A mutually beneficial space for discussion and shared experiences: this is how we might define the Alumni network, a type of organisation that is often found in universities and graduate schools, and which is increasingly being developed within private companies.
Colisée has opted to implement this approach in order to benefit all its employees and former staff. The idea is simple: anyone who has had professional experience at Colisée can request to join the private page on the LinkedIn social networking site. To cultivate this network, the community is also open to current staff seeking a dedicated platform where they can stay in touch with their former colleagues.
A tool to cultivate the “Colisée spirit”
Whether they’ve worked at the Paris head office or in one of Colisée’s many facilities, this is a space for all our staff, where users can find internal and “corporate” information, updates from the Colisée network, profiles of former employees and current staff members, insights from decision-makers on pressing issues, and information about regional events pertaining to ESG commitments and the medical-social sector.
In addition to spreading information, the group – which is still relatively new and experimental – is intended to eventually serve as a full-fledged networking platform for current and former employees. For example, an employee having struck out on their own could potentially find a new opportunity to work for the company, which being fully aware of their professional skill set will be all the more disposed to bring them on board.
The Alumni network is also a simple way for users to stay in touch with colleagues and to build a professional network. Currently numbering almost 90 members, Colisée hopes for the platform to reach 150 members by September 2023. Finally, networking reunions can be organised to help bring together former and current staff, as for the latter it can be interesting to meet with professionals operating outside the company but who still feel part of the “Colisée spirit.”
A tool for supporting employees and developing our employer brand
As Estelle Prot explains in the interview below, for Colisée the establishment of the Alumni network allows us to stay in touch with staff who may be tempted to come back to the company after an intermediary career experience elsewhere. In the meantime, these employees (nicknamed “Boomerang staff” in a recent article in the Le Monde newspaper) can go off to explore new horizons, learn new things and enrich the company community upon their return.
Finally, the network is an important lever for the development of Colisée’s employer brand, allowing the company to offer assistance to those who are thinking about leaving or have already departed the company. “This is how we come full circle,” explains Estelle Prot, referring back to the measures Colisée has put in place for the integration and training of new employees.
Link to the Alumni group
1. Article (in French): The rise of “Boomerang Staff” returning to their former employers, Le Monde, 22 May 2023.
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Interview:
Former director of human resources for the Colisee network and member of the mission Committee
For a more detailed look at how this project came about and the role of such an initiative, this month we’ve decided to interview Estelle Prot, the Colisée Network’s former Director of Human Resources and current member of the Mission Committee – a profile that perfectly embodies the enduring link between Colisée and a former employee who wants to continue their involvement with the community.
Colisée: Where did you get the idea of creating an Alumni group for Colisée network staff?
Estelle Prot: I spent a significant portion of my career within the Colisée network; a long and rewarding story extending over 16 years, which led me – as Director of Human Resources and CSR – to implement the first ESG strategy and to start the company along the path to B Corp certification. As Human Ressources Director, I always wanted to be mindful about how we parted ways with our staff, and to work on what we now call “outboarding.” Employees who leave a company can go on to become its ambassadors, and at Colisée we have always attempted to manage departures in a harmonious and ethical way. One day I heard about a big American tech firm that had set up an “Alumni” network, which until then was something I had only associated with elite French universities. In fact, there are two key factors contributing to the gradual rise in business networks for former company staff: firstly, the need to maintain good relationships with former employees, and secondly (all the more so since the onset of the health crisis and its ensuing recruitment issues) to create a pathway for the potential return of a staff member who’s spent the last few years expanding their experience elsewhere.
Colisée: In your opinion, why should people sign up to these groups?
Estelle Prot: Before setting up this network, we interviewed a panel of former head office staff and regional care home directors, in order to find out their thoughts on the project and how much they know about business alumni groups. The feedback was fairly unanimous, and the respondents all stressed their interest in this new approach – provided it would not be too time-consuming. There were three main reasons for their interest: first off, former employees wanted to continue receiving internal and corporate information about Colisée, other than just the communications posted on social media. They were also interested in hearing the viewpoints of Christine Jeandel or the Executive Committee on the latest news from the sector, given the long months of media scrutiny it has endured. Finally, the professionals on the panel expressed a desire to stay in touch and see each other again, via meet-ups that would also be open to current staff. We then addressed a call for candidates to former head office and regional staff, for anyone who wanted to help trial the initiative. Today, the group is off to a successful start with over 90 members!
Colisée: You’re a member of the Colisée network Mission Committee. Can you explain how this project contributes to the achievement of the Colisée mission?
Estelle Prot: The second pillar of the Colisée mission is resolutely focused on our employees, improving their working conditions and reasserting the value of elder care vocations. The Colisée Alumni network contributes fully to these objectives by taking into consideration those who are coming to the end of their road with the company. In terms of retaining talent, the network can also help to maintain a link with employees who, having gained experience outside the company, now want to come back and help fuel its progress. Knowing how to manage departures and maintain positive relationships with former employees is a sign of maturity that is highly beneficial to Colisée’s employer brand. With this Alumni group, we’re coming full circle in terms of staff support, from their initial training and acclimation within the company to the fulfilment of their career development via the various training options and initiatives the company offers.