New Michelin job contract targets ‘professional development’

Clermont-Ferrand, France – Michelin Group has signed an agreement with three French trade unions for a new job contract that would target the ‘professional development and career paths’ of 16,000 employees in France.

The three-year contract comes in anticipation of changes in positions and professions as Michelin continues to develop activities beyond mobility and enhances digitalisation and automation.

The move also aims to provide employees with “new perspectives and possibilities” in the aftermath of the French government’s extension of retirement age, Michelin said 22 Nov.

In particular, the new contract priorities three areas: encouraging internal mobility; providing “personalised guidance” for employees in sensitive positions; and “thoroughly revising” end-of-career management.

The agreement, for example, establishes that priority should be given to internal recruitment in filling newly created positions within the group in France over the next three years.

In terms of ‘personalised guidance”, Michelin said it would be offered to employees in what are called “sensitive positions.”

These are jobs, Michelin explained, require “skill updating or the progressive adaptation of the workforce” due to changes in the “work world” or in the company strategy.

In addition to traditional guidance, and if necessary, these employees will have “a reinforced follow-up” with a ‘specialised development partner’ to be given priority in the assignment of a new, stable job within the company.

For end-of-career, Michelin said its new approach gives priority to employees in the last five years of their careers.

The objective, it said, is “to foster employee engagement up to retirement and to show appreciation for the experience of seniors.”

Among other things, the agreement makes it possible to offer career management for those who wish to remain professionally very active after the retirement age, while helping others “gently transition” into retirement.