CNRS, a committed employer ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CNRS leads the way on disabilities -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CNRS has extensive experience in recruiting and assisting people with disabilities. Last year, 51 were hired, most of whom in the A category. In 2012, the organization focused on implementing the Action Plan finalized in October 2011. In order to help managers integrate new employees with disabilities and assist those already on the job, the CNRS human resource management took greater account of the requirements of the disabled. The Caen Regional Office received the Prix de l’Exemplarité, an award recognizing the quality of its program for the insertion of people with disabilities in the Lower Normandy region. Communication with personnel and laboratories was also improved, with better information on the benefits of the status of disabled workers. The CNRS President sent the plan to each Unit Director. “On the anniversary of the agreement and as part of the disabled employment week, the President wanted to make a symbolic statement to reaffirm the commitment of the organization and its leadership,” says Ghislaine Bec, head of the Mission for the Integration of Disabled Staff. More than half of the plan’s actions were completed during its first year. In 2012, CNRS laid particular emphasis on promoting the professional opportunities open to its 1,100 Unit Directors (DUs) who “drive laboratories” scientific projects, manage units’ daily operations and play a key role in training PhD students and postdoctoral fellows,” says Liliane Flabbée, Director of the Senior Executives Office within the DRH. “This is a time-consuming and sometimes difficult job, especially since researchers are more often evaluated on the work they publish than on what they do for the common good!” Hence the need to raise the profile of Unit Directors. In 2012, an ad hoc steering committee made a series of recommendations, including the early identification of potential candidates, the systematic issuance of a mission statement, and continuous career support. The project was widely circulated in-house to facilitate its acceptance. The program was officially launched on February 4-5, 2013 at a nationwide event bringing together new Unit Directors. CNRS President Alain Fuchs and CPU3 President Jean-Loup Salzmann opened the session by jointly outlining the scope of the DU’s role. Round-table discussions and operational training sessions during the two-day gathering helped In December 2012, the Senior Executives Office asked the Unit Directors to provide feedback. “We wanted to define the most suitable career path for a Unit Director,” says Liliane Flabbée. “We also ran experimental initiatives in the Regional Offices. At a meeting in Thiais, for instance, Unit Directors worked together in small groups to discuss the issues they encountered in managing their laboratories.” These innovative group-based sessions around a jointly-selected theme have enabled the DUs to build concrete solutions as well as improve their management practices on a collective basis. 1 CNRS Action Plan 2011-2014 for the Employment and Integration of People with Disabilities. 2 The level of employment is expressed in full time equivalents (ETPT), measuring an employee’s working hours and period of activity over the year. 3 Conference of University Presidents. 55 Board.” It provides additional flexibility, increases stakeholders’ responsibility and guarantees that decisions are made at the appropriate level. Assisting temporary workers For many years, CNRS has paid special attention to its temporary staff. Initiatives have been taken on the ground such as the partnership set up in Grenoble between the Regional Office and the local job center (Pôle Emploi). At the national level, CNRS launched a Fixed-Term Contract Charter in the autumn of 2012 to provide benchmarks for both employees and their managers. A formal commitment by CNRS, this reference document applies to all our temporary staff: it is intended to give employees more control at each stage of the contract cycle. The initial candidate selection phase requires a detailed job description, transparent selection criteria, compensation levels commensurate with the candidate’s experience, etc. Employees with fixed-term contracts must receive continuous, high-quality assistance with their integration, work supervision, encouraging dialog with line managers, suitable training, etc. “We pay particular attention to the end of the contract,” says Emmanuel Méterreau, in charge of HR activities. “The charter sets an advance notice period and provides for regular assessments of skills and competencies. We also help these employees find new jobs.” In 2012, CNRS also created an employment portal (http://emploi. cnrs.fr), to increase its visibility and attractiveness as an employer. The portal ensures a wide audience for the temporary job advertisements posted by the units, which can pull together a pool of skilled candidates via a “CV library”. Each unit has a dedicated area for managing its own offers, relations with candidates, and recruitment process. Human Resources staff (SRH) provides assistance in drafting job descriptions and approves advertisements prior to their publication on the Web. A multiple-criteria search engine and an alert system are also available for candidates. Unit Director: a key position the Directors prepare for their new jobs. “We are committed to taking greater account of personal development, as illustrated by our efforts to enhance the career path of Unit Directors.” Xavier Inglebert, Chief Resources Officer 2012 A year at CNRS
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