Meet Carine, an HR professional with 20 years of experience across various sectors. With expertise in organisational design, change management, talent development, and more, she shares her insights on navigating different challenges inherent in her role and elaborates on her huge commitment to mentoring future female leaders and cultivating supportive work environments.

Interviewed by Anastasiia Hresko

In your diverse leadership roles across various sectors, what have been the most significant challenges you've encountered in the HR field, and how have you addressed them?

I indeed worked in different industries including the automotive, money transfer, tobacco, and electricity distribution industries and have encountered several universal challenges.

The first main challenge is talent acquisition and retention. The competition for skilled professionals is fierce and requires a lot more than just competitive salaries. We, recruiters, have to focus on employer branding, showcasing company culture, values, and career opportunities. Employee engagement is crucial to the competitiveness of the companies: that is why at Rexel we conduct yearly satisfaction surveys and organise department-level working groups to develop actionable plans based on feedback.

The second challenge would be linked to technological advancements, which have evolved exponentially these past years and require continuous adaptation. Our “Power up 2025” Strategy at Rexel is based on a culture of continuous learning and development. We integrate advanced HR technologies like AI-driven recruitment tools, employee self-service portals and chatbots. In January we implemented Rexel GPT and we deployed training sessions to promote adoption and good use of Gen IA by our employees. We are also working on other advanced HR AI-driven systems to predict suitable roles for employees or to predict employee churn.

Change management is also of highest importance nowadays. Organisational changes arising from mergers and acquisitions, or the restructuring of a company or a service can create uncertainty among employees and clear and transparent communication throughout the change process is crucial in these very peculiar moments. We ensure that the benefits of the change are understood, we identify change agents to refer to, we implement change management programmes that include training, coaching, and providing resources to help employees adapt. Employee involvement is key, and we seek their input and feedback during the change process.

Ensuring the physical and mental wellbeing of employees, especially in high-stress environments, is yet another challenge. At Rexel we make sure the employees have a proper work-life balance, we strongly believe that in order to be comfortable and productive employees need times to recharge their batteries, which is why we implemented various wellness programmes and sports initiatives. Psychological risks prevention is also key thus we train our managers and HR teams to detect weak signals and know how to react. We also provide our employees who need it, access to a psychological helpline as well as experts.

By addressing these challenges with the strategic and proactive measures mentioned, we aim to create effective and resilient HR practices that support both organisational goals and employee wellbeing.

Organisational changes arising from mergers and acquisitions, or the restructuring of a company or a service can create uncertainty among employees and clear and transparent communication throughout the change process is crucial in these very peculiar moments.

Let’s elaborate on one of the common challenges, namely culture. Company culture can vary significantly between industries and among individuals. How do you approach building a unified and inclusive work environment, particularly across diverse and international teams?

This challenge is really evident at Rexel, which operates in a traditionally male-dominated industry where women constitute 23% of company’s workforce. To address it, we have implemented several diversity and inclusion programmes to foster an inclusive environment.

One of our key initiatives is the creation of a women@Rexel network named “Univers’Elles” aimed at promoting gender diversity. This group of 20 women regularly brainstorms concrete initiatives to support gender diversity. Last year, they launched a mentorship programme using new technology to facilitate mentorship opportunities for women at Rexel. Additionally, we have partnered with female associations like Force Femmes, which helps women over 45 find new jobs or start their own businesses, and Capital Filles, which supports young women from underprivileged neighbourhoods around 18 years old in their career aspirations and recruitment processes.

We aim to increase female representation, especially in sales, where only 18% of our 3,500 sales staff are women. To achieve this, we partnered with the National Unemployment Agency to hire and train women from diverse backgrounds for the role of branch sales representatives. After a rigorous recruitment process, selected candidates undergo a 400-hour training programme and are offered permanent contracts in case they succeed a final test. Since September 2022, this initiative has resulted in the hiring of nearly 40 women.

As part of our recruitment strategy, we also hire over 1,000 interns and apprentices annually. 35% of our apprentices are women. We train them for one to three years and then offer them permanent contracts. This programme is a success as 60% of apprentices stay at Rexel afterwards.

Additionally, we have included a section to raise awareness about non-discrimination topics on our recruitment training programme for managers. We signed the charter “StOpE to ordinary sexism” early in 2023 and we developed a widely recognised guide to fight against sexism. We also signed a disability collective agreement that includes initiatives to improve communication, work conditions and recruitment practices, resulting in hiring of nearly 5% disabled employees. Our goal is to meet and surpass the mandatory 6% quota. Our D&I policy also addresses the needs of young people from underprivileged neighbourhoods, senior employees, and those with disabilities.

These initiatives are a part of our holistic approach to tackling diversity and inclusion challenge and reflect our commitment and progress so far.

You are currently an HR Director at Rexel France, which operates in the electrical distribution industry. What unique strategies do you employ to attract and retain top talent, and how do these strategies differ from those in other industries?

Apart from the ongoing Diversity and Inclusion challenge, we also need to ensure the recognition of Rexel culture beyond the industry. While the company is known for its caring culture, respect for employees, and operational excellence within the industry, we need to ensure that its reputation reaches beyond our immediate ecosystem to attract talent from other industries as well.

Regarding employee retention, we believe that everyone has talent. Our role is to help employees shine by offering various programmes. For instance, I’m soon launching the Lead for Future programme for 20 employees to strengthen their leadership skills to support their professional development at Rexel. They will receive training in leadership, public speaking, project management and presentation, culminating in presenting their projects to the executive committee.

Talent reviews and development discussions is not something we just do once a year to get It done. It is part of the company culture; it happens throughout the year. We have monthly rituals where managers and HR discuss with employees the progress made during training. This ongoing process ensures we walk the talk, building employee confidence and meeting our goals for attraction and retention.

Additionally, we have an advanced HR system, including a new LMS platform called Skill Up, offering ergonomic and flexible e-learning options for employees. This platform enhances our training capabilities and supports continuous employee development.

Our belief is that employee’s development is a partnership; this is a shared responsibility between the employee, who is the first actor of his own development by activating his new skills and increasing his agility to learn, and Rexel who provides tools and learning programmes to support their professional development.

At Rexel, we believe that everyone has talent, ­and our role is to help employees shine

With globalisation and technological advancements, how do you envision the future of HR leadership evolving?

HR leadership is set to evolve significantly in my opinion. HR leaders will increasingly tap into global talent pools, leveraging new working technologies to hire the best talent worldwide, emphasising global management. Developing cross-cultural competence will be crucial, as HR leaders must understand and manage cultural differences to create inclusive global teams.

The integration of advanced technology, such as AI and automation, will streamline HR processes, enhancing recruitment, onboarding, performance management, and employee engagement. As mentioned, at Rexel, we have implemented Rexel GPT and we train teams on creating efficient AI prompts, demonstrating the importance of AI awareness and automation. Also, predictive analytics will aid in assessing workforce needs and developing proactive strategies.

Not only the technological aspect, but also focusing on employee experience and well-being, along with implementing adapted work models, will be essential. Continuous learning and development will be a cornerstone of HR strategy.

Did you have mentors or role models who played a significant role in your career journey? How do you see yourself contributing to the success of other female leaders?

Mentors like Sheryl Sandberg, Michelle Obama and Christine Lagarde inspire me with their leadership, advocacy, and commitment to­­ female empowerment. My biggest role model, however, is my mother, who overcame various challenges arriving to France at a very young age, starting from nothing yet succeeding in her HR career and becoming a recognised HR director of several structures.

To contribute to other female leaders' success, I actively mentor them and host co-development sessions. I advocate for gender equality policies and help build supportive networks within and beyond my organisation. I co-established a rapidly growing HR Directors network, and I’m involved in many activities to contribute to the success of other female leaders and create a more inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive.

I’m involved in activities to contribute to the success of other female leaders and create a more inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive.