MEET CHRISTINE: HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER

Being the human resources manager, Christine joined the team in 2006, her responsibilities being vast, she deals in particular with the hiring of new employees, the training of the latter and also the management of health and safety.

When she was looking for a job 14 years ago, she saw an opportunity with a position in the field she wanted and not far from her village of Cap St-Ignace. It was perhaps the first time she heard about Montel and their storage systems but even her father, at one time, had worked at Montel in the drawing department.

For her, the biggest challenge when it comes to hiring new employees in the region is the labor shortage. When she finds a candidate, the important thing is to put that person in the right position, to explain in depth the duties and responsibilities of that job so that there is no disappointment.

“In my opinion, it's the upstream approach, before taking up a person's time,” she said. It is essential for Christine that the considered candidates also understand the mission of the company, the Montel vision, all the functions as well as the needs and challenges of the coming years. Even with these steps it is still difficult for her to find the right people for the vacancies.

Christine expresses that the real challenge for her department, human resources, is people management and communications. With the advent of COVID things have changed very quickly. The factory closed for 4 weeks and multiple employees started working from home. She adapted quickly by creating a group to facilitate communication by email and also set up a phone line. Wanting to be ready for a possible reopening, she followed the recommendations of public health and the government to the letter. Recognizing that it was possible thanks to great teamwork and leaving no room for error, on April 27, the Montel team enthusiastically returned to work.

Being responsible for human resources, integrity, fairness, attentiveness and openness are her greatest strengths. It is more beneficial, according to her, to find compromises and to reconcile than to allow certain situations to escalate. This is in part what guided her during the 2 negotiations on the collective agreement of which she participated in. Christine also joins the HR table, monthly,  with approximately thirty companies and organizations in the region, where they share their various issues as well as their solutions. This being even more useful with the more recent COVID situation.

Becoming the manager of Human Resources only a year and a half after joining the Montel team is still her proudest achievement. Thanks to her autonomous side, her determination and the support of the HR table, she has taken up this major challenge.

Christine's priorities outside of work are arguably her family and friends. Her house is the gathering place for all occasions, especially during the summer period. In addition her two childrens are also great sportsmen and very active and keep the family busy at all times.

Manager of human resources at Montel, great hostess at home, Christine is also part of the social committee of Montel. This time she says she is happy to have a committee that helps her organize the 2 big events a year, the holiday party and the summer party. This is a great way to thank employees for their hard work and the great times of engagement.

Montel's good reputation is what she hopes to see in the future of the company. Comments received during interviews or her various conversations with members of the community, reinforce the notion that employees are happy at Montel. This is a reputation maintained for almost 100 years!

“I've been with Montel for 14 years and I really appreciate the different teams that allow me to surpass myself. I like the working atmosphere. That’s why we stay with the same company for a long time, ”she says.