Viewpoint: Interview with Frédérique Vivier

You recently joined Heppner as Human Resources Director. Can you tell us a bit about your background?
I joined Heppner in November 2023. My entire professional life has been devoted to Human Resources, and it has taken me through a wide variety of environments, from luxury goods at the LVMH Group’s Maisons de Champagne to service providers such as Adecco, DHL and now Heppner. But while the environments, challenges and expectations may be different, the common thread that has guided me throughout my career is the possibility of developing and evolving both organisations and people.

What motivated you to join the Heppner Group?
The desire to join a dynamic company that fully lives up to its values! I have previously worked for large groups with a strong shareholder base, where the human dimension was often overshadowed by a strong focus on profitability.
Heppner is a family-owned group that has built its success over 4 generations on two main pillars: entrepreneurship and subsidiarity. Heppner gives its employees the space to innovate, with responsibility and independence, and provides the means to succeed. Heppner’s strength lies in the quality of the service it provides to its customers, and this in turn relies on its greatest asset: the women and men who work in the company.

What are the main HR challenges currently facing Heppner?
The Group’s international expansion is a major challenge. There is also a real challenge in attracting and retaining talent in the Transport environment. Fortunately, Heppner has a lot to offer.  In particular, this means being able to draw inspiration from the best practices, but also to generate value from our “made-to-measure” expertise for our customers.
The diversity of profiles, the emphasis on the integration of disabled people, a real concern for safety, the space given to the transfer of skills from older to younger generations – mostly through student traineeships – training and skills development are just some of the company’s genuine strengths. Heppner’s commitment to being an environmentally virtuous company and a contributor to society are also differentiating factors, and particularly notable in the Transport sector.

What is your reading of the Great Place To Work results, which show an improvement for the third year running?
Obviously, we feel proud of these results, but we also accept them humbly; increasing our employees’ well-being has become an integral part of Heppner’s DNA. We are not just looking for a score; beyond that, we want to instil a sense of belonging in our employees, give meaning, draw on our complementary career paths, origins, skills and commitments…
Heppner has a deep respect and genuine consideration for every individual. So we are going to continue training and developing everyone, and offering more comfortable workspaces that our teams enjoy sharing.  Together, we are building a positive corporate culture… and which is enshrined in each one of us!