Managerial transformation, leadership and action learning: the winning recipe of AREAS France's tailor-made program
AREAS France, one of the leaders in concession catering in the travel world, has embarked on an ambitious cultural transformation. To meet the challenges of recruiting and retaining talent in a rapidly changing sector, and more broadly to support its "Vision 2029" transformation plan, the company has co-built with emlyon business school a vast custom program to train more than 300 managers. Professionals from a variety of backgrounds, from the Group's various sites and headquarters. Interview with Henry Mottet, HR Director of AREAS France and Sidonie Chemla, Director of emlyon business school's tailor-made training program.
A managerial and cultural transformation to meet the challenges of the sector
The world leader in travel retail with more than two billion euros in turnover, the AREAS group operates in four strategic markets: airports, train stations, motorways and leisure parks. With more than 6,000 employees in France spread over 170 sites, the group is a major player in catering and distribution in high-flow areas. "Our business is a so-called concession business. We respond to calls for tenders to propose the best economic and commercial model," explains Henry Mottet, HR Director of AREAS France. A specificity that requires operational excellence and constant adaptation."
Faced with the structural challenges of the sector – tensions on the job market, increased competition, recruitment difficulties, new employee expectations, time constraints related to the restaurant business – the management of AREAS France initiated an in-depth reflection that led to the need to deploy a deep transformation program.
To meet these challenges, AREAS turned to emlyon business school. "We had to find a partner who was up to this ambition," says Henry Mottet. A collaboration that required a phase of alignment between the two parties to co-construct a completely tailor-made program. The challenge was twofold: to standardize managerial practices while taking into account the diversity of profiles with multiple expectations. Areas managers are thus equipped to face the managerial challenges they encounter in managing their team. "We have observed a real diversity in the AREAS France teams: both in terms of age and background, especially of employees at the head office with initial management training, and others who have climbed the ladder from the field. An essential focus was therefore to train all managers to enable them to motivate their teams, manage conflicts and significant cultural differences," says Sidonie Chemla, Director of the tailor-made training program at emlyon business school.
Mobilize all managerial levels – from the Executive Committee to the Site Directors
With nearly 300 managers involved, the transformation program deployed by AREAS France stands out for its scale and cross-functional approach. Different levels of managers are concerned: executive committee (N4), managers of managers (N3), functional managers and site directors (N2 and N1) "It's very ambitious to cover all these levels of managers and therefore very complex," explains Henry Mottet. The particularity of the system lies in its decompartmentalized approach. "The program is designed to drive systemic transformation. You mix different cultures, different hierarchical levels, all in a system that is designed to create reciprocal solidarity between all levels," says the HR Director.
This approach is supported by a strong commitment from management. "The Managing Director is present at each kick-off and class sponsors, from the Executive Committee, accompany the participants," explains Sidonie Chemla, "it is a strong signal that shows that the entire company is committed to this transformation. »
Pedagogical engineering aims to enable head office managers to better understand the challenges in the field, and operational staff to take ownership of the group's strategic vision. This unprecedented approach in the sector also aims to strengthen the employer brand, as the company operates nearly 100 brands, including 50 franchises (Starbucks, McDonald's, Paul, etc.). This reality creates a competition of cultures but also a richness. The challenge: to make identities coexist without opposing them. "Employees often have a stronger bond with their brand than with the group. This program contributes to the growth of the AREAS brand and to the creation of a common managerial culture. If our employees become cultural "bi-nationals", then we will have created a unique model. Henry Mottet adds.
Action learning at the heart of a multimodal educational system
The "Manager Leader" program deploys a pedagogical engineering of about sixty hours, in hybrid format with face-to-face and distance sessions, articulated around additional modules.
The course begins with an opening serious game that promotes conviviality and sets out a global vision of management. Participants then access e-learning modules, constituting a common base of knowledge, before participating in the face-to-face "communicating manager" and "captain manager" workshops which allow them to practice, deepen their knowledge and create a group dynamic. Pedagogical innovation is based on two pillars: memory anchor capsules and peer groups. "Memory anchoring capsules are digital question sessions, which use a revision algorithm to anchor skills in the long term," explains Sidonie Chemla. As for the peer groups, composed of about seven managers, they constitute the social engine of the program. It is the smallest circle of belonging, where bonds of trust and authenticity are created. These groups, accompanied by a dedicated coach, serve four essential functions: they are a resource for individual development, offer moral support, serve as a forum for the exchange of practices and allow concrete training in team dynamics.
Action learning structures the programme: participants work in groups of peers on concrete projects proposed by the Executive Committee, combining research, benchmarking and strategic thinking. "It's a real laboratory of managerial practices," explains Sidonie Chemla.
"Participants are accompanied by a dedicated coach during several face-to-face and remote sessions. They must analyse a real problem in AREAS, do in-depth research and propose concrete solutions that will be presented to management. This methodology not only anchors the learnings in practice, but also generates real business proposals for the company. For Henry Mottet, this is the cornerstone of the transformation program: "It's not just a change in working methods, but a profound cultural transformation that requires everyone's commitment. Above all, it is an opportunity for everyone to contribute, through the recommendations made, to the realization of the "Vision 2029" transformation plan, he says.
With a total of five promotions planned, AREAS stands out in its sector for the scope of the programme. In full deployment, with the first two promotions launched in October 2024 and January 2025 respectively, the signs are already encouraging. " We can already feel the dynamics, the bubbling of ideas, the pride of belonging. It's a positive momentum that is taking hold," observes Henry Mottet. Changes in approach are emerging among managers, with courageous and demanding positions. This cultural transformation is a long-term one. "emlyon business school has done its part, it is now up to the company and its managers to transform the trial!" concludes the HR Director.