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Working in Luxembourg JANUARY 2022

CONVERSATION

Magali Maillot: why HR needs to put people first – DOSSIER

William Willems on reinventing the workplace – ON THE RADAR

The factors that affect your salary

Educational influence on pay

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Where do we go when we go to work?

Taken literally, this question has fluctuating answers: maybe to a big building downtown, maybe to a coworking space nearby, maybe to the living room.

Figuratively, it dives into the fathoms of Western concepts of selfhood. We go into our work persona, into an idea of ourselves, into an artificial engagement with society.

It’s strange, the growing extent to which we are our jobs define us. Who are you? I’m a journalist. It seems to be a cultural cue blowing in from the United States: work in Luxembourg is less and less seen as one activity in a lifetime of activities, and increasingly as our source of personal meaning and identity.

Whether or not this is a good thing is debatable. On one hand, having a job for an identity might be what sustains certain important revolutions, like the desire for meaning (rather than merely a paycheque) from work, or the fight for flexible working arrangements. If you are what you do, then you deserve purpose and comfort built into your workday.

On the other hand, what’s at stake is perspective on our work. There are a lot of toxic systems in our world today: economies built on resource extraction, technologies being used to reinforce inequalities, the fact that financial success for the few requires mediocre pay for the many. Tons of jobs, innocently enough, propagate these systems. If personal meaning comes from a career (rather than a life) well executed, it will be hard to change things.

But there’s no going backwards. If the trend comes, the trend comes. What I hope is that the road to individualism ultimately empowers the individual not just to have a more flexible workday, but also to question these systems. We’re already seeing that CDIs are harder to come by since it’s cheaper for companies to opt for CDDs or freelancers.

That’s better for companies. But is it better for us? Because it’s the individual who should be living well, whose environment needs protecting, whose future should be secure…

Journalist JEFF PALMS

3

JANUARY 2022 WORKING IN LUXEMBOURG

Editorial #WorkPersona

Working in Luxembourg January 2022

06 ON THE RADAR

Dossier

The pay gap--what are the factors that influence your salary range?

18

Automatisation, talent challenge, flexibility--the shifting world of work

Ristretto

–

“The need for reskilling and upskilling will intensify”

20

The reinvented workplace

–

–

12 #THEVIEWFROMOUTSIDE

22

Pursuing a passion as a profession

14 CONVERSATION WITH MAGALI MAILLOT p.14 Allen & Overy HR director Magali Maillot on new initiatives that place people first

–

24

How (not) to go independent 26 CONVERSATION WITH LIEVEN LAMBRECHT

“There is a shift from an employer market to an employee market” 30 SUCCESS STORIES

Four major career switches 34 FORECAST

Photo

Guy Wolff, Illustration

Salomé Jottreau

Has Covid depressed commercial and retail rent?

p.18 How work and the workplace are shifting at a remarkable rate

JANUARY 2022 WORKING IN LUXEMBOURG

WORK AND WORKPLACES

10 #TRAINING – ANNE OBERLÉ-DRAPIÉ

“We really put people at the heart of our business”

5

On the radar

What affects your salary?

QUALIFICATIONS

CFO

Educational influence on pay

Treasury manager Management controller

Average annual gross salary* by educational attainment for selected EU countries.

Internal/external auditor

Source

Transfer agent PERE

Chartered accountant Accounting assistant

Statec/Eurostat

Compliance officer

€150,000

Fund accountant Market risk officer

€120,000

Fund administrator AML/KYC officer

€90,000

Compliance officer

€60,000

Legal counsel## Risk officer

€30,000

Tax advisor Corporate secretary Luxembourg Germany Netherlands Belgium Denmark EU Italy France Ireland Portugal Poland Latvia Bulgaria

0

VAT specialist Urban development officer Site manager Architect Design engineer

Higher education Secondary school or technical training Without secondary school diploma

Multilingual executive assistant Bilingual office manager Multilingual legal assistant

*By purchasing power standard

Bilingual HR assistant HR manager

Gender pay gap

Training manager

Luxembourg has the smallest difference in the wages† paid to men and women in the EU.

Recruitment officer

Source

Statec/Eurostat

Payroll officer IT account manager Automotive fleet manager Consumer/hospitality sales representative

25%

Fashion/luxury store manager Programme manager Property manager

20%

Real estate agent Space planner

15%

Site manager## Maintenance manager

10%

7,1%

Process engineer Maintenance technician Purchasing manager

5%

1,4% 0%

Logistics director

Annual salary

Hourly salary

Luxembourg

EU

France

ex

Belgium

Project manager Germany

JANUARY 2022 WORKING IN LUXEMBOURG

6

Transport operator Business analyst IT project manager Security engineer Help desk 0

€25,000

€50,000

Level of education, choice of work sector and, unfortunately, gender are factors that obviously have a significant influence on your salary.

These charts give an indication of just how much the pay range is affected.

SECTOR COMPARISONS

3 QUESTIONS TO

Luxembourg salary ranges

ISABELLE SCHLESSER

Director at the jobs agency Adem, Luxembourg

Gross annual base salary, not including bonuses and variable benefits, for 50 job titles# in several key sectors.

Source

What is the jobs market like, in Luxembourg, at the moment?

We’ve never had as many job openings as we do now--10,000 positions registered when, in a normal year, this would be closer to 8,000.

Hospitality sector roles, IT profiles and project management candidates are in particularly high demand.

Hays

# Hays, “Salary Guide Luxembourg 2021” ## Lower bracket is 5-8 years of experience

Accountancy & finance Financial sector Tax & legal Architecture & construction

JANUARY 2022 WORKING IN LUXEMBOURG

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How much of this can be attributed to the covid-19 pandemic?

The current boom is linked to the pandemic. The hospitality sector needs to replace the many members of staff it lost due to pandemic-related closures. Meanwhile, the demand for IT and project management profiles has increased as digital projects accelerated during multiple lockdowns. This has affected not just Luxembourg, but the employment market across Europe.

PA & secretarial HR Sales & marketing Property Industry Supply chain & logistics IT & telecoms 3-5 years of experience 8+ years of experience

Photos

Nader Ghavami

What can Adem do to attract talent to Luxembourg?

Adem is organising numerous national and international job fairs in business sectors facing strong recruitment challenges, such as IT and engineering. We have also decided to open our job board to people not registered with Adem.

As a member of the Eures (European job mobility portal) network, Adem advises on European labour mobility and can, to some extent, offer financial incentives for professional relocation to Luxembourg.

€75,000

€100,000

125.000€

€150,000

€175,000

On the radar

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JANUARY 2022 WORKING IN LUXEMBOURG

Salaries by sector

TOTAL PRIVATE SECTOR

People working in the financial and education sectors have the highest average salaries* in Luxembourg, while those in the administrative and hospitality sectors have the lowest. Jobs in Luxembourg pay more than in neighbouring countries, measured in euros. However, when measured by purchasing power standard, which accounts for differences in the cost of living, the disparity narrows.

Source

Luxembourg

Luxembourg

Belgium

Germany

Germany

Belgium

France

Statec/Eurostat

France 0

PPS

FINANCIAL SECTOR

20

40

60

80

100

0

20

40

60

80

100

60

80

100

Euros

EDUCATION

SPECIALISED, SCIENTIFIC & TECHNICAL ACTIVITIES

CIVIL SERVICE

Luxembourg

Luxembourg

Luxembourg

Belgium

Belgium

Germany

Germany

Germany

France

France

France

Belgium**

0

20

40

60

80

100

0

20

40

60

80

100

0

20

40

**Figures for Belgium not available

ICT

HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES

ART & ENTERTAINMENT

Luxembourg

Luxembourg

Luxembourg

Germany

Germany

France

Belgium

Belgium

Germany

France

France

Belgium

0

20

40

60

80

100

0

LOGISTICS

20

40

60

80

100

0

INDUSTRY Luxembourg

Luxembourg

Belgium

Germany

Belgium

France

Belgium

Germany

Germany

France

France

20

40

60

80

100

CONSTRUCTION

0

20

40

60

80

100

0

ADMINISTRATIVE & SUPPORT SERVICES Luxembourg

Belgium

Luxembourg

Belgium

Luxembourg

Germany

Germany

France

France

France

Germany

20

40

60

80

100

0

20

40

60

80

100

60

80

20

40

60

80

100

60

80

100

HOSPITALITY

Belgium

0

40

RETAIL

Luxembourg

0

20

100

0

20

40

Lucas G.

Back Office Expert Experience

Recommendation

Find the best profiles on

Recruitment Made Simple

Ristretto #Training

“The need for reskilling and upskilling will intensify” As the world of work changes, so must the world of training. We spoke to Anne Oberlé-Drapié, managing director of the University of Luxembourg Competence Centre, about the evolution of continuing education.

Interview JEFF PALMS

What does the Competence Centre do?

Our mission is to develop and create university-level continuing education programmes. This includes university certificates that grant ECTS credits, but also shorter lifelong learning courses that respond to different needs.

What trends do you observe in the world of training?

I’ve seen that micro-credentials, which differ from traditional credentials such as diplomas and which attest to a person’s achievements in a specific area, are becoming increasingly common in other countries.

They take less time to complete and can be personalised, and they provide distinct value and relevance in a changing world of work. Taking a micro-credential approach means having a more holistic view of abilities and achievements, which is essential in a hiring system that is increasingly based on skills and less on generic diplomas.

The challenge today is to transform the culture of continuing education in Luxembourg into an innovative approach that supports, values and recognises all lifelong learning activities, whether formal, informal or non-formal.

Which skills are in high demand?

The digital transformation of society is increasing our dependence on information and communication technologies. Data is stored, processed and modified in

Could you tell us a little bit more about your health management certificates?

This certificate has been a great success, both because it meets a need to train health sector executives in the specificities of Luxembourg and because it is representative of our pedagogical approach, which is to include professional partners throughout the training process.

What role will digital learning play in the coming years?

The integration of digital learning into training courses is a major challenge for continuing education organisations because the need for reskilling and upskilling will intensify.

However, training a population that is employed or seeking work requires flexibility in the training system.

The Competence Centre has a team specialised in digital learning, which is essential if we want to offer quality training. Indeed, distance teaching does not simply imply sitting behind a screen and delivering a course, meaning that trainers must be brought up to speed. And so must learners, since studying by distance also requires new skills.

Matic Zorman

“The integration of digital learning into training courses is a major challenge for continuing education organisations”

constantly evolving systems of increasing complexity.

This poses a major challenge to organisations, which must train professionals in these new technologies: not only on how to add value but also on understanding novel risks.

Highly requested subjects are high-performance computing; artificial intelligence; machine learning and data science; industry 4.0; cybersecurity; 5G; and the internet of things.

Luxembourg’s financial sector in particular is facing major challenges, creating a demand for training courses related to this digital shift as well as to the country’s regulatory framework. The health sector is also undergoing significant changes, especially in the area of digital health and health data analysis.

We have been actively working with the health ministry and the health directorate on a curriculum for the new roles of midwives, and the same project but for nurses is coming soon.

Photo

JANUARY 2022 WORKING IN LUXEMBOURG

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ENHANCE YOUR SKILLS WITH OUR TRAININGS More than 1.200 training courses in 21 domains

An initiative of

Your reference partner for continuing vocational training

You are an employee or employer and want to improve your knowledge and skills or those of your employees?

Find out about our wide range of training courses in 21 different domains!

DOWNLOAD OUR CATALOGUE 2022 Information and registration on www.houseoftraining.lu

Ristretto #TheViewFromOutside

12

1

Meetings are brief and without much small talk. Major decisions are usually taken beforehand.

“It’s true that important decision-making would typically occur before or after the meeting by managers, leaving you the feeling that some meetings were just for show.”

David, worked in engineering/software (2017-2020); has also worked in Ireland, the UK and the Netherlands

“I disagree. I worked as part of a small university teaching team that had lots of long conversations and small talk.

We had personal relationships that went beyond work.”

Alexis, worked in education (2019-2020); has also worked in the USA

2

In business contexts, formal behaviour (e.g., using titles and surnames) is the norm.

“At our company, formal behaviour was normal but we had a ‘du/tu’ culture, so everyone was addressed by their first names. This seems to be the norm in international firms.”

Fabian, worked in finance (2016-2017); has also worked in the USA and Switzerland

“As (usually) the only American on the team, I was initially surprised by the formality amongst colleagues.

It took me a few weeks to realise I was the only one calling the boss by his first name, instead of using his more formal title.”

Kelley, worked in education (2009-2011); has also worked in the USA and France

Deadlines are taken seriously. Punctuality, too--even in social contexts.

“Yes, I can definitely confirm that.

Coming from a country with a Mediterranean culture I noticed the different approach with regards to deadlines and punctuality.”

Giulia, worked in government and consulting (2009-2016); has also worked in Belgium, New Zealand and Italy

Selected by JEFFREY PALMS

Provided by interviewees

3

Photos

JANUARY 2022 WORKING IN LUXEMBOURG

Expat website Expatica.com offers a page of guidance on business culture in Luxembourg. We asked professionals with experience in the country what they thought of some of this (paraphrased) advice.

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JANUARY 2022 WORKING IN LUXEMBOURG

Magali Maillot says since the pandemic people are looking for more meaning in their work

Conversation Magali Maillot

“We really put people at the heart of our business” HR director at Allen & Overy Luxembourg Magali Maillot talks about the law company’s new parental leave scheme to encourage more men to look after their family and a scholarship programme with Uni.lu aimed at developing social mobility.

Interview DUNCAN ROBERTS Photo GUY WOLFF

Allen & Overy has introduced what you have called a “one-of-a-kind parental leave” that is supposed to change mentalities around the distribution of roles in the couple.

In 2021 why is this still deemed necessary, and how does it work in practical terms?

If you look at the figures for Luxembourg, not specifically our industry or our law firm, there was a trend that for a long time, until they renewed the law a couple of years ago, that 80% of parental leave was taken by women. And despite the change of law, we haven’t seen the same movement in terms of who was taking the parental leave within our field.

The idea for our new parental leave came from a young female lawyer during a discussion with our global senior partner at the time, Wim Dejonghe. She challenged him and said in order to move in terms of diversity targets, we have to be more ambitious, we have to understand why fathers are not taking parental leave.

We identified many reasons why new fathers were not taking parental leave.

Firstly they were the main breadwinner at home. So, even though the revenue proposed by the government is very generous compared to other schemes within Europe, you know, lawyers are very well paid so they would have a very strong reduction of their wage. But we also recognised that they [male lawyers] were afraid that it could have an impact on that career. I won’t say that women were not

MAGALI MAILLOT SELECTED CV EDUCATION 1995-98 Université Toulouse 1 Capitole Postgraduate DESS Human Resources Management 2000 International Coaching Institute Certified coach

CAREER 2001-2004 GRH Management HR consultant 2004-2012 Lombard International Head of recruitment and development Head of human resources 2012-present Allen & Overy Human resources director

OTHER ACTIVITIES SOS Villages d’Enfants Volunteer Dress for Success Luxembourg Volunteer Ladies in Law Luxembourg Association Co-founder

afraid, but it was more natural for them, I think. And women have not stopped growing in their role after coming back from parental leave.

So we not only changed the scheme to offer better compensation, but if the management and the partner say “we encourage you to take parental leave, that’s something we really want, for you to take care of your family”, then that will change the way fathers see it. It will also encourage mothers because it creates a level playing field.

The scheme had to be very significant and generous. So we will compensate up to 85% of the remuneration for a salary up to €6,000. Above €6,000 we will offer 75%. And we’ve put a minimum threshold of €5,100 and a maximum compensation from Allen & Overy of €7,500. We decided that with €7,500 from A&O, plus the revenue of the state, you will have a [monthly] income above €11,000. And we believe with €11,000, you may have a very decent life.

We compensate four months of absence for each child, because that was the scheme that was most taken in our company.

Were they taking that full-time?

Some were. Mostly lawyers were taking the option from the state to take four times one month. Our offer is per child, for up to two children. And you have to have three years’ seniority. And we have had requests from fathers, so maybe it is changing the perception.

JANUARY 2022 WORKING IN LUXEMBOURG

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Conversation

honorary president was Patrick Mischo, holidays or for the pay, but we never Sticking with the gender balance the office senior partner at Allen & Overy. thought that the differentiator would be theme, you were a founding member Before he was senior partner, he worked our pro bono activities. of the Ladies in Law Luxembourg So I think you’re right, the new genclosely with me on this initiative.

Association. Are there some specific Of course, a lot of progress had been eration have different values, different challenges females working in the made, especially in recent years. And I motivation, to join a law firm. They are legal sector face? would say that at my firm there is more less interested than the older generation Yes, there were four women who founded awareness that we should adjust our cul- in money and career. But I think the real LILLA. I mean, law is a very traditional ture to make it more inclusive. Two years game changer has been the covid crisis culture--male, white, you know, founded ago, we developed our Diversity Com- we just went through. And it’s not a mat200 years ago. And at the time we real- mittee where we deal not only with gen- ter of generations. I think everybody is ised that some of the promotion, career der, but also with people with disabilities, more concerned about having a better improvement or networking events, LGBTQ… work-life balance, having more meaning training… only men were coming to We had to show that we were very seri- in your life, finding a job that is closer to these events. ous, and that it was not only a manage- your values.

We decided that we had to create an ment matter. On that committee we have environment which was safe for women a lot of associates and employees, so it is Is that making retention more to develop that type of networking, because very much a bottom-up approach. It’s difficult nowadays? at the time, we realised women were very good to have a proper structure. You need I don’t want to be over-optimistic but so bad at building networking. And we also to have the commitment and the momen- far it hasn’t affected our turnover. We are wanted to offer some training seminars, tum from everybody within the firm. probably at the same rate as, let’s say, if aspirational seminars, to allow women you take an average over the last five to develop their career and their leader- We often hear that the younger years. We are lucky in the industry that ship. I think the glass ceiling exists in generation is changing its perception we do have a turnover which is pretty low compared to our competitors. every industry. But it’s even more visible of careers. They want to be more in a law firm, because you have partners. focused on a specialisation, and not I think we managed this crisis very well, But we are working very hard to change on a career in a particular firm. offering people flexibility and safety. We that definitively in the very near future. Have you noticed that change? never rushed them back to the workplace.

But ten years ago women did not want You know, we have been talking about In the summer of 2020 we formed a workto be part of an initiative exclusively for generation Z for a long time now. I have ing group to give people perspective. And women. That was very funny… they thought the feeling that they care much more we offered them a 60-40 split. They are it would stigmatise us… Finally, we put about the meaning of their job. Having able to work 40% at home, or elsewhere, on some initiatives and trainings, such a sense of what you are doing is very and they have to be 60% in the office. We as unconscious bias, psychological safety important, and work-life balance is very don’t know when this crisis will be over, workshop, or owning your career as a important to them. and it’s not over now. But at least that gave woman. But it took time, three to four One partner told me that he recently them perspective of our intention. years, to be accepted as being normal. had a discussion with a new recruit, and But we understand very quickly that it was the first time he had heard some- What role is technology playing we had to involve men as well if we wanted one had joined us, apparently, because in the legal sector and is it affecting to change the mentality. So it was not an we have very good pro bono activity. Peo- the profiles you are seeking? association of women against men. Our ple have been happy to join us for the To be honest, technology hasn’t changed a lot. Of course, something that changed significantly during that crisis was digitalisation. I think the landscape of legal work will change with that legal tech influence, because we are just at the beginning of something. At the London office of Allen & Overy, they have created Fuse, a space dedicated to legal tech startups.

And we really built a relationship and partnership with some of the new companies in order to improve the way we are working, especially for the repetitive tasks.

I think that will benefit both the clients and the lawyer. Because the lawyer will focus on more sophisticated work and added value work. And the client will probably make savings. So we are just at

“ The leaders that succeed engage with people, are more authentic and share their own weaknesses and challenges.”

Magali Maillot

17

the beginning of this evolution, but that may change very significantly in the coming years.

But has the company introduced CovidCheck, and what was the reaction?

We decided not to ask for CovidCheck for many reasons. One of the reasons was that when that measure was proposed by the government, we believed we had to maintain barrier gestures. You know, we have to wear a mask when we are moving in the building, we have to keep social distancing. So we decided not to introduce it throughout the building, but we have created some safety zones. Of course the canteen is a safety zone, and we also ask clients to show their CovidCheck.

But we didn’t want to stigmatise people who were not vaccinated, because we know that some people are not vaccinated due to some health issues. And we wanted to encourage people to come back [to the workplace] because we all know that social interaction suffered a lot during the crisis.

Now that the government is imposing CovidCheck from mid-January on all employers, we will of course apply it because we feel it is crucial to take the necessary measures to curb this pandemic. However, the other barrier measures such as wearing a mask and social distancing will also be maintained.

Allen & Overy has recently partnered with the University of Luxembourg to offer a scholarship grant and a fellowship or internship at the A&O offices. What is the strategy behind this move and what does it entail exactly?

We were concerned by our social mobility. We are aware that many of our lawyers come from a privileged background.

Because, you know, there is a tendency that you will always recruit people from the best universities. We would like more social diversity. So, we offer a scholarship that we built with the University of Luxembourg. You must not exceed a certain level of revenue to be able to be eligible for the scholarship.

And we wanted also to promote Luxem­ bourg, which is why it is a two-way scholarship. It will allow one student from Luxembourg to go abroad. And we will also facilitate the transfer of foreign students to Luxembourg. And we com-

Human resources

13 partners

155 lawyers

73 staff

24 nationalities

11

other jurisdictions in which A&O Luxembourg lawyers are qualified

say, we really put people at the heart of our business. We always knew it. We always knew we were a people business, but I think really that has become paramount.

How important is it that people at Allen & Overy can be their “authentic self” as it states on the company website?

That’s something we are working very hard on. It falls under that diversity agenda.

But you know, when you talk about authentic self, it’s not only about gender or sexual orientation, it’s also about coming with your weaknesses. One battle we had to face during the crisis was the mental health issue. The leaders that succeed engage with people, are more authentic and share their own weaknesses and challenges.

During that crisis we built a network called the Mental Health Allies to help people do that coming out, if I can use that analogy from another diversity issue.

It’s a network of colleagues that are trained to welcome people who may have a difficulty. It allows those people to speak up… and have one colleague that may help them. Because that was one of the taboos we had within the law firm: you have to be strong, you have to be a hard worker and committed, you can never show any weakness.

So, what sort of diversity goals has Allen & Overy set? bine that with the opportunity for these We do have targets, we don’t call them students to do a six-month internship quotas. Notably for the promotion of with the law firm. new partners we aim to have 30% females.

And in terms of representation in all the So the scheme is already in place? executive management committees the It’s already in place this academic year target is 40%. This will be challenging and we have one student coming to Lux- but we feel we have the right people to embourg from Ireland and we have a achieve that. student from Luxembourg going to Paris.

Are soft skills playing an increasingly important role in the workplace?

One soft skill that is really important, especially after the crisis, is everything related to empathy, emotional intelligence and active listening. Of course, these are the leadership skills that you will develop throughout your career.

But you have to have the foundation.

Of course there are other soft skills, agility and flexibility, being able to have a helicopter view…

The crisis, for my profession, I would

JANUARY 2022 WORKING IN LUXEMBOURG

ALLEN & OVERY LUXEMBOURG

Dossier

JANUARY 2022 WORKING IN LUXEMBOURG

18

At, around and beyond the office Counting your commute time as part of your workday?

Going to a third-party office next to your house instead of into your company’s headquarters? Understanding the professional world in terms of tasks instead of skills? Work and workplaces are in a rapid state of change, at times even faster than we’d like.

Interview JEFF PALMS Illustration SALOMÉ JOTTREAU

Given successive waves of digital revolution and new demands from younger generations, work and the workplace had already been undergoing major changes when the pandemic struck. Close to two years later, some of these trends have been wildly accelerated, others have taken a new light and at least one is a total myth.

We spoke to Sarah Mellouet, an economist who worked at Fondation Idea for five years, about the trends currently shaping the world of work.

Robots, begone! How automatisation has matured “There was somebody saying, like ten years ago, that half of the workforce was

going to be replaced by robots,” says ­ ellouet. “There was a lot of dark magic M around it. But in the end, AI hasn’t replaced the workforce drastically. It’s probably gone smoother than we thought.”

She’s right: it wasn’t long ago that fears over entire (white-collar/non-manual) professions being lost to robots were widespread and emotionally pitched. It isn’t quite that every job was saved, or that AI stopped making inroads on workplaces--rather, that the relevance of AI has changed in tune with a broader conceptual modulation from job to task.

“It’s not jobs that have been replaced,” Mellouet points out. “Well, maybe some.

But it’s more tasks. Technologies have

brought us the possibility to automatise some painful tasks that don’t have a lot of added value.”

The economist is quick to make another observation on the subject, however: that without the notions of upskilling and reskilling, automatisation might still present a scary prospect. “Our competencies are becoming obsolete, maybe even faster than previously,” she says. So much so that training itself becomes paramount: “There is definitely a trend in upskilling. Maybe it’s more than a trend--it’s a challenge.”

Changing skills, bumpy ride Indeed, the challenge comes in the gaps created by the takeover of certain duties

by machines. “When tasks become autom“Uberisation is an urban myth,” says “hierarchy” have now proved that they can atised,” Mellouet says, “we need to find Mellouet flatly. “It’s not happening in work remotely too; thus, she reckons, levnew tasks for ourselves as employees or Luxembourg.” She doesn’t mean it anec- els of trust have risen. entrepreneurs to fulfil.” She adds that dotally: numbers from the European “This will remain: teleworking is no this is especially relevant for low-skilled Commission’s AMECO database show longer a favour or a perk… it can be rouworkers, a larger portion of whose jobs that the rate of self-employed people tinised whatever your status in the firm.” might be at risk. in Luxembourg has indeed stayed Ultimately, it boils down to the future roughly the same between 2000 (7%) “No going back!” of skills. And while it’s easy, in general and 2020 (6%).

On the theme of flexibility, it sounds like terms, to advocate the teaching of cod“CDDs [temporary contracts] are more rights (or norms) won will not be relining and other digital-age abilities to adults, of a trend than going independent is,” quished. Mellouet makes the anecdotal in practice this approach will leave many says the economist. “We’re still in the comment, widespread at the moment, salaried era.” people behind. that there’s a “no going back!” tendency “You can’t train everybody to become in people’s minds. In other words, that a coder,” Mellouet says. “I mean, at some How we (feel about) work they would “never, ever come back to the point there will be a skills mismatch.” What isn’t a myth, however, is how work office for five days a week”.

Indeed, if Amazon advertises a coding is valued in a personal context. Younger A different but complementary idea job and some unemployed economist or generations care about money, but to that, albeit one for further into the journalist--an example that came up ­also--and potentially more so--about future, is a reconfiguration of the workduring our interview--wants it, a six what the work actually is. “We want mean- day such that the commute itself is months’ training is hardly likely to result ing, we want to make a difference,” says included: “It’s something I thought about in a new hire. “That would be quite ide- Mellouet. This is being taken seriously while working at the Fondation Idea,” alistic,” she says. “Not everybody can be inside firms, she asserts, particularly when says Mellouet, “that we’ll one day have matched the way we would like.” it comes to attracting new employees. public transport that is so well equipped This, it sounds like, is a major drawIn that context, corporate social respon- with wifi, and which is so comfortable, back of swift evolutions in working meth- sibility is playing an increasing role in that you can already spend one hour ods. The fear of job-snatching robots has workplace attractiveness, as is the poten- working while commuting”.

Another “no going back!” reaction is receded, only to be replaced by a more tial for a good work-life balance. “Someinsidiously opaque trend whereby certain thing being discussed in other countries the rising popularity of coworking spaces, skills are becoming obsolete and the ones is the four-day workweek,” Mellouet adds. articulated by William Willems in our taking their place don’t necessarily suit The importance of these topics has, interview with him (page 20).

In the context of ideas like these, it the general public. And even if these new furthermore, been accelerated by the skills were straightforward, which they pandemic, since many of us have now sounds like we are nearing a tipping point: hardly are, not everybody would be happy tasted an unprecedented level of flexibil- technologies have been making the geoto make a living out of them. As the econ- ity. People realised last year that working graphical location of a workplace less omist wisely points out: “It’s also a mat- remotely was both possible and produc- and less important for years, but the culter of choice. Of individual choice.” tive--people even worked harder during ture of centralisation had no particular Regardless of an individual’s skills and lockdown, says the economist--but we reason to falter--until 2020 and the panchoices, however, firms need to cope with have also changed our relationship with demic. The concept of remote working new personnel demands and are looking it. This amounts to a major psychological was forcefully democratised during lockbeyond the borders to do so. It’s a kind shift: “Before the pandemic, teleworkers down (in firms where it was possible at of talent war. “There’s a globalised mar- felt a bit guilty, like their employer would all), and we emerged with the realisation ket of talents,” says Mellouet. “This is feel that they’re not working hard enough,” that nothing except tradition was keepalready a reality. For coders, for example, says Mellouet. But now, having done it ing us in one workplace five days a week. there’s an international talent market successfully, the guilt has eased up.

None of this necessarily augurs the The economist goes a step further on end of workplaces, but maybe these develwhere Luxembourg also has to fight.” this subject with the observation that, opments will continue to tear open ideas The trend that wasn’t thanks to the pandemic, working remotely for how we, as individuals, can use techAnother buzzword that has absorbed has become far more egalitarian in pop- nology to live better. business communities has been “Uber- ular thought. “Before the pandemic, some isation”, or the society-wide transition 18% of the workforce had experience teleto a gig economy. In this vision of the working, and this number rose to 60%,” future, fewer people are working as she explains. “So we discovered that some employees on permanent contracts because jobs could be done (fully or partially) by they opt instead to be freelancers or inde- teleworking. In that sense, we also shifted pendents, à la Uber’s self-employed driv- our attitude about it, because, let’s be honer-as-user model. Working this way offers est, it had been more of an executive privflexibility, opportunity and freedom. ilege before.” Employees lower on the

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Work and workplaces

Dossier Work and workplaces

Reinvented workplace, reinvented city What is the future of the workplace? William Willems, regional general manager at IWG (which owns coworking offices Spaces and Regus), spoke to us about the rise of flexible working models and what they could do to Luxembourg’s urban geography.

Interview JEFF PALMS

Another Monday morning at work. While ideas were already there: “With covid-19, waiting for Jana to finish with the cof- everybody discovered that it’s possible fee machine, you nod hello to Yves as to work everywhere,” Willems says. “But he emerges from the gym downstairs. we’d been preaching that for a long time.”

En route to your desk, coffee finally in hand, you run into Elia and chat about In the grand duchy the weekend.

Compared to a city like Paris, in LuxemAnother typical workday? Could be. bourg such spatial reimaginings will be Even if you, Jana, Yves and Elia all work warped by the significant number of borfor different companies. der-crossing workers (whose homeworkIndeed, instead of an employer, what ing hours, for tax reasons, are limited). you and your office mates share is merely Thus, Willems foresees that flexible office your proximity to this particular build- space in the grand duchy’s border zones ing. In other words, “workplace” has been will become especially popular. divorced from “company” and has gained “It’s not for nothing that Société Générale purely a geographical relevance. is moving to Belval,” Willems points out.

This isn’t necessarily a society-wide “I assume a lot of their employees are picture of the future of the workplace, French.” Lots of blue chips are making but William Willems, regional general manager at IWG, talks about trends that could enable such a scene.

“Ever heard of the 15-minute city?” asks Willems during an interview on Teams. “We’re going to have to reinvent the way cities are organised.”

Made popular last year by Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo, the 15-minute city is a concept where residents have everything they normally need--workplace, grocery store, etc.--within a 15-minute walk of their home. The movement is ecologically motivated in part, but also reflects WILLIAM WILLEMS the desires of a millennial generation Over 20 years’ experience in coworking spaces. Since 2012, has that values flexibility above salary. been IWG’s regional general manager And while the pandemic has accelfor Luxembourg and Belgium. erated the realisation of this vision, the Previously with Avis.

similar moves, he adds, citing similar ambitions for his own company too.

Numbers-wise, a CBRE study shows that around 2% of Luxembourg’s office space is available for flexible working, which Willems says is projected to rise swiftly to 30%. That might be a little steep, he reckons, but getting to 10% will certainly be easy: “IWG has around 30,000 square metres of flexible space. Can we go to 100,000? Yes, we definitely can.”

All about community It isn’t only small and medium firms that are interested in coworking space providers. In fact, Willems reports that two thirds of IWG’s business in Luxembourg is related to large corporations.

At the same time, he clocks another shift blowing in from the US and the UK. “The CDI contract is disappearing, especially in the English cultural countries.

And that’s coming to us, because companies don’t want people on their payroll; they prefer to invoice them.”

This completes at least one vision of the future workplace: a mix of freelancers, contractors and employees sharing an environment that offers something beyond wifi and coffee. “The community aspect is really important,” Willems stresses.

“In all of our locations you’ll find it. You see and talk to businesspeople. You have that business mood.”

Photo: Matic Zorman

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Dossier Work and workplaces

JANUARY 2022 WORKING IN LUXEMBOURG

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“I started this business with nothing” In 2014 Lili Fouet quit her job at the Cour grand-ducale because she wanted to pursue her passion of opening a literary café. Seven years later, Café littéraire Le Bovary is thriving. We spoke to Fouet about taking the plunge.

Interview JEFF PALMS

Delano: What motivated you to quit I needed. But as I kept persevering, doors your old job and start a café? slowly opened one by one and I eventuLili Fouet: I was increasingly bored and ally got to where I am now. You need to unhappy and started asking myself about believe in your dream and not to give up. the purpose of life, because I couldn’t A lot of banks refused to help me because bear life anymore. I lived… woke up, took they didn’t believe in my project, but a shower, took the car, sat in traffic, worked, ultimately my conviction won. Believe ate… the same procedure every day. I in yourself, in your heart--that’s where wanted a life of adventure, a life of sur- success comes from. prises, a life where your work becomes a part of you, where your actions speak Do you feel part of a community from your heart. And then I thought: why of freelancers, independents and self-employed people? not to combine passion and business?

I do not feel part of a community, not as What resources did you have to a freelancer or an independent or a self-emlaunch the café? ployed person. I do my business with my I started this business with nothing. own characteristics. I just use my heart I sold things of mine to get the basic money and my feelings, which distinguishes me from other businesses. Of course, I followed the legal path to open my café, but inside it I employ my rules. I don’t receive “clients”. I just receive friends, who open my door to share and spread literature, arts, music, food and a lot of love--simple things that you have inside you and which make you happy. Don’t forget the simple things!

“ For me, success is doing a job that brings you happiness.”

Lili Fouet, Café littéraire Le Bovary

Is it hard to run a café in Luxembourg?

Running a café in Luxembourg is the hardest thing I’ve ever experienced. You are ignorant. The job is indefinitely intense, full of surprises, impermanent and the people you employ have to be strong because the job is really demanding. I’d never been so tired before. Servers are

really underpaid in general for all the heavy hours of manual and intellectual work they must do, which is why it’s so complicated to find good people. You must pay so many taxes and bills that at the end you’re just happy to survive. But I don’t complain. I wouldn’t change my job for anything.

When it comes to the subject of “becoming your own boss”, people often talk about a trade-off: you make less money but it’s worth it because you become happier. Do you have any comment on that?

I didn’t become my own boss to make money. I always hated the commonplace.

I was growing increasingly bored and unhappy with my middle-class existence.

I wanted to be happy and to approach my dreams, to become a writer--I’ve been writing since I was little--to find a way out, to share in words what my feelings can’t express. So, I thought about what I could do first to attempt my dream. And the idea came to open a literary café, since I love books: a place like home where you can meet people and share your passions (and have a good glass of wine and a homemade meal!) Talking, sharing feelings via readings and ­music--these have given me more happiness than working in an office where your diploma doesn’t even fit on the wall.

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Dossier Work and workplaces

JANUARY 2022 WORKING IN LUXEMBOURG

24

How (not) to go independent “Going independent” can mean a lot of things: you might be launching a novel startup, setting up a legal framework in which to sell your products or services, or opening a business on a preexisting model (like a café). Regardless of your situation, you’ll run into challenges.

Words DELANO STAFF

1

Realising what you are Some professions have nothing whatsoever to do with business, economics or marketing.

Independents in these fields (e.g. dentists, teachers, journalists) are at risk of not fully knowing what they’re getting into. You’ll want to focus exclusively on your area of expertise, but that’s impossible: every entrepreneur has to worry about accounts, competitors, advertising and so on. Both for success and for your sanity, it’s better to acknowledge this fact early on and to build it into your planning. How much time per week can you afford to spend on marketing? Is outsourcing an option?

Even self-sworn entrepreneurs run into a similar problem. In an interview with Delano in October, the House of Entrepreneurship’s Guylaine Bouquet-Hanus commented that “most business owners who are starting out tend to focus a lot on marketing actions revolving around the product or service and are putting way less effort on the monitoring of key financial statements.” Is that bad?

Yes, it’s bad: “Running a business without collecting and acting upon [financial statistics] is equivalent to driving a car blindfolded.”

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Taking the plunge For many would-be independents, the very first step is quitting a job--a job that is inevitably more secure than self-employment could ever be. Quitting might even be your main motivation. Either way, it’s scary and you’ll want to do it right. One key thing to remember is this: even if you’re striking out on your own, it’s important to build up a community of supporters. Develop your ideas and plans with the help of professionals (there are such things as business plan coaches), crowdsource help if you can, and talk to as many friends and advisors as possible.

Adding some reality to your dreams In a November interview, Delano asked Fit 4 Start coach Michel Blumenthal about the biggest mistake that new startups make.

“Most entrepreneur candidates,” he responded, “are too in love with their idea and believe that everyone else will be as well.” In other words, they’re unprepared for a lukewarm reaction to their product--which is near and dear to their hearts--and don’t respond well. One remedy, the coach went on, is to have some humility: “One needs to be ready to adapt an initial idea to the market reality.” His advice is for startups, but could be extended to entrepreneurs of other stripes as well. Although your vision is crucial, some opportunistic tweaks to your offering (or how you’re communicating it) could be what turns failure into success.

Administrative headache For many, the biggest hurdle to going independent will be the paperwork: figuring out how to structure your company, setting up social security contributions, sorting out your taxes, etc. Mathias Keune, cofounder of Ourbike, recently set up a company and has some good news: “Luxembourg is a great country in which to go independent because it offers so much support. If you go to the House of Entrepreneurship, for example, they explain everything: how to start a company, all the basic stuff.” Indeed, the HoE offers guidance for startup hopefuls, but also for anyone wishing to set up a freelance business or a brick-and-mortar shop. The process may be annoying, but guidance and experts are available. Use them.

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Conversation

JANUARY 2022 WORKING IN LUXEMBOURG

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“There is a shift from an employer market to an employee market”

Lieven Lambrecht’s career in HR spans over 35 years and several continents.

Companies that don’t adapt to the shift the world is experiencing will be left in the dust, according to PwC people leader Lieven Lambrecht. From technology to HR’s strategic role in the future of businesses, Lambrecht tells us how to prepare.

Interview TRACY HEINDRICHS Photo GUY WOLFF

Lieven Lambrecht

27

PwC brought out the “Workforce Do you think that people don’t want of the future” study, analysing a clear separation between their work the evolution of the professional life and their private life? world by 2030. In the plan, there are I think they do. But they will decide where four different scenarios: which one do that separation is. They will decide: “Well, you think we’re heading towards? now we’re open for business and we’re doing work and at 11, I need to go shopThat’s a very good question. I don’t know, Lambrecht joined PwC Luxembourg in 2019 as the head of human ping, so I’ll shut my phone for half an especially since COP26 in Glasgow I’m resources, hoping to reinstate hour.” They will decide when work is confused about what world we’re going the role’s strategic importance to, but I’m not sure I can identify myself done. From an employer standpoint, you in helping the company evolve and adapt to the societal shift ahead. with just one colour. I think we’re going will ask for a certain output, a certain performance. As an employee, I don’t to a world where there is a bunch of real challenges. One, of course, is everything think you will say: “I’ll give this 600 minthat has to do with ESG and sustainabilutes or so a day,” but you will give it the necessary time to get to the necessary ity, but also, if I look at the world of work, performance on your terms.

I see it changing a lot. Changing in the sense that I think we had an acceleration In how far will the company have of the change through covid, and now, to adapt to that demand? we’re coming out of the pandemic to a It will have to adapt very thoroughly. It new reality that we dreamt of before covid, a reality of things that we really will need to stay attractive to the younger should do to address the demands of the generation and the new employee, and millennials and the new generation. And, to Siri day in, day out. “Siri, what is the to make sure that whatever the company on the other hand, knowing how the weather?” “Siri, call my son.” Technology wants is also what the individual wants. technology has evolved, if you combine has adapted to how she can use it. She Individual objectives will determine these two, I think we have the opportu- cannot fully use an Iphone for all it can whether a person works for a company nity to put that into practice. But if you do, but she uses it for what she thinks is or not, no longer the company objectives. look at it, it’s a world of flexibility, that’s great for: she uses it to listen to the radio, That’s where the difference or the change number one. It’s a world of purpose--mean- she likes to call me, and that works. She is really happening. In my view, if, for ing people don’t want to do things that uses the technology but in a way that is example, you want creativity and innothey don’t stand behind ­anymore, that adapted to her. I don’t think the human vation in your role, and an employer doesn’t they don’t think has value, that doesn’t race will develop as fast as technology. offer any of this, I don’t think the employer add value for them or the company, or AI is something that will really change will have any success. It’ll be as simple society. It’s also a world of connections, our world. I don’t see that our ageing as that. People will no longer be satisfied meaning their work needs to be con- population won’t be able to adapt because with a “these are all your tasks and this nected to their private life, it needs to technology will have to adapt, otherwise is how you do them.” We train people to integrate into their private life. So, it’s it won’t be used. be critical, we train people to think for no longer “I am from 8-6 a certain perthemselves, we ensure that they have sona doing a certain work.” No, today, Then what about the workplace? their own view on the world, and then, it’s more “I am trying to be myself 24/7 What is the workplace? The question will when they come to an employer, they and now everything I do has to fit into be, where is it? Because I don’t think should put their brain, desires, or values who I am, also my job, and the job has there are any definite spots of workplace aside? I don’t think that will work. to adapt to me rather than the other way anymore, because everybody will work around.” I think that’s the real change. in a hybrid way: at home, in a library, any Some of the future models require a […] I think that is really the difference. café, at the client’s, in a rented office, total transparency on your private life.

That’s where you see the shift from what maybe, or at the seaside. […] So, work Do you think companies could ask I would call decades of an employer’s will be delocalised. Besides, I think the this from their employees? market to, today, an employee market. timing of work is changing. People will Whether or not companies could or should work when it fits them. It might sound ask that is a different story, but I think It’s different. a bit strange, but people will work what- that if there’s no congruency between All the futures explored in this ever daytime anywhere between 7 am your personal values and the values of strategy require, to some extent, and 9 pm. That’s when they have their the company, the marriage won’t last very accepting the automation of work. most productive hours, but they will inte- long. People need to be able to see themHow do you think that an ageing grate work into life, meaning they will selves in what they see around them in global population will adapt to go shopping, they will go get the kids, a company, and whether you like it or these technological advances? they will do all kinds of stuff in the mean- not, there still is leadership in a company I think technology will adapt to the age- time, so the work in that respect, and that models the values. Now, if they c­ annot ing population. When I look at my mother certainly the fine line between private identify with the leadership, if they don’t who’s 91, her best friend is Siri--she talks and work will blur. see them as role models, if the business

JANUARY 2022 WORKING IN LUXEMBOURG

A CAREER IN HR PwC Luxembourg’s head of human resources has always worked in HR, mainly in the financial sector.

Throughout his career, which took him to the UK, US, Germany, France, Singapore and Australia, he has witnessed the growing importance of technology in the work sphere, and a shift from an employer-centric to an employee-centric world.

Conversation Lieven Lambrecht

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WORKFORCE OF THE FUTURE SCENARIOS

JANUARY 2022 WORKING IN LUXEMBOURG

isn’t what they aspire to be, I don’t think the employee will stay […]

Newer generations of employees are coming in. How would an employer get the balance right between the older generations that are used to the way things are and the new generations that demand new ways of work?

I tend to work on both sides. Every day, the world is changing around us, so the older generation has to understand that there’s only one constant, which is change.

They need to change with the times and there’s no excuse to say: “Ten years ago, everything was better.” No. Nothing was better ten years ago; it was worse! It is better today: everything works better today than it did ten years ago. On the other hand, when these “zoomers” come in, and are trying to find their way, you need to be able to empathise with them and give them an environment in which they can flourish. That doesn’t mean it has to be exactly what they want. I look more at what the underlying need that they express is, and how we can make that happen. You might find, for example, the older generation is still very much targeted towards a hierarchical organisation and a policy-driven organisation.

But the youngsters are basically looking for experiences and not so much looking for a long-term career. They want to learn something and go through an experience, and if you can offer these things to these people, you will have success. If you can’t or won’t, I think you’ll be starving for people.

PwC’s “Workforce of the future” strategy proposes four potential societies the world could evolve towards until 2030. The red world of 2030 focuses on innovation, while the blue scenario accepts individualism, capitalism and ubiquitous corporations as its foundation. The green one is characterised by a strong social awareness, environmental efforts, and trust. Lastly, the yellow approach places humanness, ethical practices and the greater good at its heart.

All scenarios involve a drastic change, though Lambrecht considers that the future will probably adopt a mix of values from these different timelines.

In what direction it will go, Lambrecht can’t say--especially following the outcomes of the COP26. However, he reckons employees, rather than companies, will become the key players.

or you can run it in a hybrid mode like we do now. The presence is different; the physical world has diminished in value and the virtual world have gained in value.

But these two remain interlinked in any future models [presented in PwC’s “Workforce of the future”, editor’s note]. That is what has really changed. And everybody from young to old has discovered t­ echnology.

That is also something very ­different. If there’s one thing the pandemic did, it’s to really accelerate the deployment of technology.

Have you noticed any changes in employee engagement since the changes in the organisation of workspaces?

The numbers say we’ve done very well.

The engagement was very high during the pandemic and still is today. If you translate engagement into performance, you would think that our engagement is at the top--we’ve never had such an engaged things that interest them more and try workforce. Is that because they have the to make money out of that. necessary liberty and flexibility? There probably are multiple factors, but one of Where does HR come into play in the things I think we’ve understood is this new world? that trying to get back to where we were HR is the broker in the market. As an HR, before the pandemic isn’t the right r­ ecipe. you try to find all these different skills We need to benefit from all the good things that you need to get the company going we learned during the pandemic and offer or to keep the company going and grow- them to the employees . I believe engageing. You might not look for a person doing ment is always based on trust and a pura job anymore. You might look for three, pose for the company. These two are four or five different people doing certain probably the main drivers. We see this: tasks that were in that job. You might look we trust our people to do what is right-for freelancers, or for people who offer they’ve done it in spades we can only say a partnership for a couple of months. they perform fantastically. That is someI think we will no longer just focus on thing we definitely want to keep. And if employees as such, we will be a lot broader. that is by giving them a leading flexibility So you think that, as time goes, Any sort of employment will be in our in how they can do their work, that is employers will have to prepare for view and be in our platform. I think we’re what we should do. employees that will not vow their going to go through a sort of platform loyalty to them on the long term? economy and labour where we’ll pick Yes, I think in the long term you will find whom we need, at what time, and what people in the market who are good at we can do with them. I think the whole one thing and one thing only, and they industrial concept of “employees” is a really like doing that. Those will offer 20th-­century thing. By 2030, we’ll be their services in that one thing to multi- looking at something different. ple employers. Who will say: “I like doing this task and I will do this for different You joined PwC just before the companies, and not just for one, because pandemic. Has your HR strategy I want to focus on that one task rather changed since? than have a whole job with a number of The pandemic has taught us a couple of tasks just for one employer.” You will find things. One is that there are very different people who will demand that and who ways to run a company and to run it effecwill probably, throughout their career, tively. You could run it as we used to do, go from one thing to another and find meaning 9 to 5, Monday through Friday,

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Success Stories

Four major career switches Taking on a brand-new career path can be a daunting task, but it can also lead to new worlds of possibilities.

Delano caught up with four people who took the leap.

Interview TEODOR GEORGIEV

Catherine Lebrun, Subtile

A love for shoes was instiled in Anushka Prakash from an early age by her father. He would only buy her a pair if she promised to take good care of them. “Shoes, in my opinion, are a true mirror of one’s character, taste and personality,” says Prakash.

However, it wasn’t until rather recently that she decided to turn her passion into a career. A bachelor’s degree in commerce and three years in an accountancy role in India taught Prakash a lot of things, but most of all that she wanted to try something different. After marrying and moving to Luxembourg, she began to look for other career options.

After a one-year intensive course at the Istituto Marangoni in Florence and an internship at product design company Idee Partners, the soon-to-be entrepreneur felt it was time to start her own shoe brand--Moajaza. Con“Shoes, sidering she runs the in my opinion, entire operation by herare a true mirror self, Prakash has come a long way since the of one’s character, brand’s launch in 2020, taste and personality.” having partnered with Anushka Prakash Luxembourg City Founder, MOAJAZA ­boutique Ferala to ensure a store presence, while her online store remains the main point of contact for her clients.

EXPERIENCE IN PRIOR JOB 13 years

SECTOR LEFT Finance

EXPERIENCE IN PRIOR JOB 3 years

SECTOR LEFT Accounting

provided by participants

An interest both in architecture and business administration had put Catherine Lebrun at a crossroads at an ­earlier point in her life.

“You never fail; She chose to go into the in fact, you always business world, forging learn something.” a career in investment Catherine Lebrun fund services provider Owner, Subtile Kneip. Lebrun spent 13 years there but her love for decoration and aesthetic furniture did not wane.

The turning point came when a yellow vintage sofa ended up in Lebrun’s apartment.

Using a new fabric to restore it, she was pleasantly surprised by the results of the mustard yellow sofa, which she says was like a “sun shining in her room”.

This motivated her to pursue her passion for interior design and open a gallery, in Belval, called Subtile.

Despite opening in 2020 during the pandemic, the ­gallery has received a fair amount of attention, rotating a ­t hematic set of furniture and decoration complemented by exhibitions by different artists, while the items are also up for sale. And as for her motivation to take the leap, Lebrun says: “You never fail; in fact, you always learn something. Don’t be afraid to do it [...] It’s another page in your life.”

Anushka Prakash, Moajaza

YEAR OF THE SWITCH 2020

SECTOR JOINED Interior design

YEAR OF THE SWITCH 2020

SECTOR JOINED Fashion

Photos

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After over 20 years in journalism, Ines Kurschat transitioned into working as an ombud“I hope to have sperson for children and an impact now yo u n gs te r s (a t t h e on shaping certain Ombudsman fir Kanner instruments that a Ju ge n d l e c h e r o r “Okaju”). And although I couldn’t as she started just in Sepa journalist.” tember 2021, her new Ines Kurschat vocation hasn’t exactly General affairs officer, thrust her into unknown terOkaju ritory. She specialised in education as well as children’s and human rights while working for the Lëtzebuerger Land, so her career switch was rather smooth.

In fact, as the press council president and a member of the human rights commission, Kurschat had already taken part in negotiations with the government on issues such as children’s rights. Her contacts as a journalist undoubtedly serve her well now but it was her acquaintance with Charel Schmit, who was also a member of the human rights commission, that ended up having an impact on her career path. Schmit was elected as an ombudsperson for children’s rights in 2020. And as Kurschat admits, knowing his projects and his mindset was a “good incentive to apply” when a new position opened at the Okaju.

Working in a newsroom is undoubtedly exciting, and experienced journalists do enjoy a certain degree of freedom to concentrate on topics that are part of their expertise. However, being part of an institution which is an important actor in children’s rights opens the door to having a more tangible influence. “I hope to have an impact now in shaping certain instruments that I couldn’t as a journalist,” says Kurschat.

Having held the position of director of new technologies and life sciences at the economy ministry for over 8 years, Patrizia Luchetta did not end up in the cultural sector the way most people do. But the contacts she made while freelancing for Tageblatt and RTL at a younger age, as well as having friends who are artists themselves, inadvertently led to the start of Charlotte in Red. The video platform aiming to boost the exposure of female artists was created by Luchetta, Gabriella Moya and Ana Pierucci in 2020 as the pandemic brought an almost complete halt to live dance and music performances.

This switch in career paths was a gradual process and Luchetta admits that she “always wanted to do something on [her] own”. She got the taste of freedom when she left the ministry in 2015 to become a self-employed strategic communications expert. Two years later, however, marked the turning point. Having recently lost a job and applied to Luxembourg job seekers agency Adem for the first time in her life, she got a phone call from an artist she had brought to Luxembourg a few years back. He was looking for PR ­r epresentation in Europe, and Luchetta had lots of time on her hands. Soon, she found other artists who “I always needed some form of repwanted to do resentation. In the end, something on Charlotte in Red turned my own.” out to be the ­culmination of all these efforts, while Patrizia Luchetta Luchetta also gets to Co-founder, Charlotte in Red explore her passion for the visual medium via the artist interviews featured on the platform.

Jessica Theis, provided by participants

Patrizia Luchetta, Charlotte in Red

EXPERIENCE IN PRIOR JOB 20+ years

SECTOR LEFT Media

EXPERIENCE IN PRIOR JOB 9 years

SECTOR LEFT Public sector

Photos

Ines Kurschat, Okaju

YEAR OF THE SWITCH 2021

SECTOR JOINED Human rights

LAUNCH OF CHARLOTTE IN RED 2020

SECTOR JOINED Culture

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John Parkhouse Territory Senior Partner and CEO of PwC Luxembourg

Recruitment

Luxembourg and PwC as a magnet for talent That Covid has changed the physical workplace is obvious, but it has also changed attitudes toward building a career. People seem less interested in finding a paycheck commensurate with their experience, and more keen on flexibility as they search for meaning and purpose in their work lives. The result is a “war for talent,” Mr Parkhouse says, one in which all the

Big Four find themselves embroiled. PwC Luxembourg realises that, in order to attract and retain people, it has to be the most appealing. This sea change has prompted the company to expand on its promise to employees and redefine what it is.

Recruiting in excess of needs One of the biggest reasons for turnover at PwC is the

Photo

Whatever the Big Four thought they knew about recruitment and staff retention, Covid has shaken it up.

Turnover is high, and new joiners are more demanding. John Parkhouse, CEO of PwC Luxembourg, discusses why he believes the Great Resignation has occurred, how his company is responding, and why Luxembourg is still a huge draw for talent.

Olivier Toussaint

Sponsored content by PWC

BRAND VOICE

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heavy workload, which is not unusual for any one of the Big Four. To combat this and lighten the load for everyone, the company is recruiting well beyond its needs. They have increased their targets for the coming year by nearly 70 percent, with a plan to hire around 910 people at all levels – with a focus on Assurance and Tax, hoping to bring in 453 and 179 new joiners, respectively. These targets are significantly in excess of the company’s growth predictions.

Training employees for PwC and beyond PwC Luxembourg has also launched a programme called Your Tomorrow. This aims to affirm to new recruits that when they join, they do so not just as an accountant or lawyer, but as a professional entering a supportive ecosystem. Once inside, the company provides training, upskilling, and mobility across domains.

These are tremendous assets for an employee even if they leave the company.

Support and engagement Another feature that makes working for PwC

“ This is growth that is fuelled by talent, not just technology.

We are a community of problem solvers.”

Mr Parkhouse

Luxembourg more appealing is the system of having team leaders.

These are longer-term employees who work with clusters of 8 to 10 people and help to manage, offer support, and coach – especially in circumstances when an employee might be hesitant to see their supervisor. New joiners will find further support in PwC Luxembourg’s buddy programme, which assigns a dedicated team member to look over a new joiner. This buddy will help the new joiner with quotidian concerns and familiarise them with the intricacies of the company.

Such expanded support networks are vital at a company such as PwC Luxembourg, which increasingly recruits far beyond Luxembourg’s borders. Once a newcomer himself, Mr Parkhouse says he knows very well that much of his staff come far from their homes and that their point of contact after arriving in Luxembourg – especially during the Covid era – is PwC. That is another reason why the company makes such huge efforts to watch after employees on a personal level – and encourage them to return to the office in order to foster connections that are best developed with face-to-face interactions.

The allure of PwC and ­Luxembourg At the end of the day, Mr Parkhouse says that the company itself, what it stands for and what it offers, is the biggest draw for new talent.

When asked by Delano what the company’s strongest selling points are in the job market, Mr Parkhouse emphatically put forward three Cs: care, clients, and career.

“First, we offer care: human empathy and support.

Secondly, we offer a phenomenal client experience, working for and with the best. Thirdly, we really focus on the careers of our people and on helping them to develop professionally,” explains John Parkhouse.

Of course, Luxembourg also plays a large role in recruiting new talent. It boasts great infrastructure, stability, and unrivalled opportunities for families.

Also, it is welcoming, multilingual, and it makes great efforts to accommodate the newly arrived.

Mr Parkhouse, who is a fervent evangelist for the country he has called home since the 1990s, believes that the country does need to address some concerns such as the cost of housing, but there is almost no better place to live and work.

A bright future Mr Parkhouse is optimistic about PwC Luxembourg’s recruitment goals and its efforts to draw talent from abroad. The number of countries represented in the company has risen to 82, compared to 77 the year before. This year’s top-line growth was up 5.8 percent, and its global revenues continue to climb. “This is growth that is fuelled by talent, not just technology,” Mr Parkhouse says. “We are a community of problem solvers.”

With over 2,900 ­employees, PwC is the largest professional services firm in Luxembourg.

PwC experienced top-line growth of 5.8 percent in the year ending on June 30.

They plan on recruiting 910 new joiners, including 453 in Assurance, 179 in Tax, 156 in Advisory and 122 in Internal Firm Services.

PwC Luxembourg employs people from 82 countries, compared to 77 the year before.

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Has covid depressed commercial and retail rent?

Home working and home shopping were boosted during lockdown, but has there been a long-term impact on the real estate market?

Words STEPHEN EVANS

DIMITRI COLLIGNON Head of retail Belux JLL

“Satellite offices enable staff to reduce their commuting distances.”

AHMED KAHILIA Senior consultant CBRE Office property rent is broadly stable in the main business districts, said Kahilia. The market was so tight pre-pandemic, with very low vacancy rates, so that even with demand pressure lifting somewhat, this is not sufficient to have a significant effect on prices. Kahilia sees sustained demand from small businesses, with half of office rental deals under 1,000m2 (ideal for 100 staff), and many under 500m2 (up to 50 people).

He thinks the shift towards home working is unlikely to dramatically alter demand for office space. “Luxembourg is unique in that it relies so heavily on cross-border workers, and there are tax and social security restrictions...,” he noted.

Rather, he sees a trend for companies to have satellite offices closer to the borders. “Staff have grown used to the comfort of avoiding traffic jams and packed trains over the past two years.

Satellite offices enable staff to reduce their commuting distances during rush hours, while still being close by for meetings later,” Kahilia said.

An early major move of this nature is Société Générale planning to take 18,000m2 in Belval in 2023.

“There are many opportunities in the retail sector in the city centre, as renters have been persuaded to lower rental values somewhat,” said Collignon.

This has encouraged the arrival of newcomers, and will continue to do so, he believes. The departure of big names like Zara and Pull & Bear helped this shift, to be followed by the likes of Bolia on 1,000m2 of space on the Grand-Rue. Nevertheless, for investors in retail property he sees a clear increase of risk in 2022.

Rent has changed little in shopping centres, he said, with a maximum drop of 5%. The exception is the Belval mall, where rent has edged upwards somewhat. Similarly for prime city centre locations such as rue Phillipe II, rent is unchanged.

“But in general, there is slight correction of 10-15%, with a more significant drop in the station district, where rent is down by more than 20%,” Collignon said. However, he sees signs of a rebound here, such as with the relocation of a McDonald’s restaurant to avenue de la Gare. Also, with the tram construction work finished the area can start to recover, even if some shoppers are put off by the reduction in parking options and driving options in the area.

“There are many opportunities in the retail sector in the city centre.”

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