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My name is Cécile and I work at Troopers, a web agency based in Nantes. I joined the team in 2018 and became a cooperative member in January 2022, following the company's transformation into a SCOP (cooperative society). Today, we are 13 people, 11 of whom are cooperative members.
I initially trained in performing arts, which didn't really predispose me to work in the digital world. But gradually, I turned to communication, the skills for which I was initially hired at Troopers.
However, my fairly varied professional path on one hand and the opportunities for growth I had within the team on the other hand led me to the roles I currently hold.
I handle HR development, which includes health and safety, HR management including annual and professional interviews, continuous training, recruitment, and more broadly everything related to company culture. I also have some transversal tasks related to the agency's image and communication.
Our functioning as a cooperative means that the current president is a cooperative member, elected to this position for a 3-year term. In other words, he is first and foremost a developer. Leadership responsibilities are therefore distributed among the members of the collective, which explains why the team has an HR position with such a small workforce.
Managing HR in a cooperative structure is very different from traditional companies. Everyone has a voice, and decisions are made collectively. This requires transparency and genuine dialogue about all decisions, not just HR matters.
In a cooperative, people are more engaged because they have ownership. They're not just employees; they're stakeholders with a real say in how the company operates. This changes the dynamic significantly. People care more deeply about the company's success because they benefit from it directly.
However, it also means that HR processes need to be well-documented and clearly communicated to ensure fairness and clarity for everyone. We spend time ensuring that policies are understood and agreed upon by the collective.
First, understand that a cooperative is not just a different business structure—it's a different mindset. You need people who are genuinely committed to collaborative decision-making and willing to share both power and profits.
Second, invest heavily in communication and training. If people don't understand how decisions are made or how the cooperative works, frustration grows quickly. Transparency is not optional; it's essential.
Third, be patient. Cooperative decision-making takes more time than hierarchical decision-making, but the decisions tend to be better because they have broader input and buy-in. The results are worth the extra time.
Finally, remember that a cooperative works best when people are aligned on values. We all chose this structure because we believe in collaboration, fairness, and shared responsibility. That shared value system is what makes it work.
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