Throughout the years La vie est belle has always worked with a small and compact team, and there was no need to install a more formal and organized HRM policy. Communication lines were direct and short and within the company everyone knew each other, and replace somebody in one or the other function. However, the last few years the need was growing to tackle things differently.

The strong growth of the last five years resulted in the team doubling in size. More often than before, the team was confronted with growing pains; expectations or targets were often unclear or undefined, the company’s disease rate was on the rise, while engagement was going down. And due to a higher degree of specialization it became a lot harder to spontaneously switch and shift jobs internally.

This trend pushed La vie est belle to set the first steps in developing a formal HRM and career strategy. La vie est belle aims to convince its collaborators to be part of the company’s story and future, and aims to engage them on the long term. La vie est belle wants to work with its team members – based on their individual talents – in the appropriate business processes and support them in their professional development. This process will lead to dedicated ownership and responsibilities, and will have a positive influence on the person’s engagement.

To develop a sustainable strategy, La vie est belle is granted financial support of ESF funds. The ESF program is developed to nurture initiatives that create job growth and want to reinforce the social cohesion in Flanders.

As a company La vie est belle will use the funds to make a profound analysis of the current HRM approach, make an inventory of the issues that people on the work floor are confronted with, develop procedures and tools to appoint responsibilities and organize internal coaching. The ultimate objective is to shape a base for a competency based HRM and career strategy that will lead our company the way in the field of recruitment, selection, welcoming, job content, coaching and termination of employment.