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While some may view it as the cause of extra complications in the business world, for others, new technology is seen as the solution to all modern-day problems. Where does the truth really lie? Christelle HERBELIN (who graduated the Grande École Program in 1997), Managing Director of the recruitment firm Keyman, believes it lies somewhere in the middle and reminds us that as with any tool, its users are the ones in charge. How has digitalisation transformed her company’s business, customer expectations and also those of the younger generation in recent years? We get some answers…

What can you tell us about Keyman?
Since 2004, Keyman has been a multispecialist recruitment firm for executives and managers whose mission statement is: “Combining strategy and talent, together!” With offices in Lille, Paris, Nantes and Lyon, our expert business consultants develop and act as the drivers of business growth through the skilled people they recruit. We offer our candidates and clients a tailor-made experience based on listening and sincerity. In addition, we are part of Batka, a community of ten HR companies that have joined together to offer the most relevant advice and services.

IT and digital technology have evolved significantly over the past decade. How has this affected your customers?
Technology has changed the way many jobs are done, and soft skills that were not in demand a few years ago have become essential. This change requires ever greater flexibility and curiosity on the part of companies and their employees. Everything is moving quickly, responsiveness is the keyword. This creates increased complexity and requires more factors to be taken into account in an ever-changing environment. In this context, information technology (IT) is now at the centre of a company’s overall strategy: within a few years, we have gone from it being a cost centre that meets a need, to a vital feature that is essential if a company wants to stand out from the competition.

What does this mean for businesses?
IT has become a driver and an initiator of change. In the past, IT adapted to businesses. Today, it is businesses that are organising themselves around powerful and innovative IT. This paradigm shift has had an impact on the organisation of companies and IT activities, which are now business-oriented. It is no coincidence that we see so many CIOs coming from this sector rather than from engineering or computer science schools. there’s definitely a role for iéseg graduates then…

Which positions are people looking to fill at the moment?
Straight after graduation, the positions of Scrum Master, Product Owner or those related to traffic management are the most difficult to fill: there are lots of jobs available but few candidates trained in these areas. Fortunately, there are various additional courses on offer to prepare for these roles which are evolving very quickly. The key is curiosity, most importantly, and a willingness to learn and gain experience, while maintaining a clear perspective and understanding of the issues. It follows that IÉSEG graduates have a role to play in these areas; by combining high standards in scientific subjects with an outward-looking attitude, the school produces particularly attractive profiles for companies: candidates who are capable of using the left-hand side of their brain (rigour and an analytical mind) and the right-hand side (relationships and creativity)!

We often point the finger at digitalisation as being responsible for the disappearance of certain professions. What view do you take on the subject?
Digitalisation has made it possible to automate many repetitive and uncomplicated tasks. This undeniably has an impact on certain professions which ought to be supported through appropriate training. In the professions that we recruit, it’s a positive outcome since employees can concentrate on roles with high added value. These changes alter the tasks and skills required, but not the raison d’être and aims of a role. In other words, while data and AI are indeed reshaping many things and demanding constant alteration and renewal, nothing currently replaces the human skills required in the 21st century by companies and their clients. In recruiting, we call them the 4 Cs: Curiosity, Creativity, Cooperation and Communication. Faced with these challenges, human resources play an essential role in explaining these changes and new expectations and in supporting employees. It requires teaching and transparency: digital is anything but the enemy, it is a major ally.

What big trends are you seeing today? How is new technology affecting your business?
Companies are currently experiencing a huge wave of resignations and disengagement by the younger generation from the world of work. These are the post-Covid crisis phenomena that must be taken into account in today’s world. For some digital natives, “succeeding in life” now equates to “living life”: it is up to us and the business world to adapt and constantly challenge ourselves to meet these new aspirations. We must at all costs avoid creating a kind of technological breakdown since these generations have highly sought-after skills. It has often been said that digitalisation creates distance between people; I think the opposite. It allows us to get to know our candidates better, to increase our contact with them using different tools to better understand their expectations and their underlying motivations, above and beyond their skills. We are then there to support their potential and allow them to communicate it to the right company.

How do you imagine the future of the world of work? Are we all at risk of ending up at home working together through a screen?
According to the OECD, in 2035, a young person under the age of 30 will work in an average of 13 jobs in the course of their career. So there’s no risk of head-hunters getting bored! More than that, it’s difficult to make projections: Covid has accelerated many trends but, in my opinion, we are still in an extreme phase which will eventually be regulated: people are social animals, we will always need human interaction and chats at the coffee machine…

This article was written by Luna Créations for IÉSEG Network’s magazine, IÉS #14.