HR Integration After A Merger: A Practical Example

By Wim De Wit – PricewaterhouseCoopers

Aligning Human Resources to the business changes. Staying a Source of Competitive Advantage

1. Context

1.1. The overall crisis context of the banking sector

1.2. Changing strategy according to new HR challenges

1.3. What is BNP Paribas Fortis?

BNP Paribas Fortis provides a total package of banking services to personal, business and institutional customers through its own high-performance channels and via other partners, with a strong presence in Europe.

1.4. A year of change within BNP Paribas Fortis

2. What’s the strategic added value of HR in times of change?

2.1. HR supporting the management of change

HR initiatives to support change process

► Communication: HR initiatives to inform (HR) employees (weekly info sessions, Q&A on intranet, central mailbox …) and to give employees opportunity to ask questions (breakfast sessions).

► Pulse Survey/ Global People Survey: Measuring emotions, engagement and satisfaction.

► Training: Workshops to help employees deal with change, update training offer focusing on specific needs in the new context.

► Individual Support: Individual support by Medical & Social Department, with special aid group to support client-facing staff as well as people suffering from anxiety.

► Support of line management: Creation of specific tools to support line management to „lead‟ in times of change

2.2. HR optimizing and maximizing the Mobility

Net reduction of ~750 FTEs in BE (2009-12) ► Rightsizing in a social acceptable way ► No forced dismissals

Many levers available to manage the staff reduction :

• Enlarged career development opportunities

• Mobility within BNP Paribas Fortis
• Mobility within the BNP Paribas Group

• Natural outflow (>2 000 FTEs between 2009-12)

• Individual measures based on voluntary choices

Results to date :

• 147 p. redeployed
• 37 p. out
• 565 EDP
• 100% social peace

Implementing and Running a Mobility Centre :

• Based on Global Strategic Workforce Planning (Recalibrate mobility efforts, recruitment budgets, required profiles)

• Market maker of internal job market (match vacancies / available talent)

• Pro-actively stimulate and manage mobility (increase performance, motivation and employability)

• Internal Interim Agency (temporary missions / temporary available candidates)

• Redeployment of people having lost their function due to restructuring (incl. intake, coaching, training, …)

• Gatekeeper for external recruitments (only possible if no suitable internal candidate is available)

Steering social dialogue & negotiation:

• Constructive social dialogue by continuous structured informal contacts and transparent agenda

• Translation of the Mobility Commitment in a new «CLA» : no dismissals, transition from one function to another (3y compensation guarantee)

2.3. HR continuing to attract & recruit talents in a controlled way

Recruiting new talents ….

► The Net reduction of ~750 FTEs in BE (2009-12) results from : gross reduction 2 000 FTEs / Increase FTEs through :

• Strengthening of BNPP Fortis commercial position in BE (~650 FTEs)
• BNPP Group International set-up (Steering Centers / shared SC / Competence Centers) (~550 FTEs)

► Recruitment needs & results :

• New hires in 2009 : 1 200 p. (a.o. 700 for Retail, new campaign)
• Recruitments in Belgium in the three coming years (>2 000 FTEs)
• New Employer Branding under development

… Keeping aging-population on board

► Relatively old population

► Risk of having all those persons leave the company

► A global campaign to promote working till 65y will be launched. HR will continue to deepen the reflection and further analyze viable solutions and their consequences (link with CSR / Diversity).

2.4. HR further linking reward to risk management

2.5. HR enabling people to take the lead & responsibilities for change

Winning back hearts and minds of our employees

2.6. HR creating a Corporate culture to support the change

Develop a common culture respecting local entities

► Capitalize on a strong and visible brand.

► Develop a Corporate Social Responsibility policy integrating local realities and leveraging on local needs.

► Share common values to be “the bank for a changing world”: ambition, commitment, responsiveness, creativity.

Be proud to work for a demanding but fair and successful company and collectively be part of the unique and ambitious industrial project to build a Eurozone leader.

– Lessons learned –

Build a culture which “is acceptable for / fits with” the Company !

► A well prepared field; take time to discuss it, to build it

► Not too fast, not too superficial

► Anchor in the mindset and behaviors

► Link to Business model/mindset

Solid foundations exist in current BNPP Fortis‟ culture : performance oriented, international/mobility mindset, act as one group.

2.7. HR supporting the Business strategy

2.7 From business Strategy…

2.7. …to HR Strategy

Priority 1. Strategic Workforce Planning. Why a strategic workforce planning?

Priority 1. Strategic Workforce Planning. The right (wo)man on the right place

Priority 2. Attract People. We need to recruit 700 new talents in 2010

External Recruitment

• 50 Experts
• 450 talented starters
• 100 Senior Sales & Management
• 100 Direct Bankers

Impact new recruitment campaign : from 100 to 200 CV per week to nearly 600 CV in one week

Priority 3. Develop people

Priority 4. Be an Employer of choice

Priority 5. Performance Management: Target setting

Role fulfilment (key tasks) – all employee

► Fortiomas replaced by four BNP Paribas values

► Introduction of “Managerial Behaviour” (for team leaders)

► Risk / Compliance (e.g. Mifid, …) in job description network

Role fulfilment (key tasks) – For each Manager

► “People Management”

Individual Targets

► 30 % “Living the promises”

► 20% Risk / Compliance

► 50% to be defined by manager

Business Targets

► 50% Financials

► 50% Customer Satisfaction

3. Future challenges for HR at BNP Paribas Fortis

► Attract and recruit the best people In the market

► Offer talented individuals a new world of opportunity

► Develop a common culture respecting local entities

Enhanced job challenges for employees in a dynamic Group

1. Be one of the most attractive employers in Belgium & Luxembourg

2. Pursue and develop close links with top universities

3. Provide a unique set of career opportunities and development scheme through its diversity in businesses and geographies

4. Talent development to manage the skills match

5. Fill the need for international managers for our international development

6. Capitalize on a strong and visible brand.

7. Develop a Corporate Social Responsibility policy integrating local realities and leveraging on local needs.

8. Share common values to be “the bank for a changing world”

4. Conclusion

Lessons learned

► Times of crisis and change = more than ever an opportunity for HR to play a key role in an organization.

► Communicate and manage the Change  Keep in mind HR basics: human contact, capacity to comfort people … deal with emotions

► Focus on leadership & culture : key for the company to manage that change (“easy to outsource payroll, trainings, … where culture is to be managed internally and on the long run”)

► HR is not only supporting but also shaping the Business Strategy