The draft law Covenant plans to increase the number of employees within the management body. Testimonials.
The draft law Covenant, presented on 18 June by the council of ministers, plans to increase the place of employees in the boards of directors (CA) of large enterprises (1000 employees). in But we will stay far, far away, a “co-determination” in the German . “We are not on the same model even if we need to better involve employees in company decision-making”, said Bruno le Maire in an interview with les Echos.
The advanced proposed? The number of directors to employees would increase from one to two for the boards of directors of more than eight members*. The mutuals and the holding non-family, up here not concerned, should also comply with this legal obligation. Jean-Dominique Sénard, and Nicole Notat, in their recent report, called, them, up to three employees in a large, CA. Philippe Aghion, Jean Pisani-Ferry and Philippe Martin, the three economists authors of the note at the Elysée, proved June 9, with The World, call them also to an evolution in frank. On the union side, the CFDT has made the issue a battle, to a question of “balance of power” within the company. But the management (Afep, Medef) is the opposite of a revolution. And it is in his favour that the government has decided to settle. The debate in Parliament will change may be the give…
“I was the curiosity of the meal”
although no tsunami is in the program for the moment, new heads will in any case pass through the doors of the boards of directors where are taken the major strategic decision-making. Benevolence ? Indifference ? Condescension ? How to behave usually with the “oils” of the council, in the face of the lambs freshly landed? There is no rule in the matter. “Before my first board, I had the chance to talk with the CEO, who put me at ease, indicates Eric Chauvirey, administrator at Valeo. I also had lunch with the other directors. I was the curiosity of the meal.” While not everyone has the chance to be so pampered. “When I landed at the first meeting, if I had not stopped, there would not even had a round table to make the presentations”, said yet Sylvie Liziard, administrator at the Caisse d’epargne pays-de-Loire.
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A rough introduction, especially as in this new universe, there are codes to adopt. It’s better to know the decipher and comply with it quickly. “What was not my surprise to see that in each folder, put our hands in a meeting, each administrator was to take the floor to say, ‘I thank [the author of the record] for the quality of the information provided'”, laughs Anne-Marie Mourer, who was a director at Engie. “It’s a lot of congratulations, it’s been very living room” is gauss also Sylvie Liziard.
Face of the “large calibers” such as Carlos Goshn
Amiability, formality, topics of the top flight with an order of the day to the rhythm… In this intimidating, there is a need for individuals newly elected or appointed (the commercial code provides for various access routes to the mandate of the administrator), succeed to express themselves clearly and in good timing. “When a large caliber such as Carlos Goshn leads the board, the harder is to know how to manifest just at the right time, and not five minutes before or five minutes after,” said Eric Person, administrator at Renault.
The novices are often surprised by the side “room recording” of the board of directors. The topics are discussed elsewhere. Either “off” or in the various committees in which are spread the members: appointments, audit, strategy, remuneration, social and environmental responsibility (CSR)… however, it is not uncommon for employee members of the board are confined to committees less influential. Like the one dealing with the CSR, or, as is the case for Eric Chauvirey, to pay. “It has not left me the choice, but I’m working to convince the other directors that it would be good that I joined the strategic committee, on the occasion of the departure of one of them”, he explains.
The worst error ? Don’t let his cap association in a closet, in other words, to maintain a posture of the opponent and/or negotiator in the face of the boss. Be employee director, it is to bring its lighting field to serve the interests of the company and of its shareholders above all. It is also mandatory to abandon all of its other union office. “Relationships can become difficult, with his colleagues elected DS, or DP, see Valérie Coulon, the board of directors Air-France KLM. They have trouble understanding our new pragmatism, accuse us of showing us too much of ‘pro-boss'”. A feeling more current that the directors have an obligation of confidentiality : they can only piper word of what is said in CA. “When you have a information have a strong impact on your colleagues, but you are forced to keep it for you, it’s frustrating,” sighs Eric Chauvirey.
“I don’t have zero influence”
did they at least have a sense of being useful, these employees, sent in the “holy of holies” ? It would be better, because strengthening the presence of the employees at the CA still has to improve the corporate governance of the company. They “make a valuable contribution through their understanding of the procedure, their connaissance of the business, the history of the company and by their commitment to its continuity,” described the patron of the Michelin guide and the founder of Vigéo, in their report.
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Valérie Coulon note of the profits to his arrival: “I am an element of diversification in a place by nature very homogeneous. I did get to work in a place where we speak only money and the short term. And when an executive director is asked why there is a decline in operational performance, I can recall the succession of plans of voluntary retirement for seven years and the loss of skills associated with it. It does not necessarily account for.”
Eric Person shows also quite satisfied. “I don’t have the influence I would like, but I don’t have zero influence, not more, he says. As, I do pass messages.” Distiller tirelessly in the minds of the other directors that the society can serve the economic, that is grosso modo the job number one of the employees propelled to this position. “We are going to explain, without brutality, that it can be smart to lower a bit its dividend to invest in the productive system, since tomorrow it will be more dividends,” illustrates Alain Beullier, administrator at Engie.
Sylvie Liziard, it has completely disillusioned. “My impact is void, the judge does it. When I intervene to try to put people in the debates, talk of branch closures, for example, I feel that I am fighting against windmills. In private, the directors who are not employees are not bad kids, but there they are block. Only matter to the business results.” The evidence that a legal obligation can not change a state of mind and time-tested practices.
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*Currently, this quota of two directors, employees is imposed on the board to 14 members