“The youngest president in history appoints the youngest prime minister in history. I only want to see it as a symbol, that of audacity and movement. » On January 9, Gabriel Attal took over the microphone from Élisabeth Borne to mark her entry into the Hôtel de Matignon. At only 34 years old, he became the youngest head of government of the Fifth Republic.
One hundred days have passed, and the former Minister of National Education has already been able to give a first overview of the position, most often at a leisurely pace. And if Gabriel Attal had taken up his position in a traditional company, the human resources department would surely have asked him to fill out his surprise report, like any new employee. What could it look like? We filled it in for him.
Report of astonishment from Gabriel Attal, addressed to the Elysée secretariat, April 18, 2024
Name Attal
First name Gabriel
Function Prime Minister of the French Republic
Contract start date January 9, 2024
Type of Contract Permanent contract
Manager Macron Emmanuel
Your recruitment
How do you feel about your arrival within the company?
The departure of my predecessor took a long time, as did the creation of my team. But I knew from the start that it was in the culture of this company to take your time in the processes.
How could we improve the recruitment process?
In the event of the next reshuffle, I suggest first drawing up a list of people likely to join us rather than chasing untouchable profiles in our sector and with salaries that we cannot match. We will save time.
Your arrival
How did you feel on your first day at the company?
The relief of having reached this stage before my 35th birthday, which places me within the expected transition times in my professional rise.
What did you miss during your integration?
A uniform with the “Matignon” logo. I like the uniforms.
Does the image you had of the company match the one you have after 100 days in office?
Not really. I was sold an unpopular fuse station dedicated to doing the dirty work. However, it turns out that at the moment, it is quite the opposite. It is even rumored that I am listened to more than my manager.
Have certain practices surprised you?
Respect of schedules. Some people sleep at night, I’m told. Well, everyone puts what they want into their professional life.
What is the strong point of the company that surprised you the most?
The speed with which our former Minister of Education was able to fully refocus on her Sports missions. Which proves, in my opinion, the extreme effectiveness of our human resources department in offering internal mobility prospects to our employees.
And the weak point?
No boarding school planned to cut the teams off from their bad associations. It is from an early age that we must act to restore authority.
If you had a “magic wand”, what would you like to see happen in the company?
We are looking for ten billion euros in additional savings. That would be a good start.
Your relationships in the company
How do you judge the relationships between colleagues?
RAS. The flow goes well with the members of the team, even if some are sometimes harsh, especially regarding pets. Several returns from Brigitte Bardot on this subject, already. Let’s be exemplary on animal welfare.
How could we improve internal communication?
For the internal, it’s difficult to say. But for the external, I refer you to the note sent to teams recentlywhich highlights “communication initiatives […] not coordinated, not concerted and not validated by the Prime Minister’s office.” You might as well go through everything through me to gain fluidity.
Your position
Are you satisfied with your position?
49% of French people were satisfied with my work in January, they are still 42% today*. It seems to me that this score is higher than that of my manager. (To be checked)
Did you have all the necessary information before your arrival?
Yes overall, but there would undoubtedly have been a need for more communication upstream about the finances of the company, which was in more difficulty than I thought.
What skills are you lacking?
No doubt experience, but I’m 50 years old in my head, it’s a false problem.
Any comments on the workload?
Much softer than advertised. I still have room between 3 a.m. and 5 a.m.
What surprised you about the way we serve our customers?
This is no surprise, but having to apply our slogan “At the same time” throughout the entire production chain is a particularly exciting challenge.
What is the strength of our products and services that you did not suspect before working in our company?
A real ability to appropriate the ideas of the competition, wherever they come from.
What weakness or deficiency concerns you most in our products and services?
However, consumers do not seem to be changing their habits and are not switching to our products.
What needs to be improved first?
The hospital. And school. And agriculture. And security. And the fight against violence against women. And housing. And the suburbs. And the crisis in the Middle East. And pollution. And the price of fuel. And the animal condition. And the end of life. And the drought…
Your work tools
How do you describe the tools made available to you?
The acoustics of the premises on rue de Grenelle seemed better to me. But I haven’t spent enough time there to be definitive on this subject.
What tools do you want to have?
I want to talk about this issue again in 2027.
* Results of the Ifop/Fiducial barometers