Quality of Life and Working Conditions (QLWC) are essential.

Proximity between the Human Resources Department (HRD) and all employees, regardless of their geographical location and thanks to a mix of face-to-face and distance learning, as well as listening and providing support on a daily basis are priorities.

For example, to facilitate access to the range of services on offer, the Human Resources Department is rolling out schemes such as Learning Day. The aim of this scheme is to help employees get to grips with the many tools available to them to learn and develop their skills. Taking the form of webinars, Learning Day gives everyone access to the same information, at the same time.

In 2024, a new edition of the HR Tour will also enable HR teams to meet employees based in Villeneuve d'Ascq, Bron, Epernay, Marseille, Toulouse, Metz, Nantes and Rennes. It's a scheme that may seem insignificant, but it's very much appreciated by employees, giving them the chance to talk informally and more spontaneously with their HR contacts.

"We need to have links and face-to-face contact", maintains Virginie Linard. "Remote working is important because society is changing and individuals have high expectations in terms of balancing their lives. But it's just as important to keep the community alive and well. Coming on site means maintaining the link and working in collaboration, in exchange, in co-construction, in informality, which is just as important for nurturing projects and subjects and moving forward together. So we need to find the right balance. »

Gender equality: a commitment embodied by the HR Department

Restoring the balance between women and men within the company is also a commitment defended and embodied by the Human Resources Department. Indeed, for many years, promoting professional equality has been one of the fundamental pillars of the HR policy of the UpCoop cooperative and the Up group, aimed at diversity and inclusion.

"Within the UpCoop cooperative and the Up group, inclusion, diversity and equal opportunities, without discrimination, are issues that drive us. Equality between men and women is a subject we particularly want to address, and one that is also close to my heart", adds Virginie Linard. "This means combating discrimination, violence and harassment, reducing the mental burden, promoting a balance between life and work, but also raising awareness and changing attitudes. And on these issues, the involvement and support of the Chairman and General Management are real levers for acceleration."

One of the concrete actions implemented and the factual elements to which the HR Department pays attention is the professional equality index, an indicator which helps to identify possible areas for improvement. And it is in top management in particular that the cooperative has to make efforts, in terms of representativeness, even though a higher proportion of women than men join the cooperative.

These findings raise the question of how we can help women to reconcile their personal constraints with their professional lives, and enable them to see themselves progressing within the company. And that also means helping women to overcome the imposter syndrome, which they may wrongly feel.

"In my personal career, I've been confronted with self-censorship and questions about my legitimacy in accepting a promotion and seizing an opportunity", Virginie confides. "When I was offered the position of HR France in 2020, I thought that my lack of up-to-date legal knowledge would be an obstacle. I also felt that the job was too ambitious for me. It was the encouragement of my friends and family that helped me to take the plunge."

"Just after I took up my post at HR France, the Covid crisis reshuffled the deck in a positive way," Virginie continues. "This period took me out of my comfort zone, forced me to tackle issues one after the other, with common sense, and made me realise that not mastering all the issues is not a barrier to success. I've also been able to count on my team and my colleagues, who have been immensely supportive and have shown a real spirit of solidarity. And I'm still growing and learning every day, and that's what I like !"

Social dialogue and corporate culture

Within the UpCoop cooperative, social dialogue has a special place. The history of the cooperative shows that it has strong and structuring links with the trade unions, which contributed to its creation. In addition, three trade unions are represented on the cooperative's Board of Directors.

Supporting the various players within the company as part of the social dialogue (HR managers, CSE elected representatives, trade union representatives) is also one of UpCoop's missions. It offers solutions to improve working conditions, purchasing power and quality of life for employees and agents.

Internally, social dialogue takes place through the actions of the Social and Economic Committee (CSE), the Inter-Company Social and Cultural Activities Committee (CASCIE) and the European Works Council (EWC), as well as through the 4 trade union sections represented within the cooperative.

"There's no denying it, it's part of our cooperative model and our DNA," explains Virginie. "We need to perpetuate this culture, which is the fruit of our history and our collective ambition. We work on a daily basis with staff representatives (elected members of the works council and trade unions) to maintain and enhance social dialogue. It is with them that the Human Resources Department is building a healthy and inclusive space for discussions, exchanges and negotiations serving the common interest, the well-being and working conditions and the long-term future of our company."

The missions of the Human Resources Department in brief

Fully integrated into the deployment of the Group's strategic plan, the HR team helps to cultivate and make effective use of the strengths of our cooperative model. It also works to encourage the commitment of each individual and to provide an optimised employee experience, geared towards success and performance. Finally, the HR Department is the guarantor of a shared social foundation, which drives an inclusive and aligned HR policy in France and internationally, and guarantees excellence in practices, while respecting local autonomy and culture.

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