How does Carrefour attract, retain, and develop the skills of tomorrow? To achieve its primary goal of satisfying its customers, the large-scale distribution group Carrefour has chosen to rely on its employees.
Interviewed by Raphaël Kattan, Associate Director of Retail at talenco, during the Retail HR Day on April 11, 2023, Rami BAITIEH, Carrefour's CEO in France, enlightens us with conviction the way in which Carrefour attracts, retains and develops the skills of its employees for better customer satisfaction in the end.
From this inspiring testimony, which can be seen in the video above, we have selected the following points: 5 key points which, far from being mere theory, are embodied in the Carrefour group on a daily basis:
- Placing the collaborator at the top of the pyramid
- Showing recognition, kindness, and availability
- Making the «symmetry of attention®» come to life»
- Attracting and retaining talent
- Training the collaborators and leaders of tomorrow
1. Place the collaborator at the top of the pyramid
« You cannot build, develop or improve a business without involving the employees. ».
For Rami BAITIEH, the pyramid must be turned upside down., ensuring that the employee is at the top and that the CEO becomes « a donor position more than an honorary position » to support and generously assist the entire pyramid.
According to etymology, The officials are there to provide answers. For the CEO of Carrefour France, it is necessary to « more kindness with the first line, more exigency with the last line » !
2. Demonstrate recognition, kindness, and availability
« Pay me well, treat me well, spend time with me »This formula, recalled by Rami BAITIEH, reflects the fact that each employee is unique, and that they must be taken care of and their motivation maintained.
- In terms of salary, what matters is not the quantity but fairness, meaning, and justice in the calculation.
- « What I want is for my manager, instead of telling me ‘do this’, to say ‘please’ to me.’ »Highlighting and treating the employee with kindness helps nurture their sense of belonging and their motivation.
- For the CEO of Carrefour France, « The most important thing is availability ». He sets the example by publicly communicating his email address so that any customer or employee can contact him if the internal procedures are not sufficient. He has also established monthly round tables to listen to employee representatives.
3. Living the «symmetry of attention®»
« To get to know the client well, you need to know the employee well. »Reminds Rami BAITIEH.".
The one who knows is the direct contact with the customer. Constant contact with frontline employees is essential to detect problems and opportunities.
Carrefour’s management handed a small red notebook to the cashiers so that they could record the comments of customers. This way, they were able to identify the need for some customers, in a context of inflation, to once again obtain a printed ticket.
For Rami BAITIEH, it is important to ensuring the success of employees and instilling a spirit of kindness. « We are moving from human resources to human success« .
4. Attracting and retaining talent
At Carrefour, for recruitment and the development of employees, « Everything is based on motivation, desire, and passion ».
For Rami BAITIEH, « The most important thing is to give them a reason to exist, Why we have to go fast, why we are here, what each person’s impact is within the organization… »This helps to develop a sense of belonging and to enhance everyone’s place in the company.
Engaging talent also means allowing them to flourish and develop their projects, take initiatives, and surpass themselves. That’s why the Carrefour Group promotes entrepreneurship, which allows more daring employees to develop their projects and generate more income.
« The most important thing is to give a reason for being there, why we have to go fast, why we are here, and what each one’s impact is in the organization.»
Rami Baitieh, CEO Carrefour France
5. Training the collaborators and leaders of tomorrow
To promote social mobility, Rami BAITIEH created The School of Leaders, « school for those without a CV » which allows you to evolve through passion and motivation. In partnership with Dauphine, this 6-month training leads to a recognized diploma in France.
To curb the leakage of the 15,000 young interns hired in 2021 who were experiencing difficulties communicating or understanding their managers, Carrefour management implemented a Training 5/5 inclusion/integration 5 things the manager should do, 5 things the employee should do for better inclusion.« Everyone made an effort and we went from 80 % departures to 16 % in 3 weeks ».
Finally, in the face of digitalization, automation and mechanization that relieve employees of tedious tasks, Carrefour’s management is working to find solutions to enable employees to develop their professional skills as well as their personal skills. soft skills to carry out actions with higher added value.
In short, according to the CEO of Carrefour in France, to attract, retain and develop the skills of employees, « You must first seek the will to be useful and to participate, then build the codes and soft skills, and finally work on the hard skills. ». This progress is, for Rami BAITIEH, the key to the social ladder.".
*Symétrie des attentions® is a registered trademark of ADS Holding SAS.
