Cirque du Soleil’s Global Human Resource Management Practices

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EXCERPTS

As Cirque required people with a wide range of skills, it appointed talent scouts and recruiters who travelled globally hunting for artists, creators, coaches, and musicians. Cirque recruited talent from all over the world. To recruit artists, it depended on a casting team supported by a global network of partners who discovered and recommended artists the world over. To achieve both athletic and artistic perfection, these scouts often looked for athletes who had competed in the Olympics or other championships. They were regulars at Olympic and World Championship competitions and worked closely with Olympic coaches and teams to help athletes consider a career with Cirque after their competitive years were over.

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Cirque flourished on a culture of risk-taking and creativity that nurtured talent and gave people an opportunity to showcase their skills. The work culture at Cirque was based on involvement, communication, creativity, and diversity and the employees were the backbone of such a culture.The company fostered an environment that encouraged productivity, creativity, and individual growth. At Cirque, artists from over 50 countries worked together to put up one of the biggest theatrical extravaganzas in the world...

Besides offering employees a dynamic work environment, Cirque also provided them with a wide range of benefits and services. Generally, artists were hired on contract for a period of 1-2 years at a very competitive salary. Sometimes depending on the job, they were paid per show or hourly. On an average, a Cirque employee earned anywhere between US$30,000 and US$100,000 annually...

At Cirque, communication was transparent and hierarchies were non-existent. Good communication was important to ensure that all employees had access to the same information and to maintain cohesion among the divisions. Internal communication tools including both electronic and print media were created and each division was invited to contribute to these tools...

To promote the artistic pursuits of employees, Cirque started an innovation bursary called ‘Talons Hauts Bursary’ in 2005. The purpose of the bursary was to promote creativity among the employees and help them contribute to the organization’s creative pool....

Since its inception, the safety and wellbeing of the artists on all its shows and training sites had been a prime concern for Cirque. For a venture as risky as a circus, providing a safe workplace for its employees who put in a lot of effort to produce spectacular shows was important, felt Cirque....

As of 2014, Cirque’s employees and artists represented more than 50 nationalities and spoke 25 different languages. Cirque valued the diversity of its employees and respected their individuality and viewpoints. Solo acts were never distinguished by introduction, technique, physique, or language....

Cirque knew that the career of an artist was short-lived and at one point of time they would have to step out of the spotlight. To help these artists pursue their dreams and look for an alternative career aftertheir performing years were over, Cirque launched a career transition program ‘Crossroads’ in 2003...

According to industry experts, one of the biggest challenges for Cirque was to recruit and retain artists who were talented and rare to find. As Cirque shows had a lifespan of about fifteen years, it was important for the company to not only find the best performers but also retain them for a long run...

In 2012, for the first time in its history, despite generating more than C$1bn (£634m) in revenues from its shows globally , Cirque did not turn a profit. By August 2012, Laliberté decided to lay off some of its employees and cut the number of new touring shows...

Exhibit I : General Conditions at Cirque du Soleil

Exhibit II : Global Remuneration

Exhibit III : Health Benefits

Exhibit IV : Travel Benefits