HR Case Study: Recruitment and Talent Management

An SME specializing in services employs 10 employees and generates revenue between 500k and 1M€. The company is experiencing a sustained growth phase that is severely testing its current human resources.

The management team, composed of the founder, technical manager, and sales director, must face major organizational challenges. These three leaders, although experienced in their respective fields, are discovering the complexities of human resource management at this scale.

The current company structure, initially adapted to a more limited activity, shows its limitations when facing new market requirements and development ambitions.

The company faces chronic work overload that threatens its performance and employee satisfaction. Overtime is multiplying, impacting service quality and team well-being.

Simultaneously, strategic opportunities are emerging: a major prospect could increase revenue by 25%, but requires significant organizational adaptations. Employees are also expressing training needs to develop their skills.

The arrival of an aggressive competitor in the market complicates the situation, forcing the company to rethink its HR strategy to maintain its competitive advantage and retain talent.

The stakes of this business simulation touch the fundamentals of human resource management in SMEs. It involves reconciling economic growth and human development, while maintaining company culture and operational efficiency.

The recruitment question becomes strategic: how to identify the right profiles, define suitable positions, and effectively integrate new employees? Training also represents a crucial investment for future competitiveness.

The ultimate challenge consists of transforming a constraint (work overload) into an opportunity for structuring and professionalizing the HR function, while preserving the agility characteristic of small organizations.

This business simulation is designed for master's level students in management, human resource management, or business school. It is particularly suitable for those who want to understand the realities of the HR function in SMEs.

The case study is ideal for talent management, HR strategy, or operational management courses. It allows understanding the specificities of small organizations where the HR function must be particularly agile and versatile.