"You have to be patient... and above all, don't get discouraged."
My name is Ludovic Demierre. I am the Chief Human Resources Officer for the VINCI Group. VINCI is a global group that is active in construction, energy services, and infrastructure concessions. We have more than 285,000 employees worldwide, in over 100 countries.
How has the perception of mental health evolved at VINCI?
Mental health is still somewhat of a taboo subject. It is taboo in companies, but also taboo for employees. This subject is sometimes poorly perceived because mental health is confused with mental illness. However, we know that they are not the same thing.
Our Anglo-Saxon colleagues have been working on this issue for a long time, and this has helped us make significant progress. The same is true of the 2025 national cause in France, which has opened up dialogue on the topic of mental health in our companies.
Why is mental health a strategic issue for VINCI?
This is a very important issue for us at VINCI, in relation to the health and safety of our employees. When we investigate serious or fatal accidents, which unfortunately still occur at VINCI, we find that in at least half of the cases, one of the root causes is related to mental health.
So it's a short-term issue, concerning the health and safety of employees on a daily basis. And it's also a long-term issue, because poor mental health contributes to the premature burnout of our employees. In a world where we will have to work longer, mental health is key.
What measures are you putting in place to raise awareness of mental health at VINCI?
Our companies have implemented numerous initiatives in the field. These range from awareness-raising to training managers, as well as training mental health first aiders in France and in many countries where such initiatives have already been in place for many years.
For example, in the construction sector in France, we are working with Holivia, our partner in raising awareness, training, and supporting our employees in the field of mental health, in some of our companies. It is also with Holivia that we have trained mental health first responders, so that we can respond as closely as possible to the needs of our employees.
What impact have these actions had on your teams and your management culture?
The difficulty when implementing mental health initiatives is measuring their impact. Where we have implemented Holivia, we have a dashboard, a barometer, which allows us to measure the momentum that is building thanks to the actions taken.
What I can say is that there is a really positive momentum building, and I'll be back in a few weeks or months to tell you more.
How do you feel about the growing importance of mental health in HR and management discussions at VINCI?
When you work in human resources, your primary concern is the health, safety, and well-being of your employees.
The topic of mental health may have seemed unrelated to our profession, something that should be handled by others, or even something that wasn't even identified as part of the human resources field.
However, since we have been addressing it, we are now all convinced that it is part of the human resources profession and that it contributes overall to the well-being of our employees and the performance of the company.
I believe that we were among the first companies to really address this issue and to invest resources in developing ways to deal with it in our companies. And we are particularly proud of that.
What message would you like to convey to your peers or leaders?
The first message I want to convey is that mental health remains a sensitive subject. It must therefore be approached in a way that is appropriate to the culture and maturity of the organization.
To do this, don't hesitate to educate yourself, train your managers, and educate yourself on the subject. This will give you a better understanding of what we're talking about and enable you to get personally involved in this area.
The second message is that you have to be patient. The subject of mental health can sometimes be difficult to grasp. You have to take the time to talk about it and work on it within the company, between managers and with employees. So take your time, do it in your own style, and above all, don't get discouraged.
What would be your motto for promoting mental health in the workplace?
At first, not everyone in the company agreed on the subject of mental health. Today, I believe we are all ready to work on this issue collectively. So my motto is: tenacity.
Other HR leaders shared the transformation they are bringing about in their companies. Discover the interviews conducted in 2025, the common dynamics observed, and our recommendations for action in our latest book: Perspectives from 10 HR leaders on mental health.
