“Putting people at the heart of recruitment”: interview with Florent Barbotin, the new Vaud-Valais Regional Manager at Medicalis

After working for three years as head of the Medicalis branch in Sion, Florent Barbotin will now be taking on new responsibilities as Regional Manager of the Vaud-Valais branches. His career has been marked by a passion for people, commitment and a clear vision of the role that Medicalis should play in the healthcare system. Interview.

Florent, can you tell us a bit more about your career path and what led you to join Medicalis?

I have always had a deep, almost instinctive interest in others. After completing a degree in Literature and worked in various roles in the catering industry, I chose to combine theory and practice by completing various training courses: as a multimedia animator, a sports educator, an educational project coordinator and an adult trainer.

In 2016, I decided to move to French-speaking Switzerland, a country I had previously discovered through my brother, who works as a nurse in Valais. I first worked in coaching and professional development, before joining a foundation specialising in integration and training, where I worked for nearly five years as a job coach, trainer and member of the management. It was here that I met Medicalis Director David Paulou, who suggested I set up the Sion branch… and that’s how the adventure began.

What was the most memorable thing about your three years at Sion?

Valais is a unique canton with a strong culture. You have to earn the trust of the people who live there, and that doesn’t happen overnight. It took us almost 18 months to convince our partners that the objective of Medicalis Sion was to become a genuine part of the Valais healthcare system. Today, feedback from our partner establishments confirms that this trust has been earned. This has been immensely satisfying.

What skills from your past experience help you in your role as manager today?

Anything relating to professional integration and training, such as active listening, adaptability, unpretentiousness, project management, leadership and the ability to structure an activity. Being a manager means mobilising a wide variety of resources in the service of a team and a collective project.

What motivated you to accept this promotion to Regional Manager for Vaud-Valais?

First of all, it was the challenge. I like to get out of my comfort zone and build new things. Secondly, loyalty. David Paulou placed his trust in me and gave me both the freedom and responsibility I needed. Finally, the point of it all: I need my work to have a public purpose and a positive impact. Every day, I want to help make a real difference to the everyday lives of carers and care homes.

What are your goals for Sion and Lausanne?

In Sion, we want to consolidate our presence in Central Valais and expand further into Lower Valais, with the ambition of becoming – in one year’s time – the leading agency in the canton. In Lausanne, we aim to continue along our growth trajectory with the objective of becoming the market leader in the Canton of Vaud within the next two years.

What do you see as the major challenges for recruitment in the Swiss healthcare sector?

The shortage of care staff is the biggest challenge. Carers now know that they are in a position of strength and are becoming more demanding, both in terms of working conditions as well as recognition. The role of specialist recruiters is therefore to ensure a balance is struck between the needs of care homes, the expectations of carers and quality of care.

What added value does Medicalis provide in this context?

Our strength lies in our dual expertise. Our teams are made up of professionals from the worlds of healthcare and recruitment. There aren’t many agencies that can say this. Further strengths include our proximity, our responsiveness and the quality of our relationships with our partners and temporary staff.

How would you define your management style?

I consider myself an idealistic realist and prefer a participatory management approach. It’s as if I am conducting the orchestra, and the team are the musicians. Without them, there is no music. I am firmly convinced that having diverse perspectives is an invaluable asset, and I think that any interaction with someone else can teach me something new. My role is to light a fire, not to fill a vase.

What projects would you like to implement in the region?

In Valais, I want to develop a disability hub and work more closely with local foundations. In Lausanne, we want to strengthen our synergies with Geneva, Neuchâtel and Sion and become a strategic partner the biggest medical organisations in the region. The ambition is clear: to turn Medicalis into “the reference point” for French-speaking Switzerland.

On a more personal level, what are you most passionate about in your job?

Making a real difference. Putting the right carer in the right place means satisfying not only the professional, but also patients, their relatives and the care team. This gives me a deep sense of motivation.

And if you had to sum up your career and your commitment in one sentence?

I would quote Sylvain Tesson: “We don’t make a journey. It’s the journey that both makes us and undoes us.” Each encounter and each experience changes me a little. In my opinion, open-mindedness and humility are the keys to this profession.

With his appointment as Regional Manager for the Vaud-Valais region, Florent Barbotin embodies the Medicalis vision of putting people at the heart of recruitment, building partnerships based on trust and actively contributing to the quality of the Swiss healthcare system.