In October 2022, JEMS launched its 3e Company seminar in Portugal. Open to all employees, it brought together several hundred people over 3 days. But organising a seminar requires significant investment, both human and financial. Why invest so much? Does it really improve performance and motivation? Are there no other levers?
We often talk about executive seminars, sales seminars, management training for supervisory roles, and motivational seminars to spark group dynamics. And finally, there's the company seminar.
He is there to resolve a given issue, find common ground, or improve teamwork.
Originally, the word "seminar" takes its origin from the Latin word Seminar, which means «nursery». A seminar would therefore be the place where young plants are grown for transplanting and multiplication. By extension, a seminar is therefore a place that trains and supplies people suitable for an activity. At JEMS, we don't quite see it that way. For us, it serves three purposes:
You have all read or experienced it: the COVID crisis and remote working have contributed to a breakdown in social connection and created huge unease.« The loss of social connection weakens young people's mental health. », «Coronavirus, virus of social connection,», « Should we be concerned about quiet quitting The German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer also expresses it simply with The porcupine's dilemma Man can neither live alone nor live amidst promiscuity. Connection is essential.
This is the connection we have in mind when we organise a seminar. No PowerPoint presentations to be crammed in for three hours, no problems to solve, but rather learning to get to know each other to foster greater respect.
Since joining JEMS, we've been organising seminars. On average, one per year: the French Riviera, Sicily and Portugal. They bring together around 300 to 400 people over 3 days. The majority of people don't know each other as our consultants are on client assignments, or work remotely or at one of the many sites in the Nantes, Lyon, Tunisia, Switzerland, Bordeaux, etc. regions.
It is therefore not an easy task to learn to know oneself better, to dare to speak to the other person, who is ultimately my mirror (they also only know a small circle of people). But what a wonderful opportunity it is given to be able to encounter other universes, other points of view on the world, or simply to have a good time. Our seminars are designed with this in mind.
You see it everywhere on platforms. Networking is a key skill for any professional. At some point in your career, whether you like it or not, it's even through your network that you'll find development opportunities.
Networking isn't for sycophants, opportunists, or extroverts who love interactions. It's an opportunity to learn and broaden your knowledge or skills for your work. Nobody holds the absolute truth, and we all have a different perspective on the world.
There are not often opportunities in life where one can meet so many people in such a short space of time. The seminar is one of them.
