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frThe head of each subsidiary, together with the administrative management and local managers, assume full responsibility for their human resources. The subsidiaries’ administrative managers are the human resources officers for their company’s staff. They contribute to the labour relations climate in the company, together with the entire management team, ensuring optimal working conditions and a friendly environment. This is an overarching topic for them in terms of working time. The Deputy CEO assists executives and administrative departments with human resources issues and compliance with legislation.
The administrative management has a role in alerting both their CEO and Thermador Groupe.
In 2023, Thermador Groupe obtained 5 stars out of 5 in the Humpact Emploi score.
This score recognises all our employee development actions.
We too were affected by a dynamic job market in 2023, as in 2022. 110 people left the company for a variety of reasons. Nearly 30% of departures coincided with the end of fixed-term contracts, including work-study students at the end of their contracts, 10 were due to retirement, whilst some left for personal reasons (family reunification, setting up a business). We work with managers to analyse the reasons for each departure, with a view to maintaining our appeal as an employer. This issue is closely monitored by the Executive Committee, which discusses it at least twice a year, in order to take action if necessary. In 2023, no particular concerns were identified.
Training and management of skills
Initial and continuous training help people to adapt more quickly to the world in which they live and to the way companies operate and evolve. Data suggests that companies are the first to benefit from staff knowledge, know-how and interpersonal skills. Thus, promoting training designed to increase employees’ skills is a key factor for long-term success (adaptation, competitiveness, efficiency, etc.). Our major challenge is to prepare the Group’s human resources to meet its future needs.
All types of training are provided, training related to business expertise, cross-functional training (e.g. anti-corruption, IT) or training in interpersonal skills and sustainable issues. Training is delivered by in-house teams or service-providers, depending on the needs and resources required.
External training
Seminars for the sales team, training for local managers, personal development courses, language training, safety training… we regularly call on outside agencies to maintain and develop the levels of our teams.
| TRAINING INDICATORS | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Training budget as % of payroll | 2.64% | 2.35% | 1.86% |
| Training hours | 14,677 | 12,754 | 10,013 |
| Number Employees trained during the year | 717 | 576 | 489 |
| % of permanent contract employees trained during the year | 96.4% | 80.8% | 72.1% |
Internal training
Our ‘expert’ employees have a wealth of knowledge about our businesses, which they pass on to newcomers. This transfer of skills takes place through lectures, practical work, coaching and specific written content. In order to increase product knowledge, our specialists organise inter-subsidiary training sessions, particularly for those working in export markets.
Individual interviews
Our subsidiaries are committed to welcoming their new employees. Each new recruit benefits from an onboarding programme lasting several weeks, enabling them to discover all the departments of the company they are joining. In order to better understand what goes on in the field, office-based sales staff and buyers sometimes accompany field sales staff on customer visits. Similarly, sales representatives spend a few days with the logistics teams preparing orders. This process allows everyone to become aware of the constraints of the other departments for greater efficiency and mutual respect. Thanks to work of Opaline, the Group’s in-house communications agency, various training modules for new recruits were rolled out during 2023, covering key topics such as our Code of Conduct, anti-corruption awareness, the stock market charter and sustainable development.
Health, physical and psychological safety
The administrative management ensures strict compliance with prevailing safety instructions and regulations, the legal regularity of all procedures, respect of our values, meeting group objectives, upskilling employees skills and fairness regarding earnings.
| Health an absenteeism indicators | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Number of days of absence | 10,817 | 6,645 | 6,156 |
| of which, days of sick leave | 7,801 | 5,112 | 4,084 |
| of which, days of therapeutic part-time leave (hours of absence / 7h per day) | 383 | 228 | 254 |
| of which, maternity or paternity leave | 1,771 | 689 | 672 |
| of which, days of absence due to accidents at work | 524 | 109 | 222 |
| of which, days of absence due to work-related illnesses | 338 | 507 | 924 |
| Days of absence as a % of time worked | 5.5% | 3.5% | 3.4% |
| Absenteeism rate excluding (1) | 5.5% | 3.5% | 3.4% |
| Absenteeism rate all France | 5.6% | 3.3% | 3.7% |
| Absenteeism rate outside France | 4.7% | 3.1% | 1.5% |
| (1) Number of days of absence in working days / 251 x total number of employees, including absences due to illness, including work-related illnesses, work-related and commuting accidents, maternity and paternity. | |||
| ACCIDENTS AT WORK INDICATORS | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Number of accidents at work | 18 | 12 | 10 |
| of which, number of commuting accidents with lost time | 4 | 1 | 3 |
| Number of accidents >200 days per year | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Frequency rate of accidents at work (2) | 12.71 | 8.91 | 7.95 |
| Severity rate of accidents at work (3) | 0.37 | 0.08 | 0.18 |
| Number of work-related illnesses | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| (2) Number of lost-time accidents X 1,000,000 / number of hours worked. | |||
| (3) Number of days lost due to accidents at work or work-related illnesses X 1,000 / number of hours worked. | |||
In 2023, ten of our subsidiaries finished the year without any work-related accidents. The number of days of sick leave increased, but we observed a significant decrease in the number of work-related illnesses.
The Group’s employees clearly took to this means of expression, as 93% of them responded between 2019 and 2021.
This quality-of-life-at-work survey is based on around 50 questions and over 70 individual interviews, covering the following themes: the company’s project, health and safety, work organisation and content, skills development and earnings, management and team spirit. The questions are rated from ‘not at all’ to ‘totally’ in agreement.
In the last quality-of-life-at-work survey, 20% came out with a majority of 'not at all' or 'little' agreement statements, and 80% with a majority of 'totally' or 'fairly' agreement statements. Strong points: confidence in the solidity and durability of the Group, the meaning of work, autonomy, the feeling of security and inclusion. Weak points: inter-subsidiary exchange, opportunities for development, internal communications and flexible working hours. The results of this employee survey were presented in full transparency at the subsidiaries’ AGMs. Following the first survey, working groups were set up to better understand improvement opportunities and to set up an action plan for each company.
At the request of employees, the subsidiaries have implemented initiatives aimed at making working hours more flexible, developing working from home and allowing them to relax during breaks. Thus, in 2023, 383 employees benefited from a home-working agreement or charter. We have installed rest rooms, table football, table tennis tables, petanque courts, and offer the practice of pilates, body balance and yoga, as well as picnic areas. Our company Jetly has a gym open to all the subsidiaries in Saint-Quentin-Fallavier and provides classes with a professional sports coach. Regarding internal communications, our Group uses a digital tool, Thermalink, which was developed by our subsidiary Opaline in 2019. It is available to all employees in Saint-Quentin-Fallavier and to those in more geographically remote sites. It is a proper company social network allowing us to communicate, and share documents and good practices. Its functionalities include: the onboarding process for new recruits, positions open to recruitment in all subsidiaries in order to encourage career development through internal mobility, as well as a great deal of information related to human resources and the life of the company.
For parents of young children, we offer nursery places in the national Babilou network. In 2023, eight of our subsidiaries bought cots for 16 of their young parents, one more than 2022.
The next quality-of-life-at-work survey will be held in 2024. The questionnaire is developed by a working group of 9 employee volunteers representing the different functions of our companies. The work is led by a steering committee made up of 5 Group subsidiary managers, with the support of a specialist consultancy (Optim Ressources) which guarantees the anonymity of the process.
✣ Privacy and the right to disconnect
Employees are asked to respect - and not exceed - working hours. The introduction of the fixed day rate, formalised by company agreements in sixteen of our subsidiaries, meets employee demand for flexibility in working hours. For those who benefit from this facility, we check that their legally-required rest periods are respected and that they do not hook-up excessively to work systems remotely. Our logistics teams start earlier in the morning to supply the first pick-ups from our transport partners.
Social dialogue
13 of our subsidiaries have a Social and Economic Committee (SEC) with 46 elected representatives. They have been trained to speak for the employees of their respective companies.
Within each subsidiary, a monthly information and dialogue meeting is held for all members of staff. The management team presents and comments on the market situation: turnover, margins, costs, results and updates employees all the subsidiary’s projects. They then answer any questions from the employees present.
To make it easier for people to speak out, which is not always easy in the largest of our subsidiaries, departmental meetings are also held. Experience has highlighted the vital role of local managers in bringing up questions or comments and delivering joint responses. Back in April 2016, the AGM appointed an employee as a director on a proposal of the Board of Directors. At the AGM of April 4, 2022, the Board of Directors proposed the election of two employees, one woman and one man, as directors. This is a strong signal to our teams, as their representatives now occupy two of the twelve seats on the Board.
Salaries and profit sharing
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Employee savings plan (PEE) In January 2001, we set up a Company savings scheme (PEE), open to all employees of the subsidiaries and 95% invested in Thermador Groupe shares. Until 2012 the top-up was 100% of the amount put in by the employee, with a cap of €1,000. The maximum contribution then changed year-on-year. In 2020, the contribution was 300% for the first €300 invested, 150% for the €301-1,000 tranche, and 30% for the €1001- 1,500 tranche, i.e. a maximum of €2,100. The total amount contributed by the employees was €2,057k and the amount of the employer’s contribution was €794k. 453 employees (out of 566) subscribed to a 1% capital increase reserved for them. Taking advantage of the possibilities provided by the PACTE law, employees benefited from a 40% discount on the purchase of shares in exchange for 10-year holding commitment. In 2022, the matching contribution increased to a maximum of €2,400. The total amount contributed by employees was €1,511k and the amount of the matching contribution was €1,175k. 595 employees (out of 651) subscribed. In 2023, the top-up matching contribution increased to a maximum of €2,550. The total amount contributed by employees was €1,455k and the matching contribution was €1,309k. 622 employees (out of 687) subscribed. At December 31, 2023, the PEE held 317,025 shares, or 3.4% of capital.
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Individual earnings and bonuses are planned within the subsidiaries, as is payroll. The exchange of information and best practices between managers ensures consistency across the Group.
FIXED ELEMENT
In all the Group’s subsidiaries, the fixed part of the salary is paid over 13 months (except at FGinox, which is paid over 12 months). It is reviewed annually, taking into account the development of each individual in his or her function and cost of living changes. We pay particular attention to the lowest salaries, which are well above the market rate in our sector.
VARIABLE COMPONENT
Individual earnings and bonuses are planned within the subsidiaries, as is payroll. The exchange of information and best practices between managers ensures consistency across the Group.
In all the Group’s subsidiaries, the fixed part of the salary is paid over 13 months (except at FGinox, which is paid over 12 months). It is reviewed annually, taking into account the development of each individual in his or her function and cost of living changes. We pay particular attention to the lowest salaries, which are well above the market rate in our sector.
Since the beginning, Thermador Groupe subsidiaries’ profits have been shared with employees. Even before statutory profit sharing, we introduced our own brand of profit sharing in Thermador, the first company created in the Group’s history. Bonus distribution is the culmination of the year’s work, during which the management teams present the operating accounts of each subsidiary on a monthly basis.
Everybody thereby understands how the annual result is put together, and what mass of profit sharing will be distributed. The distribution of that mass is decided by the management team, and takes into account each individual’s performance as fairly as possible. In each subsidiary, the variable profit sharing amount therefore depends on profit, which means there are major differences between the companies of the Group. It varies from 6 to 38% of overall earnings. The average for the Group is 21% of gross annual salary. In three of our subsidiaries, Jetly, Sferaco and FGInox, a legal profit-sharing agreement or incentive agreement is in place. These variable earnings are paid in February. For the other subsidiaries, bonuses are paid in December. They are not subject to any holding mechanism and are therefore immediately available.
On our operating accounts, the payroll represents approximately 10.8% of turnover.
As explained above, we have always implemented a policy of salary transparency. In each subsidiary, once per year, we post all monthly and annual salaries, including, of course, those of the managers. This has the enormous advantages of limiting the spread of misconceptions and encourages us to maintain consistency of salaries.
The range of gross salaries in Thermador Groupe is €22.7k to €364.3k (annual salaries for 12 months of presence), and the average annual salary is €55k.
DEVELOPMENT OF ONE PART OF THE THERMADOR GROUPE FCPE (MUTUAL FUND)
Head count
Our staff are at the heart of our value chain.
Our staff are at the heart of our value chain. On December 31, 2023 the group had 777 employees, 36% of women and 64% of men.
Of those 777 employees, 742 were on permanent contracts and 35 on fixed term contracts.
Distribution per subsidiary: see general information.
Average years' service: 9.64 years.
95% of permanent contracts.
95% of permanent contracts.