La Vie en Rose

Lyne Raymond

Lyne Raymond, vice president of administration and human resources at La Vie en Rose has been associated with the company since 2004. As a human resource administrator, she is responsible for managing HR and payroll activities. Her areas of expertise include coaching, recruiting, human resources, organizational effectiveness, and performance management.

Alessia Pariselli, human resources manager at La Vie en Rose has worked with the company for 6 years now. She is responsible for the company’s employee benefits and compensation module. Among Alessia’s many skills are negotiation, sales, communication, teamwork, and leadership.

In terms of organizational change management, what trends can be seen in HR today?

It is pertinent to note that HR trends in retail differ from those in other industries. Currently, our primary focus is on recruiting and retaining employees. It is becoming more common for companies to develop artificial intelligencebased recruitment software in order to optimize the recruitment process. At La Vie en Rose, we face a crucial challenge with regard to recruiting qualified employees. Our retail stores often have customers who frequent them at night and on weekends, so we are especially looking for employees who are willing to work nights and weekends.

Integration of processes into a single system is another trend in the HR industry. La Vie en Rose went live with its HR system in 2019, transforming the organization and bringing flexibility and versatility. Having an integrated system proved beneficial during the pandemic, as our company was able to quickly adapt to a remote working culture.

"Human Resources is transitioning into a more strategic partner within organizations in Canada. The emphasis on HR’s role in planning and executing strategies has increased to 50% in 2024. This shift reflects the importance of HR in navigating organizational changes effectively."

As part of our company’s efforts over the past two years, on-demand pay has been implemented. This was a new concept in the Canadian payroll industry at the time. Our HR system and hiring process were adapted to accommodate this idea. Employees are able to access a portion of their pay between pay cycles, resulting in more flexibility and greater access to their own funds. It has proved beneficial to employees as they were able to take advantage of their earnings rather than having to rely on loans and credit when they were in need.

Additionally, La Vie en Rose implemented telemedicine in August 2021 as part of its technological advancements for employee assistance programs. Through the implementation of this, the company was able to provide employees with access to medical experts and therapists via virtual channels. On top of that, La Vie en Rose also has channels that provide legal and financial assistance virtually.

What are the most significant challenges that your company faces in managing its stores and how do you mitigate them?

One of the most challenging aspects of store management in our retail stores is the recruitment and retention of employees. This was especially true during Covid, when the situation was highly unpredictable, and it was uncertain when shops would be reopened. The retail industry also faces challenges related to employee protection. As part of La Vie en Rose’s corporate culture, safety measures are prioritized, and any complaints regarding harassment are evaluated on a case-by-case basis. If we are successful at maintaining a healthy working environment, we should be able to retain our employees more easily.

Recruiting is the most frequently faced challenge, especially in Quebec City, where we serve our largest market. To mitigate this risk, our company implemented an integrated human resource system on April 28, 2019. Several of our employees have expressed satisfaction with our HR recruitment system. Our company has not yet integrated AI into our HRMS and is currently weighing the pros and cons of a fully integrated HR system.

When it comes to organizational change management, what changes have you implemented?

A customized enterprise resource planning (ERP) system was introduced by La Vie en Rose across all of the company’s branches in 2020 as a part of its organizational change management strategy. This enabled the company to convert its entire employee training into an online format during the covid lockdown. We changed our training to Microsoft Teams and tried to discover creative ways of working together through a virtual medium. In making decisions regarding our processes, we are always guided by the needs of our customers and employees. The HR department found this project to be a major undertaking because it will have a significant impact on customer reach as well as business processes across our organization.

The company is currently working on improving its supply chain. Our buying, planning, allocation, and design teams are conducting audits and interviews to determine what improvements are required and how to achieve them.

What advice would you give to fellow peers to help them navigate through the organizational changing phase?

Make sure you get feedback after you have made all of the necessary technological changes. It is crucial to understand whether the changes you have made have solved the issue or brought about the improvements that were needed. You have to understand what your employees and customers need in order to provide them with the best service. The process may be lengthy and time-consuming, but the results are well worth your efforts. These interviews will provide you with valuable knowledge that can be used to develop team and organizational processes.

Involving upper management in the process is another important consideration. In an organization, employees are its greatest asset. If they are happy, everything is fine. It would be beneficial if you were able to involve your employees in the implementation process.