Labour relations

We help you navigate the complexities of workplace relations in France to achieve your operational goals.

Building constructive labour relations

Business transfer or acquisition - TUPE

Collective agreements

Collective dismissals

The social, environmental and economic database (BDESE)

Building constructive labour relations

At HR Switch, we believe that labour relations can become a powerful business driver. That’s why we assist international companies with subsidiaries in France in building and maintaining constructive labour relations aligned with their business goals.

Our support includes:

  • Advice and guidance – including guiding you through your obligations as a French employer or understanding the operating rules of a CSE.
  • CSE consultation and meeting facilitation – we help you preparing and conducting regular meetings as well as the mandatory consultations
  • Staff representatives’ elections – managing the elections process in compliance with French regulations.
  • Implementation of the BDESE – to support the CSE’s three annual consultations.
  • Health & safety – ensuring that the French employer safety obligations are met.

Business transfer or acquisition - TUPE

One of the biggest reasons for business transfer failure is overlooked human capital.

We provide expert HR support to ensure smooth transitions and successful merging and acquisitions of French subsidiaries.

Our services include :

Due diligence HR review

Conducting an assessment of all working conditions and practices implemented in France and which may affect price: individual employment and collective agreements, collective conditions, compensation and benefits, cultural barriers, social risks, human capital, retention and termination packages…

Comparative analysis of collective bargaining agreements

Identifying gaps in employment conditions and benefits when the transformation involves different CBAs.

Consultation of the CSE on the acquisition/ transfer project

Preparing the information & consultation agendas and meetings, and advising on how to conduct the meetings.

Change management

Building HR action plans and communication plans and assisting managers in implementing change.

Operational management of business transfer/ acquisition

Planning, implementing and monitoring the transfer or merging of HR processes and activities, working contracts, social security and pension schemes, HR related service contracts, payroll…

Transfer or merging of employee representation bodies

Ensuring that staff representation is maintained in compliance with French regulations before, during, and after the business transfer, merging or acquisition.

Harmonization of employment conditions

Drawing-up and assisting with the negotiation of any substitute agreement and new collective agreements.

Collective agreements

French companies can negotiate collective agreements irrespective of their size and of the presence of a CSE.

We draw up and assist companies with the negotiation of all types of collective agreements: working time, remote work, work-life balance, classification, professional equality, saving plans, pension or social cover schemes…

We provide support at every stage, tailored to your needs:

  • Advising on the applicable negotiation modalities
  • Planning negotiations, preparing agendas, and managing invitations to negotiate
  • Developing and negotiating a method agreement
  • Organizing and facilitating working groups
  • Drafting collective agreements
  • Organizing consultations with the relevant bodies
  • Conducting a direct employee referendum when required
  • Registering collective agreements
  • Implementing collective agreements

Collective dismissals

Are you a foreign company with a subsidiary in France facing the complexities of a collective dismissal process?

We specialize in guiding companies through every stage of a collective redundancy plan, ensuring compliance with French labor regulations and minimizing business disruption.

Our services include:

Cost assessment

Accurate estimation of redundancy costs

Workforce planning

Strategic workforce and skills planning to ensure operational continuity

Drafting information notes (“Livre 2, Livre 1, Livre 4”)

  • Assistance with drafting the restructuring project itself and the economic rationale
  • Preparing detailed information about the selection criteria, the new organization and the intended measures in order to avoid or reduce the number of dismissals
  • Building the set of measures aimed at facilitating the redeployment of the employees
  • Defining future measures to reduce the impact of the project on the remaining employees’ health and safety (workload and stress in particular)

Operational implementation

  • Building up the agenda
  • Organizing and preparing CSE meetings
  • Ensuring communication with internal and external stakeholders
  • Implementing the plan once approved by the French labor authorities

Change management

  • Supporting managers during the transition process
  • Assisting with the implementation of the new working organization

Social dialogue management

  • Facilitating constructive dialogue with employee representatives
  • Maintaining open communication before, during, and after the dismissal plan

Why Choose Us?

With extensive operational experience in managing collective dismissals in France, we partner with your internal and external stakeholders to ensure:

  • Clear and consistent communication
  • Compliance with French labor law
  • Reduction of psycho-social risks
  • Smooth business continuity throughout the process

The social, environmental and economic database (BDESE)

All companies in France with over 50 employees must maintain a BDESE, providing social, environmental, and financial data to staff representatives.
Implementing the BDESE requires a strong knowledge of legal requirements as well as time and resources.

Employers that do not meet their obligations are subject to a financial penalty but also risk hindering a consultation process.

Because we believe that the BDESE can help develop a constructive social dialogue and facilitate strategic decision making, we have developed an assistance package to guide companies through the process of implementation of a compliant database.

We’ve also chosen to develop a partnership with the software provider who offers the most complete, regulatory and scalable BDESE solution : La-BDESE.

Need help to clarify your needs?

Don’t hesitate to contact us for more information: we have the experience and skills to help foreign companies with French subsidiaries navigating labour relations.
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