GPEC evolves towards GEPP: what are the differences for companies?

Strategic workforce planning (known in France as GPEC) is undergoing a significant evolution toward Employment and Career Path Management (GEPP). This transformation responds to new labor market challenges and employee expectations. At AssessFirst, we observe that this transition is not merely a terminological change, but reflects a more dynamic approach to talent management. GPEC GEPP represents a strategic tool for anticipating skills needs, fostering internal mobility, and supporting organizational transformations. Companies must understand these nuances to optimize their HR strategy and remain competitive in a changing economic environment. This forward-looking approach helps meet legal obligations while aligning skills with strategic objectives.

Key takeaways

• • The shift from GPEC to GEPP marks a paradigm change: moving from a forward-looking position-based management centered on company needs to a more dynamic and comprehensive approach focused on employee career paths.

• • GEPP places the employee at the heart of the process by seeking to align the company's strategic objectives with individual aspirations and the long-term employability of each worker.

• Broader than GPEC, GEPP integrates new dimensions such as soft skills, ecological and digital transition challenges, and operates across more flexible timeframes (short, medium, and long term).

Clarifying the concepts: GPEC and GEPP

Before exploring the differences between these two approaches, it is important to clarify what these acronyms actually cover. The transition from GPEC to GEPP is part of a legislative evolution but also a transformation in HR practices. These two approaches present important nuances in their philosophy and implementation, particularly in the way they address the concept of career paths.

What is GPEC?

Strategic Workforce Planning (GPEC - Gestion Prévisionnelle des Emplois et des Compétences) is an HR approach established by the Borloo Act of 2005 on social cohesion. It requires companies with more than 150 employees in France to engage in triennial negotiations on strategic workforce planning. This approach aims to anticipate changes in occupations and headcount to adapt human resources to the company's future needs. GPEC is structured around a medium-term vision (3 to 5 years) and focuses more on positions and technical skills needed to address the organization's economic challenges. It serves as a forecasting tool that helps identify gaps between available skills and those required.

What is GEPP?

Employment and Career Path Management (GEPP - Gestion des Emplois et des Parcours Professionnels) was created by the Macron executive orders of 2017, officially replacing GPEC in the labor code. This terminological evolution reflects a profound change in the HR approach. GEPP retains the fundamental principles of GPEC but adds a more pronounced community-based and individual dimension, emphasizing employees' career paths. It integrates more of employees' personal aspirations and their long-term employability. GEPP also takes into account societal transformations such as the ecological transition and digital transformation. This more holistic approach aims to reconcile the company's needs with employees' expectations regarding career development.

GPEC & GEPP: the concept of competency

The concept of competency is at the heart of the evolution from GPEC to GEPP. While these two approaches share the goal of optimizing the match between company needs and available skills, they differ in their very conception of what a competency is. GPEC adopts a more static and technical view, while GEPP introduces a more dynamic and evolving perspective. The latter considers competencies as living elements that transform over time, requiring dynamic management and personalization. The GEPP approach also recognizes the growing importance of soft skills in a changing world of work.CriteriaGPEC ApproachGEPP ApproachView of competencyTechnical and functionalHolistic and evolvingTimeframeMedium term (3-5 years)Short, medium, and long termPrimary focusPosition/competency matchCareer path developmentEvaluationCentered on company needsBalance between organizational needs and individual aspirationsMobilityPrimarily verticalVertical, horizontal, and transversalDevelopmentFormal trainingContinuous and experiential learningDigitalizationOptionalIntegrated and essential

GEPP: What are the differences from GPEC?

The transition from GPEC to GEPP represents much more than a simple semantic change. It marks a profound evolution in how companies approach human resources management. Unlike GPEC, which primarily focused on anticipating skills needs, GEPP adopts a more comprehensive and individualized approach. It incorporates the concept of career paths, thus recognizing that each employee has aspirations and development potential that are uniquely their own.GEPP also stands out through its more flexible timeframe, ranging from short to long term, thereby enabling better adaptation to rapid market changes. It places greater importance on social dialogue and co-construction with social partners. In terms of methodology, GEPP favors the use of digital tools to facilitate skills mapping and career path management. This more modern and personalized approach better meets the expectations of new generations of employees.

Who does GEPP apply to?

GEPP applies to a wide range of organizations, although its application varies according to size and sector of activity. For companies with more than 300 employees, implementing a GEPP process constitutes a legal obligation, with mandatory triennial negotiations. For SMEs with fewer than 300 employees, while not legally required, adopting a GEPP approach represents a considerable strategic advantage for anticipating market changes and retaining talent.Sectors facing significant technological or economic disruptions find GEPP a particularly relevant tool for supporting their transformation. It also proves valuable for international companies that need to harmonize their HR practices on a global scale. Within your company, GEPP concerns all hierarchical levels, from executives to operational staff, including middle managers and HR teams. The latter play a central role in deploying this approach, in collaboration with the works council and employee representatives.

What are the objectives of GEPP?

GEPP pursues several strategic objectives that go beyond simple legal compliance. Above all, it aims to anticipate changes in occupations and skills to ensure the company's sustainability and competitiveness. By identifying critical skills and future needs, it enables the implementation of proactive measures in response to labor market shifts.Another major objective is to promote professional mobility among employees, whether vertical, horizontal, or transversal. This dynamic approach helps reduce the risks of skills obsolescence and maintain employee employability. GEPP also contributes to optimizing recruitment processes by precisely targeting profiles that match the organization's current and future needs.On the social front, the GEPP approach aims to strengthen dialogue with social partners and prevent risks associated with restructuring. It plays a crucial role in supporting organizational transformations, by facilitating the adaptation of headcount and skills. Finally, it meets employee expectations regarding skills development and career advancement.

How to transition from GPEC to GEPP?

The transition from GPEC to GEPP requires a methodical and progressive approach. This shift involves not only technical and organizational adjustments, but also a paradigm change in how human resources management is envisioned. To successfully navigate this evolution, it is essential to adopt a strategic approach that involves all company stakeholders. This transformation must be supported by a clear vision of the objectives to be achieved and a thorough understanding of the challenges related to strategic workforce planning. Digitalizing HR processes often serves as an important lever to facilitate this transition.

Taking inventory

The first step in transitioning to GEPP involves conducting a comprehensive assessment of the company's human resources. This inventory must precisely identify available skills, going beyond simple formal qualifications to incorporate soft skills. It also involves mapping existing positions and their foreseeable evolutions, as well as typical career paths. This analysis phase requires the collection and structuring of sometimes dispersed HR data, hence the value of using appropriate management software. The inventory should also include an evaluation of current practices regarding skills development and internal mobility.

Determining needs

After inventorying existing resources, the company must identify future needs in terms of jobs and skills. This forward-looking phase draws on the analysis of company strategy, technological developments, and the economic environment. It involves projecting which occupations will emerge, transform, or disappear in the short, medium, and long term. Determining needs must consider not only quantitative aspects (number of positions) but also qualitative ones (nature of required skills). This step requires close collaboration between HR teams, operational managers, and strategic leadership.

Studying the gaps

Gap analysis is a crucial step in the transition to GEPP. It involves comparing the current situation (available resources) with the target situation (future needs) to identify potential areas of tension. These gaps may concern headcount, skills, or occupations. This study makes it possible to precisely quantify and qualify the actions needed to close these gaps. A thorough HR assessment will facilitate the identification of training needs, talent detection, and the construction of coherent mobility paths, thereby strengthening the overall effectiveness of the GPEC GEPP approach.

Supporting employees

Employee support represents a fundamental pillar of GEPP. Unlike traditional GPEC, GEPP places the employee at the center of the process as an active participant in their own career path. This support translates into the implementation of information, guidance, and assistance programs that enable each employee to understand ongoing changes and project themselves into the future.Professional interviews serve as a key tool for this support, offering a dedicated space for dialogue about aspirations and development opportunities. Professional training also plays a critical role, enabling the acquisition of new skills. Other programs such as mentoring, coaching, and skills assessments complement this range of tools to empower employees while giving them the means to develop their employability.

Establishing an action plan

Finalizing the transition from GPEC to GEPP is materialized through the development and implementation of a detailed action plan. This plan must combine different levers to address the identified gaps and support employees in their professional development. It may include targeted recruitment actions, training programs, or internal mobility initiatives to optimize resource allocation.The action plan must clearly define objectives, allocated resources, the deployment timeline, and monitoring indicators for each initiative. Formalizing this plan may take the form of a company agreement negotiated with social partners. To ensure its effectiveness, the action plan must be regularly monitored and adjusted according to contextual changes, thus embodying the dynamic and adaptive dimension of GEPP.

Tools used in GEPP

Effective implementation of GPEC GEPP requires the deployment of appropriate tools and methods. These resources must enable the analysis of the current situation, the projection of future needs, and support for necessary changes. They form the operational foundation of the approach and must be chosen according to the company's specific characteristics. The integration of digital technologies has considerably enriched the range of available tools, enabling more precise and responsive management of jobs and career paths. However, these tools are only effective when they are part of a comprehensive and coherent approach, aligned with the company strategy.

The company organizational chart

The organizational chart is a fundamental tool in the GEPP process, as it offers a visual representation of the organizational structure. Beyond simple hierarchy, the modern organizational chart integrates information about career tracks, possible bridges between roles, and growth prospects. It helps identify the functional and operational links between different positions, thus facilitating the visualization of potential mobility paths. Some companies develop forward-looking organizational charts that project the foreseeable evolution of the structure, offering a valuable anticipatory vision for HR planning.

Detailed skills mapping

Skills mapping represents a strategic tool in the GEPP approach. It involves identifying, classifying, and evaluating all skills present and required within the organization. This mapping goes beyond a simple inventory by establishing links between skills and identifying their degree of criticality for the company. It helps visualize areas of strength and vulnerability, as well as emerging or declining skills.The resulting competency frameworks serve as a common language for all HR processes, from recruitment to career management. Today's digital mapping tools offer advanced features, such as predictive analytics or automated career development path suggestions.

The job description

The job description is an essential document in the GEPP framework, as it formalizes the scope and content of each position. In a modern approach, the job description goes beyond a simple task list to incorporate required skills, interactions with other positions, growth prospects, and contribution to strategic objectives. It serves as a reference for performance evaluation, identification of training needs, and construction of career paths.Job descriptions must be regularly updated to reflect the evolution of occupations. Some organizations adopt more dynamic and interactive formats, such as digital descriptions integrated into the HR information system, thus facilitating access and updates.

The competency framework

The competency framework or dictionary is the cornerstone of the GEPP system. It is a structured database that lists, defines, and categorizes all skills relevant to the organization. This framework generally distinguishes between technical skills specific to each occupation, cross-functional skills applicable to multiple roles, and increasingly valued soft skills.For each competency, the framework specifies expected proficiency levels and evaluation indicators. It may also include information about associated development resources. Developing this framework requires collaboration between subject matter experts, managers, and HR teams to ensure its relevance and regular updating.

Professional interviews

Professional interviews are a major lever in the GEPP approach, offering a dedicated space for dialogue between the employee and the organization. Made mandatory by law, these interviews differ from performance reviews by focusing on the employee's career path and development prospects. They provide an opportunity to discuss the employee's aspirations, development needs, and opportunities offered by the company.Within the GEPP framework, these interviews are enriched to incorporate a more forward-looking dimension, addressing foreseeable occupational changes and skills to be developed. Digitalizing these processes facilitates the preparation, conduct, and follow-up of interviews, while enabling better use of the collected data.

Training

Training represents a fundamental pillar of GEPP as the primary lever for skills development. In a modern approach, training goes beyond the traditional framework of in-person courses to incorporate a variety of learning methods: e-learning, blended learning, on-the-job training, coaching, mentoring, and communities of practice. This diversification addresses the need to tailor learning paths to each employee's specific needs.The skills development plan is fully aligned with the GEPP approach by anticipating future needs. It can be supplemented by programs such as the personal training account (CPF), recognition of prior learning (VAE), or professionalization periods, which offer additional development opportunities.

Digital solutions

Digitalization is a major accelerator for the GPEC GEPP approach, offering tools that facilitate the collection, analysis, and utilization of HR data. Modern HR information systems include modules specifically dedicated to strategic workforce planning, enabling the centralization of information about skills, positions, and career paths. These platforms offer advanced features such as predictive modeling, which helps anticipate occupational changes.Artificial intelligence technologies enrich these tools by enabling the analysis of large volumes of data. Skills management solutions also include self-assessment features and career path suggestions, thus empowering employees to take charge of their own career management.

Key questions answered

This section answers frequently asked questions about GPEC GEPP, helping to clarify certain points and deepen understanding of this approach. The questions addressed reflect common concerns of HR professionals and leaders facing the implementation of these systems.

Was it necessary to digitalize GEPP?

The digitalization of GEPP responds to a necessity rather than a simple trend. Faced with the growing complexity of organizations and the acceleration of change, traditional tools show their limitations. Digital solutions enable efficient processing of large data volumes, automation of time-consuming tasks, and a more dynamic and up-to-date view of the situation.Digitalization also facilitates employee involvement in the process, giving them access to relevant information about required skills and development opportunities. The predictive analytics made possible by these tools help anticipate future needs with greater precision, thereby strengthening the forward-looking dimension essential to the GPEC approach.

Why link GPEC GEPP to company strategies?

Linking GPEC GEPP to company strategy is fundamental to ensuring the relevance and effectiveness of the approach. Skills today constitute a major strategic asset for organizations, determining their ability to innovate, adapt, and differentiate themselves in a competitive environment. A GEPP disconnected from strategic direction would risk developing skills misaligned with future needs.This integration allows the anticipation of skills needs necessary to realize the organization's long-term vision. It also facilitates optimal allocation of development resources, prioritizing actions based on their contribution to strategic objectives. Operationally, integrating GPEC GEPP into strategic thinking enables earlier identification of human resources-related risks.

What is HR digitalization? Definition and business challenges

HR digitalization refers to the integration of digital technologies into all human resources management processes. It goes beyond simple computerization by profoundly transforming practices and creating new possibilities for interaction and analysis. In the context of GPEC GEPP, this digitalization translates into the adoption of tools enabling more precise and responsive management of skills and career paths.The challenges of this digital transformation are multiple. Operationally, it automates low-value-added tasks. It also facilitates the collection and analysis of HR data, providing a more solid foundation for decision-making. In terms of employee experience, it enables the provision of more accessible and personalized HR services.

Future skills: Essential keys to adapting for tomorrow

Faced with the rapid changes in the world of work, certain skills are proving particularly strategic for the future. These "future skills" combine technical know-how linked especially to digital technology and increasingly valued soft skills. Adaptability, the capacity for continuous learning, and critical thinking are among the essential cross-functional skills for navigating an uncertain and complex environment.The GEPP approach must integrate this forward-looking dimension by identifying emerging skills specific to each sector of activity and developing programs to cultivate them. This anticipation requires active monitoring of technological, societal, and regulatory changes that impact occupations. The organizations that will succeed are those that create an environment conducive to acquiring these future skills.

Personalizing the employee experience: A strategic HR lever

Personalizing the employee experience represents a major trend in the evolution of HR practices, perfectly aligned with the GEPP philosophy. This approach recognizes that each employee has aspirations, talents, and needs that are uniquely their own, and adapts human resources management practices accordingly. Within the GPEC GEPP framework, this personalization translates notably into individualized development paths.Digital tools facilitate this personalization by enabling the collection and analysis of data on employee preferences. They also offer the ability to provide personalized recommendations regarding training or mobility. This tailored approach strengthens employee engagement by giving them greater autonomy in managing their careers.Sources:

• Ministère du Travail, « Gestion des emplois et des parcours professionnels (GEPP) », 2024.
• Legifrance, « Accord du 17 janvier 2024 relatif à la gestion des emplois et des parcours professionnels », 2024.