Empowering employees

Hi!

We fit, we structure, we deliver, we measure. We impact the business!

Hager Group’s university is a modern, digital and personalised learning journey for every employee. It’s officially known as “Hi!”. It provides a plethora of development opportunities with academies, online courses and communities. It is open to absolutely everyone in the group who is curious and wants access to knowledge, as well as learning and growth opportunities.

Companies that want to grow need to adapt their corporate learning goals in order to cultivate each employee’s ability to explore, learn and grow. Hi! offers many opportunities, such as leadership development, project management training, language skills training and official certification programmes. It bundles all existing training courses together, making it easier for employees to obtain the knowledge they need for professional and personal development.

The Hi! experience is about encouraging people to pursue their learning goals and dare to try something new. To get an idea of some of the many opportunities it offers, we take a closer look at the Project Management Academy below.

The Project Management Academy is the place to develop effective and efficient project management skills, not only for project managers but also for everyone working on projects. The offer is made up of four learning journeys. The methods, approaches and tools were all harmonised to suit the needs of the business. We started with a question: how can we innovate to create relevant knowledge for our employees and at the same time address some of the pain points of project management? The focus was creating a standardised and harmonised learning package to measurably improve performance in project management. The first target group was chosen – Engineering and Offer Project Manager Officer (in Solution Development and Marketing Organisation).

Making the difference

Our company project clearly states that we intend to focus our collective efforts, so that we can grow as a group and shape the electrical world of tomorrow. We strive to provide relevant training and the necessary knowledge to make a difference.

Jean-Noël Paillard, Engineering Director Connected Buildings, a member of the core team that created the curriculum.

People and business growing together

In-house learning specialists and an external team of experts came together to create four learning journeys focussed on project management. A pilot group of experienced programme and project managers took the modules for a test drive to help improve the process and content. A growing number of external partnerships require a certain standard (PMI, Project Management Institute) be used to further validate the content and its pertinence to the business and the wider world.

Develop myself, develop others, develop together

Our in-house expert, Jean-Noël Paillard, Engineering Director Connected Buildings, was part of the core team that created the project management curriculum. He expressed to us the need to enhance powerful project management by ensuring accountability to contribute effectively to the company’s project and business needs. “It is important for our project managers to possess the assertiveness and decisiveness needed to drive projects and external partners. To help them in this, we need a customised learning programme, which covers both, state-of-the art technical skills and interpersonal skills. Both are needed to address our mission of delivering on time, with the right level of quality and at the right cost.”

Yushan Waechter-Zhao Engineering Product Leader, an avid learner and participant of the first cohort.

A structured development path with clear steps to learn and grow

Yushan Waechter-Zhao is an Engineering Product Leader who completed the project management curriculum. Part of the first cohort, she had just started a new position and desired a customised learning path to develop her competencies and learn from colleagues with specialised knowledge. “Of the many project management tools and techniques we acquired in this course, the most impactful was the Work Breakdown Structure, which establishes the critical path in a project. When scheduling a project, we must generally make assumptions when estimating duration and workload. When it comes to workload estimation, opinions often differ. To have a more accurate and analytical approach, we learned the PERT-Technique (Program Evaluation and Review Technique) to create better timeline estimates by considering multiple scenarios. Better planning means that projects are run efficiently and on time to ensure that the promises we make to our customers are realistic and fulfilled.”

Learning by doing

Hannelore Kolb is a Hager Group learning specialist in charge of setting up the project management learning journeys. She explained how these modules and others are initiated and implemented: “It’s all about a high-performance project management that responds to business needs.” Hannelore – and all the co-creation team involved in designing customised learning journeys – start from the same premise: courses must be specifically created with each department’s business needs in mind. The stakes are high. There is a lot of research and preparation with internal and external experts, and the learning offer must be relevant. To ensure that relevancy, there is always a pilot session where feedback is gathered from managers and session participants. Afterwards, the session can be further adapted according to their suggestions. “It’s a continuous improvement cycle measured by KPIs set at the beginning of each learning programme to measure the impact and success of our learning activities. I personally test the modules myself to give feedback and suggest adaptations and improvements, which was particularly the case when we set up the Project Management Academy.”

Hannelore Kolb
Hager Group learning specialist in charge of setting up the project management learning journeys. All modules are created with high-performance and business needs in mind.

Project management in an international environment always requires cultural sensitivity and efficient language skills. After all, our DNA is Franco-German, so we fully understand the importance of working in a cross-cultural context.

Effective and cutting-edge language learning to support business targets

Hi! provides tailored and off-the-peg solutions with the cloud-based online language learning solution Speexx.

Sprechen Sie français?

Learning a language isn’t just about grammar rules and pronunciation. It’s about being able to effectively communicate in a language so that we can work with and understand our colleagues better. A language can never be dissociated from culture and, as an international company, we work across cultures. English is, of course, the main language in the corporate world, but sometimes we can meet each other halfway by understanding our colleagues’ culture and language. Isabelle Wiedemann, in charge of language learning programmes, shares that “with Speexx, employees can hone their skills in English, Spanish, German, Italian and French. This open, blended learning platform can be particularly useful for those managing projects across borders – perfected language skills can drive productivity and boost employees’ communication skills.”

We encourage self-directed and peer-to-peer learning for employees

Going the extra educational mile in Poland: supporting language and cultural understanding in Poland

Another recent language addition within the group is Polish. Over the last year or so, Hager Poland has been providing Polish language training for displaced Ukrainians living there. The training helps them adapt not only linguistically but also culturally. We are also offering training so they can become part of the production team. Many of the technical files for machines have been translated into Ukrainian to ensure optimal learning and understanding. Over one hundred Ukrainians have been welcomed in Tychy and Kórnik.

Setting up specific on-line learning modules for all Hi! users

Spotlight on learning best environmental practices

Environmental considerations play a major role at Hager Group whether you are working in purchasing looking for raw materials, or in Sales, where customers are increasingly sensitive to environmental aspects, or in a hiring position, where attracting new talent also means showing a responsible environmental approach. A team determined to put environmental concerns at the forefront came up with a new approach to educate employees about our carbon footprint and measures to reduce it, virgin plastics reduction, fossil fuel use, carbon neutrality and much more.

Samir Rouini, Sustainability Reporting Manager, not only completed the training; he was one of the pilot testers. “The implementation of this module is totally in line with Hi!’s learning strategy and, in this case, it shows the importance of educating to address climate challenges. The information and take-aways help employees to better understand and address the impacts of the climate crisis, empowering us with the needed knowledge, skills, values and attitudes to act as agents of change.”

The one-hour online training module on Hi! gives colleagues the opportunity to explore the group’s approach to environmental sustainability, known as the Blue Planet Commitment. Topics covered in the modules address what Hager Group’s environmental strategy is and what we can all do to tangibly contribute to reducing our carbon footprint.

Experts from the environmental sustainability department, learning and development and an external partner all bumped heads together to come up with an inspiring and informative training package.

Arnaud Atibard, a Hager Group Digital Learning Specialist, was part of the team who got the module up and running. He said, “Considering environmental aspects in our daily work makes Hager Group a more sustainable business, more competitive, more resilient and more attractive. The environmental training module is a learning journey on sustainability. Its ambition is to make sure everyone understands the stakes and discovers our Blue Planet Commitment strategy. If we collectively understand the major environmental challenges, we can learn tips to adopt good practices throughout the group.”

Facts & figures
Hi! university

Retaining and regularly re-recruiting

In the current job market, the best candidates are hard to find, hard to lock in and hard to keep. If we want to compete for talent successfully, specific strategies are needed.

Carole Colin
Talent and Change Senior Manager Carole comments that “it is particularly important to pay special attention to internal growth opportunities. Managers who promote growth and mobility are talent magnets for the organisation.

Enormous interest in growth opportunitiess

Employees today are keenly interested in opportunities to grow. They’re looking for pathways to acquire new skills, perform and boost their status. Part of the reason that certain jobs are chosen – and others aren’t – lies in the growth opportunities at a company.

Unfortunately, many candidates, never get an interview or even hear back from a potential employer. Hager Group on the other hand, a forward-thinking company, offers the ability to grow with customised in-house learning methods and internal mobility. We believe that promoting internal mobility creates a win-win situation. The company retains their valued employees who know the ins and outs, and the employee avoids some of the stress associated with applying externally. Employees know their company, their colleagues and the culture. In general, they would prefer to continue their journey within a structure that is familiar and that they can continue contribute to. Read our portrait of Valérie Saumon below to find out more.

Re-recruit employees regularly

It’s always more cost and time-effective to retain customers than to acquire new ones, and the same goes for employees. It is vital to create a culture and a place where employees can thrive and where they feel supported in achieving what’s important to them professionally and personally. This, and employee feedback from cross-departmental working teams, inspired us to embark upon setting up an all-encompassing mobility charter sponsored by senior leaders. Its purpose is to help employees develop within the structure, improve cross functional working and break silos.

Carole Colin, Talent and Change Senior Manager in charge of the project, explains: “It is particularly important to pay special attention to internal growth opportunities. Managers who promote growth and mobility are talent magnets for the organisation. Employees can advance their careers in a familiar environment, and a carefully crafted internal mobility charter also provides structure.”

A previous Hager University Senior Manager, Carole has benefitted from the internal mobility process herself. She knows only too well the importance of having a structured approach with commitment from everyone involved, from managers to employees and the Human Resources team. “At Hager Group, we believe that internal mobility is a lever for growing together sustainably. Changing perspectives and positions internally is a powerful way to learn and grow. At the same time, it improves our collective effectiveness within the group.”

Portrait: Valérie Saumon

Performance and agility in production

Valérie Saumon
Valérie is keen to point out that training has helped her grow. She constantly needs to test herself and hone her skills. She gets a lot of satisfaction from helping others.

Team spirit, enthusiasm and thirst for knowledge

After three CQPMs* and four in-house training sessions, Valérie Saumon still thirsts for knowledge.

Valérie Saumon has always been keen to work closely with others, and within two years she was part of a team where she oversaw some of the automated production machines. In 2008, Hager Group wanted to boost the skills of personnel in production. As a result, the company offered a voluntary CQPM qualification to anyone who wanted to become a machine operator. She signed up immediately. Over an 18-month period, she participated in one week of on-site training every month. Maintenance technician colleagues contributing to the programme offered their specialised knowledge as tutors. She explained that the tutors’ motivation was to make sure that colleagues become sufficiently independent to confidently troubleshoot the various machines on their own. In the end, participants received an official qualification to prove their new skills. Enthusiastic about her 18-month learning adventure, Valérie wanted to pay it forward and became a tutor herself. This turned out to be just one of many opportunities for her to share her knowledge. She has always been very aware of the importance of internal support from specialised colleagues. “I am technically-minded, so taking the next step seemed logical, and it meant I could continue to work in a team and put my skills to the test for the benefit of the company”.

What stands out most when speaking to Valérie is her enthusiasm to learn and help others reach their potential. She joined Hager Group almost 30 years ago in Factory 3 in Obernai. At her job mounting switches, she became fascinated with the production environment. She watched colleagues carrying out other tasks and, being technically minded herself, she wanted to know what they were doing and how their machines worked. Coming from a technical training background, it was all familiar to her.

Always striving for advancement, she volunteered to replace team facilitators from time to time in 2011. She enjoyed the role so much that she decided to take her learning journey even further and participate in Autonomous Production Unit Leader (GAP CQPM) training. “This training helped me grow. I constantly need to test myself and hone my skills. I get a lot of satisfaction from helping others. I have experienced many of the jobs in production, so I know the sticking points and where people may need help and encouragement.” Following a year of managing her own team, Valerie wondered if she had bitten off more than she could chew in 2019 when she was offered the position of Line Manager. She bravely shared that she wasn’t sure if she was ready for the challenge. In the past, she had actively pursued her new positions, but she didn’t see this one coming. When her manager recommended her for the job, which resulted from a new organisation concept, she was both surprised and pleased. When asked whether she regrets accepting it, she responded: “Never! It was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. The trust the company has placed in me has been a driving force throughout my career; I carry the team and they carry me. It’s a two-way street. We help each other, they know I am there for them, and I know I can count on them to carry out their tasks to the highest standards.” She is particularly proud of being a tutor and being able to recruit colleagues internally, giving them the same chance to change, grow and evolve. “It’s so important to capitalise on people’s abilities and potential. If we don’t, they won’t grow, and neither will the company.”

*CQPM
Certificats de Qualification Paritaire de la Métallurgie (Metallurgical Qualification Certificate).

Metallurgy: the domain of Hager Group’s collective agreement.

Interview Eugénie Vegleris and Franck Houdebert

There is an increasing need for collective intelligence

From academic education to tomorrow’s jobs and artificial intelligence, philosopher Eugénie Vegleris and Chief Group Human Resources Officer at Hager Group, Franck Houdebert, discuss the issues around education and training at the company.

How do you two – the philosopher and the Chief Group Human Resources Officer – view knowledge acquisition today?

Eugénie Vegleris: Academic education attracts considerable criticism for being too fragmented and compartmentalised with too many “silos”. The French Renaissance philosopher Montaigne wrote that children’s education should serve first to awaken their minds and create a taste and aptitude for learning, so that they can think freely and be open to everything the world has to teach them. For philosophers, there is a difference between knowledge and understanding. The rapid changes taking place in society today mean that interdisciplinarity is the new paradigm of understanding. Education and training are no longer enough. The big problems are cross-cutting, transnational, and multidimensional. It is only by communicating knowledge that we can understand this plurality and grasp contemporary issues.

Franck Houdebert: I’d like to qualify that idea. Academic education is essential as it provides the fundamental knowledge and sound basis that people need to progress in the company. Becoming proficient in a particular field provides a set of core skills and knowledge that allows us to move forward in today’s world by being open to other perspectives. Indeed, the more complex the subject, the more we need an interdisciplinary approach. The increasing number of joint honours degrees and training programmes that combine two or three disciplines are a move in this direction. These open up more opportunities for young people, who are able to satisfy their curiosity and desire to learn once they are freed from the constraints of traditional education. Our R&D engineers, for example, are developing solutions and incorporating other areas of expertise into their design studies, such as ergonomics for future production staff and the concept of use for installers and operators. Human sciences are enhancing technical specialisms. Taking the right decisions for your organisation not only requires business expertise but also, now more than ever, the ability to analyse and understand your environment. At Hager Group, we see open-mindedness and empathy as examples of the kinds of behaviour we want to encourage. Adaptability and the ability to anticipate change are key factors for success and resilience. That means we need employees who can ride the wave of a changing environment, be resilient and deal with uncertainty.

Franck Houdebert
Adaptability and the ability to anticipate change are key factors for success and resilience. That means we need employees who can ride the wave of a changing environment, be resilient and deal with uncertainty.

What would you say are the skills that people need to develop?

Eugénie Vegleris: Knowledge ceases to be academic as soon as you join a company. That’s when you have to learn to “despecialise”, detach yourself from the familiar, be open to new worlds and explore the unknown. For myself, I would rather talk about “aptitudes” than “skills”. Curiosity, generosity, the ability to cooperate and listen to points of view other than your own are key. It is important to develop a critical mindset, i.e., the clarity to identify problems and the creativity to come up with solutions, as well as the ability to take a step back from the knowledge and information passed on to you. Joining a company means questioning your existing assumptions and being open-minded and willing to learn. The problems that a dynamic company like Hager Group has to address and the solutions it needs to develop go far beyond electrical installations. Increasingly, vocational training aims to develop situational intelligence and the ability to listen and relate to other people, other sectors, and other profiles.

Franck Houdebert: At Hager Group, we firmly believe that everyone is in control of their professional development. Our role is to create an environment that allows individuals to develop a sense of responsibility. These types of approach, and the learning opportunities they provide, are found in organisations that are increasingly horizontal in structure and which exist as part of a network that includes their customers, suppliers, schools, and universities. The manager’s role has changed as a result. They are no longer the person who plans and schedules the work, but a facilitator who motivates and coordinates. Their position has changed from someone who holds power to a leader who supports a collective dynamic. This fact was made clear and further amplified by the pandemic and remote working. Nothing can replace human interaction and teamwork. As new technologies develop, there is an increasing need for collective intelligence.

Artificial intelligence in particular is on the rise and set to impact both education and training. What are your thoughts on this?

Eugénie Vegleris: Artificial intelligence is revolutionary, comparable to the invention of writing and the printing press. Both these technical inventions were decisive in communicating and furthering knowledge; they triggered an anthropological revolution, changing people’s relationship to the world, each other, and themselves. The notorious ChatGPT, whose influence is feared by many, could be a remarkable information and learning tool. Innovations should always be explored and embraced, not simply rejected. In my view, what matters is ensuring that technology serves humanity. The danger lies not in robots but the robotisation of people and their potential inability to step back from an increasingly automated and artificial environment. If we rely too heavily on a technical and technological approach, we risk losing our capacity to analyse, listen and self-reflect. Although we’re not there yet, the development of artificial intelligence calls for a degree of philosophical, ethical and political reflection on what it means and how it might be regulated.

Franck Houdebert: Technological progress opens up opportunities and the role of artificial intelligence should be to serve people. To achieve this, there is an argument for teaching technology in a business, as you would in a school. It is more essential than ever for people to maintain a critical mindset. Artificial intelligence is already driving advances in learning and training processes. It’s a knowledge accelerator and an incredible opportunity, provided one has the ability to step back. Given the rapid changes in technologies and methodologies, it is our capacity to adapt to these technologies and willingness to learn throughout our careers that will make the difference. Hager Group is a learning company that strives to capitalise on collective knowledge and a willingness to take the initiative, both individually and as a team. We want to make empowerment a reality in our organisations.

Philosopher Eugénie Vegleris has worked with Hager Group for many years.

Training has always driven excellence and innovation in the business. Where does the strength of the Hager Group model lie?

Eugénie Vegleris: Having worked with Hager Group for many years, I’ve witnessed first-hand the importance it places on both vocational and managerial training. The group positions itself not only as a technical business, but, above all, as a company with a human face. This is part of the DNA of its directors, who are committed to fostering positive interaction and supporting the group’s collective vision. It began with the founders and continued under both Alfred Bricka and now Daniel Hager, who have both worked closely with the Chief Human Resources Officer. It can be seen in our university partnerships but also in our annual seminars, which attract some very diverse, high-calibre speakers. I myself have often had the opportunity to take part in surveys and workshops on themes such as innovation, responsibility, culture and the gap between stated values and lived experience, and I have witnessed the intellectual openness of the company’s key players. Hager Group’s strength lies precisely in its willingness to reflect, supported by the friendly relationships between employees, customers, consultants and partners. Every effort is made to reach decisions jointly, try taking risks and encourage employees to feel confident and involved. The various aspects of the company’s development are within everyone’s reach, creating a virtuous circle.

Franck Houdebert: Our training model is deeply embedded in the business. Hager Group was created after the war. Its founders were part of the European reconstruction process, which relied on education to convey positive values after a dark period in history. These beliefs are still with us today. We are not only training electricians and company employees, but also global citizens. Our strength lies in helping everyone identify with our corporate values and culture. That’s the promise we make as an employer in our “learning and growing together” strapline. These commitments have practical applications, including our Hi! corporate university, our academies, which focus on our various disciplines and areas of expertise, our dedicated language-learning platform and our TAI Community network, which is designed by and for trainees and apprentices. This illustrates the model of the future: communities of trainees who inspire one another and take a cross-disciplinary approach to training. Not to mention the ceremonies and communications celebrating colleagues who have gained a qualification or professional certificate. These communications are an insight into an entire ecosystem, from operators to tutors, managers, social partners and external training organisations. These are all cultural melting pots where we discuss and advance our company project. Hager Group’s products and solutions are designed to contribute to a safer, cleaner world and a better environment for its citizens through electrical energy. We remain convinced that this ambition is based on its human energy and the development of our teams and colleagues.