Revamping Human Resources in the Changing World

Marie-France Desmarais, Director, Human Resources, Canada, Kerry

Marie-France Desmarais, Director, Human Resources, Canada, Kerry

GENERALIST IN HUMAN RESOURCES, bilingual, Marie-France Desmarais has more than 25 years of experience in diversified environments within companies of national or international scope. Recognized for her leadership, empathy, analytical mind, risk management and ability to identify the strategic issues facing organizations in order to provide support aimed at achieving business objectives.

Before we talk about the human resource transformation scenario, can we have a brief about you?

I am a senior HR professional with extensive experience in leading strategies for HR transformation in the operations and manufacturing sectors. I have successfully partnered with companies to develop engaging teams in diversified environments. I have been helping Kerry Group become one of the world’s leading taste and nutrition partners for the food, beverage, and pharmaceutical markets, with its broad range of ingredient solutions reaching over one billion consumers worldwide. Currently, we have 26000 employees in North America, including 7000 employees spread across 57 manufacturing sites.

In light of your experience, what are the main challenges that HR professionals in the manufacturing space face due to rapidly changing technologies and policies?

HR transformation in the manufacturing industry lags behind the service industry mainly because many companies in the service sector have had technology implementations since their inception, especially the tech-driven companies like Google and Amazon. The manufacturing space, which is transforming right now, struggles to implement a model where HR professionals take the role of a business partner in contrast to the old ways of just being a personnel office.

A significant challenge in the HR transformation process in the manufacturing space is the recruitment and retention of a talented workforce, as there is not enough systemic support to handle the day-to-day tasks of an HR professional. Implementing these systems is a difficult mission as the manufacturing companies trying to level up are resistant to change because of their lack of experience in having autonomy within their people management processes.

A few decades back, the role of an HR professional was limited to paying the employees by considering the legislation and cost-benefit analysis. However, in the 1990s, due to the recession, most HR professionals were terminated as no hiring took place, and HR downsizing was rampant. But then again, things have taken quite a turn.

The role of an HR professional has evolved with companies approaching them with challenges related to the recession, going beyond just employing and retaining a talented workforce. So at this juncture, we are trying to find solutions to questions like how to attract a top talented workforce. How to improve our leadership skills to retain and attract a talented workforce? And so on.

What are the coping strategies that you would recommend?

I’ve worked in three organizations focused on HR transformation in the last five years. We transformed from being the personnel office—filling out the health claims for employees—to helping the companies be autonomous and partnering with business leaders to ensure that we focus on the talent.

We’ve been moving towards this model for a couple of years now, and our great wins revolve around partnering with central services. Now the repeatable and scalable task of an HR professional is moved to a centralized system where there wouldn’t be any person sitting five days a week at the plant to listen to the employees, mitigating any situation. This is where we shift back to managers’ business relationships with their employees.

How would HR professionals balance the talent shortage and connect the leadership well with employee goals keeping employee wellness at the forefront?

In the manufacturing sector, workforce challenges in different organizations vary. So we tailor the learning opportunities and career development strategies to manage the employees. However, there is a struggle to attract and retain the hourly workforce as it is easy for these non-skilled employees to change companies for various factors like a slight hike in their wages, proximity to their homes, and flexible work schedule. There is a real struggle that needs addressing. Leaders must try to gain a deeper understanding of their workforce needs and how they can be retained. You can throw all the money you want, but at the end of the day, that’s not the only thing that even the hourly workforce is looking for.

Now, businesses realize that a relationship needs to be built between the hiring managers, the line manager, and the employees and HRs aid that relationship. Nevertheless, we have seen organizations knowingly or unknowingly put the onus of relationship building on the HR professionals. So the main focus is on building those leaders to foster a good relationship with their employees and how they transform their systems to support that relationship and have everyone be autonomous.

Are there any services or technologies you look for that can help HR professionals transform the manufacturing industry?

A system that allows supervisors to connect with employees via a dashboard and monitor their timekeeping and performance is currently lacking in the industry. A preformatted human resources information system (HRIS) can help HR professionals access their employees’ details easily. Essentially, a learning system to understand the employees is the key to successfully transforming human resources.

HR professionals must take a good look at their leadership, their skills, and how ready they are to take on the task of owning and managing the relationship with their employees

Finally, what suggestions would you give HR professionals in the industry to help them make their jobs easier by improving recruitment processes and achieving employee retention?

When we think about the HR transformation in the manufacturing industry, my recommendation to the HR professionals is to take a good look at your leadership, their skills, and how ready they are to take on the task of owning and managing the relationship with their employees.

When things are not planned tactically, you’ll start seeing turnover rates rise and experience difficulty in attracting and retaining talent. The HR professionals need to make sure that they have a robust plan in place before they start moving toward the new model. As you remove HR from the sites and the day-to-day tasks, you must ensure that the leadership team can pick up that relationship and nurture it.