Bernard Coulaty – Engaging to Transformation

Today, organizational transformations are no longer limited to processes or technologies. They primarily involve people. Bernard Coulaty, an expert in human resources management and author of the book “Engaging for Transformation”, explores in this webinar the crucial role of human resources in business transformation. Through innovative concepts such as people washing and the analysis of different levels of transformation, he highlights how HR can truly become the drivers of change.

The concept of people washing: a misleading employer brand

According to Bernard Coulaty, people washing is an increasingly common practice in companies. It involves creating an attractive employer brand that is disconnected from internal reality. While companies compete to attract the best talent, they often embellish their image without ensuring that internal practices follow suit. The result? Disillusioned employees, facing a gap between promises and daily reality.

Coulaty emphasizes that engagement cannot be faked. Companies that rely solely on appearances risk losing their employees’ trust in the long term. “It’s not enough to promote values on posters or social media; they must be lived daily,” he reminds us. The key lies in consistency between what is shown externally and what is experienced internally.

The four levels of transformation

To lead a successful transformation, Bernard Coulaty identifies four essential levels:

1. Individual Transformation: Each employee must re-evaluate their relationship with work. In a context of overload or burnout, it is necessary to find a balance between personal commitment and performance.
2. Managerial Transformation: Managers often find themselves torn between benevolence and demandingness. They must succeed in building a trusting relationship while maintaining high performance standards.
3. Organizational Transformation: Companies must juggle inclusion and diversity, while ensuring that each employee is aligned with the common vision. Too much diversity, without alignment, can dilute the company culture.
4. Cultural Transformation: Finally, the company’s culture itself must evolve to integrate these changes. This means not only adapting processes, but above all encouraging innovation and creativity, while respecting the organization’s history and values.

These levels of transformation are interdependent and must be approached systematically to ensure harmonious and lasting evolution.

The role of HR: from process to people

In this dynamic, HR plays a decisive role. Coulaty argues that human resources should not be confined to administrative tasks or process automation. “HR must once again become facilitators of human interaction, sparring partners for managers, while also being the guarantors of company culture,” he explains.

This function is not just about managing processes, but about ensuring that employees are engaged and that transformations occur smoothly. This involves strengthening proximity between HR and on-the-ground teams, by creating coaching rituals, offering regular exchange spaces, and staying close to the daily realities of employees.

Engage rather than retain

Bernard Coulaty also makes an important distinction between retaining talent and engaging them. According to him, retaining an employee stems from too defensive a vision. Conversely, engaging an employee means offering them opportunities for growth, aligning their ambitions with those of the company. “An engaged employee will retain themselves,” Coulaty asserts. Engagement, far more than mere job satisfaction, creates a dynamic where effort and contribution become natural.

For this, it is essential to create work environments where employees feel valued, heard, and encouraged to invest themselves. Engagement is above all an emotional process, which comes from alignment with company values and managerial culture.

Reenchanting the managerial experience

Another central point of the webinar is the reinvention of the manager’s role. Too often, companies promote experts to managerial positions without providing them with the necessary human skills. These managers, unprepared, find themselves managing teams, sometimes without the essential “human touch” needed to create engagement.

Coulaty advocates for genuine managerial training, focused on the development of soft skills. A good manager must be both demanding and empathetic, capable of leading their team while taking individualities into account. They must be able to inspire, motivate, and align their employees with the company’s common objectives.

HR at the heart of transformation

Ultimately, business transformation cannot succeed without a deep commitment from human resources. Far from rigid processes, the HR function must once again become a central player in team facilitation, by creating the necessary conditions for managers and employees to evolve together. Engaging employees, beyond merely retaining them, thus becomes the cornerstone of a successful and lasting transformation.

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