Working and ageing - Cedefop - Europa
Working and ageing - Cedefop - Europa
Working and ageing - Cedefop - Europa
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CHAPTER 11<br />
Maintaining senior employment: some lessons from best practices in France 215<br />
The population in question is distinctive for its extensive seniority in a<br />
relatively stable job up to that point, a professional identity structured over<br />
time <strong>and</strong> in line with the jobʼs values, <strong>and</strong> a ratio between potential benefits<br />
<strong>and</strong> efforts required that can be less appealing to older workers. Thus the<br />
change process that must be triggered is complex <strong>and</strong> requires that<br />
employees must be ready to gain new skills, <strong>and</strong> the company provides<br />
support. It may be during the period just prior to embarking on a change<br />
process that more time should have been taken. However, the projectʼs<br />
timeframe did not make this possible.<br />
11.4.2.2. The pharmaceutical company example: guidance to develop<br />
job mobility plans<br />
The company <strong>and</strong> the programme<br />
This 2 200-employee division of a major pharmaceutical company, operating<br />
in a sector undergoing radical changes, has learned the lessons of a previous<br />
redundancy plan: particular issues arose in redeploying employees, most of<br />
whom were high-seniority <strong>and</strong> had often been in the same position for years.<br />
The division decided to implement a more strong-willed employability<br />
development policy. Deploying it through a GPEC agreement, the human<br />
resources department designed the Escale programme open to all employees,<br />
though priority was given to employees above age 45.<br />
The first step for programme participants was to embark on a career review,<br />
carried out through alternating periods of personal <strong>and</strong> individual work, using<br />
materials provided by the company, <strong>and</strong> taking part in a series of interviews<br />
with the human resources manager in charge of support (three interviews<br />
minimum). During this time, employees were able to take stock officially of<br />
their skills, analyse their career paths <strong>and</strong> prospects, <strong>and</strong> adopt a position on<br />
current <strong>and</strong> future job activity. At each stage, employees were given the option<br />
to continue or exit the programme.<br />
In some cases, the review gave rise to a new career plan. When the plan<br />
turned out complex or removed from the employeeʼs job activities, the<br />
employee was taken into the second stage of the plan, during which more<br />
specific guidance was provided, alongside closer assessment of the<br />
prospective change to determine feasibility. During the process, human<br />
resources managers were able to mobilise an entire range of specific tools<br />
that made it possible to take the review further. There were extensive<br />
resources available: personality tests or image feedback (Quick Insight, 360°),<br />
external individual tracking by a specialist consultant, coaching, job exploration<br />
initiatives <strong>and</strong> referrals to internal or external professionals.