Absolutely! In the past three years, no less than 200 employees have been hired each year in new positions or as replacements supporting company growth, in particular compliance strategy deployment in France. The trend is set to continue into 2013 with the recruitment of essentially scientific personnel such as veterinarians or pharmacists with a biology and chemistry focus. Therefore, our managers were in real need of support.

 

 

We added a new training course called “successful recruitment” to the 2012 catalogue. Open to managers, it is divided into two one-day sessions, followed by a half day. Between the two, managers are invited to conduct a real interview, or a simulated one, if no recruitment is in progress. The first sessions took place in September 2012 and twenty managers took part.

 

 

The entire recruitment process: from needs analysis through to the applicant joining the company, including CV shortlisting, job interview and making the final decision. We also touch on diversity issues and equality opportunity recruitment principles.

 

 

Recruitment is a complex and demanding process. It is necessary to attract, select, decide… It’s all about finding the right skills for today and tomorrow. The objective is to create a long term relationship with the recruited person. It costs the company on average € 20,000 to recruit each person so we can’t afford to get it wrong! The settling in period plays a key role in this respect.

 

 

It enables employees to settle into their position and become quickly operational in their job. Naturally, weekly progress interviews with the person’s line manager are of key importance in the early months but we also insist upon the fact that the whole team has a role to play. Tools and events devised in collaboration with the Communications department are also necessary: meeting the department assistant, checklist of tasks to complete before the employee arrives, personalised appointment sheet and newcomer induction programme.

 

 

Yes, of course. It is important that candidates understand when they apply, exactly what type of work environment to expect. So, one and a half years ago we started a project designed to communicate on Virbac as employer. Three main lines have already been identified. We now have to work on visual style and the accompanying action plan to ensure that there are tools available at corporate level.