Groupe La Poste: the Southwest Human Resources Service Center receives EFQM certification

DO2P is the Payroll & Human Resources Operations Division of La Poste’s Mail and Parcel Services branch. Established in 2011, its core mission is the administrative management of personnel and payroll (GAPP) for all employees in the branch. Each month, its teams process a portfolio of over 160,000 employees through GAPP. Its regional organization is divided into 9 HR Resource Centers (CSRH) spread across the entire territory of metropolitan France. With the exception of one CSRH dedicated to e-services (front office), the other 8 CSRHs have either already implemented or are planning to implement an EFQM approach. Together with Fabien Derain, Quality Director of DO2P, Gilles Duverneuil, Director of the South-West CSRH, Catherine Chevallier, Quality Manager of the South-West CSRH, and Guillaume Lacombe, a supervisor at the Cahors site, let’s see how EFQM is making its way into a support department of a major group like La Poste, which generated over €21 billion in revenue in 2012.

DO2P: A Support Function for La Poste’s Mail and Parcel Services Division

Fabien Derain explains that, under the leadership of Pierre Agullo, this division launched an EFQM initiative as early as 2007.

That is when he adapted the EFQM model into a “passport” format so that operational mail facilities (sorting and distribution) could benefit from all the advantages of the EFQM approach: self-assessment, implementation of concrete actions, tracking of progress, and a commitment to excellence. The idea was to build on the EFQM model, just as Pierre Agullo had done. This makes sense, since we are an internal service provider within the division; therefore, we must maintain the same level of commitment and service. 

As a result, the EFQM Passport was adapted to address a twofold challenge: a major internal transformation, with a focus on continuously improving the management of the GAPP, and providing a level of service that is equivalent to—or even better than—that offered by external companies.

To that end, Fabien Derain continues, we’ve managed to identify 100 key approaches that provide a 360-degree overview of all the challenges facing our HR departments. It serves as a guiding framework for self-assessment. We had a choice to make: either commit the entire DO2P to an EFQM process, or develop it at the operational level to bring it to life on the ground. As you can see, it is this latter option that we chose. The expected benefits are very clear. Above all, it is a tremendous opportunity to bring all teams together in a unifying endeavor. We are not following a “top-down” model but rather a process where the people involved will choose their own priorities and strive to achieve the results that matter at their level. The other benefit concerns the results. The EFQM framework also includes 12 indicators, including the HR indicator, which covers both absenteeism and employee well-being (for both salaried staff and civil servants). In this context, the 100 key approaches help improve these 12 indicators and thus become true strategic levers at the operational level within CSRH institutions. 

Fabien Derain described the origins of the EFQM project, its structure, and its ins and outs. Let’s now take a look at how the EFQM approach is being implemented on the ground. The CSRH Sud-Ouest has volunteered to serve as a pilot for the initiative, which will be rolled out across the entire region in 2015–2016.

The Importance of Effective Communication

For Gilles Duverneuil, the EFQM framework “is first and foremost a quality initiative. At the beginning, it was mainly a challenge, involving the creation of an assessment specific to GAPP. We were entering a field of activity that had never been explored before. The advantage we had was a renewed leadership team. It was a good opportunity to bring the team together through a highly structured process.” This is indeed one of the many definitions of the EFQM: driving a dynamic of progress with measurable objectives for continuous improvement. That is the culture of excellence!

“What was also important,” continues Gilles Duverneuil, “is that, as an internal service provider for the Mail and Parcel Services division, we held ourselves to the same high standards as the division itself, which was already committed to an EFQM process.” In addition, being a pilot project required us to have a highly structured preparatory phase in order to get all our teams (Editor’s note: 220 people in total) on board through the various stages of the EFQM process.” In this regard, Catherine Chevallier notes that we had to develop all the communication tools. “We were pioneers and were going to be the first payroll and management center in Europe to join the EFQM; it was absolutely essential to explain, at every stage, the why and the how.” 

The development phase took three months, from February to April 2013. Following this, based on feedback gathered internally, the model was adapted in collaboration with the CSRH Sud-Ouest. It was therefore in July 2013 that Patrick Paris, the AFNOR representative for EFQM France, gave his approval for the implementation of this model. On September 30, 2013, the Executive Committee and the teams at CSRH Sud-Ouest conducted the self-assessment, and from October 2013 to March 2014, 25 selected actions were gradually implemented.

“With regular progress updates,” Catherine Chevallier emphasizes, “so that we can always keep everyone informed about the progress of our initiative.” Finally, on April 15—following a mock assessment on March 7—Patrick Paris officially evaluated the CSRH Sud-Ouest to determine whether it was eligible for the EFQM 1* Passport. “We were all very proud to have succeeded, to have earned this certification,” recalls Gilles Duverneuil. “We were paving the way for all other CSRHs; our work had been rewarded, and we could claim to be the first payroll and HR management center in Europe to be EFQM-certified.” 

EFQM: A Comprehensive, Common-Sense Approach to Improvement

Let’s now look at the changes that the EFQM framework brings to an organization like CSRH Sud-Ouest. Catherine Chevallier: “This framework gave our Executive Committee a unique opportunity to conduct a detailed collective assessment. The model showed us the direction to take in all areas—HR, production, governance, and so on. It describes what an excellent company does. This doesn’t mean we’re excellent across all 25 initiatives launched, but that we’re committed to consolidating what we do well and implementing the selected improvement actions. The EFQM model combines common sense, a genuine professionalization of our practices, and the drive to move forward by fostering team cohesion. ” Gilles Duverneuil confirms this: “It is indeed remarkable to succeed in bringing everyone together to provide a true snapshot of the reality of our HRCS. For example, for the assessment, we challenged ourselves by selecting people from all our sites. People who didn’t know each other, from Niort, Bergerac, Pau, etc., who helped create a focus group that demonstrated excellent group dynamics. A source of pride. For the 220 people involved in the GAPP, this is proof that they are a true entity that creates added value.”

More practically speaking, the EFQM has made it possible to generate revenue from other sources. Gilles Duverneuil explains:

We have improved our subrogation recovery rate. The EFQM framework has encouraged us to establish direct contact with the various regional health insurance funds (CPAMs) in order to speed up the reimbursement of the funds we advance to employees. This translates to additional net profit for the Group! 

EFQM: An Outside Perspective That Adds Value

CSRH Sud-Ouest has several locations: Limoges, Niort, Bordeaux, Bergerac, Pau, and Cahors. We spoke with Guillaume Lacombe, the manager of the Cahors location. Let’s take a look at some of the concrete initiatives that have been implemented, thanks in part to the challenge of earning the EFQM Passport 1* certification.

Before listing various initiatives, I think we should revisit the assessment day conducted by Patrick Paris. First, it was the Executive Committee—that is, the key members who proposed the EFQM—that was assessed. Next came the teams from an entire site, the one in Bergerac, which came under intense scrutiny through a series of questions that allowed the assessor to evaluate the various initiatives implemented and the improvements observed. Finally, it was the focus group’s turn—the one Gilles Duverneuil mentioned and in which I participated—which also had to answer various questions. It also expressed our perception of the EFQM and how its implementation had confirmed a path we had already embarked upon: that of improving service quality. That’s when we discussed our initiatives, such as the implementation of a safety manual, the monitoring and updating of signage, the availability of defibrillators at all sites, and the monitoring and organization of communication sessions. We thus demonstrated that the EFQM concept had been well-received at both the site and management levels. 

Guillaume Lacombe also remembers the day he received his 1* passport.

It took place during our “Spirit of Service” day on June 12. This is an annual national event organized by the DO2P. It provides an opportunity for discussion and role-playing exercises designed to foster team spirit and customer satisfaction. So that afternoon, live from Bordeaux where the EFQM passport was being awarded, all of us at every CSRH location were able to share in the moment via videoconference. Even those who hadn’t participated directly in the assessment experienced the moment with genuine enthusiasm. It truly felt like the entire department was being recognized. I would add, in conclusion, that even though we have long been committed to delivering high-quality work, being recognized by the EFQM truly carries the weight of an external perspective that validates our efforts. For the staff, it was truly important to know concretely that our daily practices are moving toward excellence. And the fact that we were the first in Europe, in our field, to have passed this first EFQM stage of commitment to Excellence was a bit like the icing on the cake.