The executive programme in Humane Management celebrates its 10th birthday

Louvain School of Management’s University Certificate in Innovative Humane Management (MHI), coordinated by Professor Laurent Taskin, celebrates its 10th edition in 2027. 

For the occasion, we had the pleasure of interviewing Professor Taskin about the content and future of the MHI programme.

1. Over the past 20 years, the world of work has faced major crises, digitalisation and the emergence of new societal expectations. How has the vision of ‘Humane Management’ evolved within the course since it was created?

Laurent Taskin (LT): Humane Management emerged in the context of these crises and has developed as one possible response, among others, to the limitations of traditional Human Resource Management (HRM). Too often, traditional HRM tends to individualize, measure, and exhaust people within a fundamentally extractive logic, something the very term “human resources” reflects quite well. The foundations of Humane Management are now supported, strengthened, and illustrated by a growing number of experiences and initiatives carried out in recent years. Put simply, considering people as reflexive, bringing management closer to the reality of work, and designing management processes that foster recognition and a sense of community are key responses to the challenges of our time.

2. What is the common thread or ‘trademark of the certificate that has remained unchanged for ten years, despite all these changes?

LT: A transversal approach, rather than a tool-based one: understanding how the relationship to work is changing, and addressing questions of meaning and recognition, which are among the main drivers of engagement at work today. The teaching team is composed of HR Expert–Academic pairs. The approach is also multidisciplinary, bringing together perspectives from management, law, sociology, philosophy, and psychology.

3. What motivates a manager or HR manager today to enrol on this programme? What is their primary need?

LT: To give people the tools to take concrete action on questions of meaning at work and workplace community. CEOs, HR Directors, and business leaders from a wide range of sectors who join us share the same observations as we do: absenteeism is at record levels, engagement remains relatively low, and the relationship to work has become increasingly transactional. Traditional management approaches have not provided effective answers to these challenges. We need to renew our practices, try new approaches, and experiment. In addition, participants step away from their daily routines and find a community of peers who share the same determination to address these issues. That is exactly what our programme offers.

4. Do you have an example of a professional transformation or an ‘innovative’ initiative that originated within a company thanks to the participation in this programme?

LT: There have been more and more examples emerging over the years. At the end of this September, the Humane Management Forum brought together alumni and other Humane Management stakeholders, from both practice and academia. 

This year’s theme was “impact”. Organisations such as Partenamut, MAIF and the Montgomery Police District in Brussels shared the practices they have implemented, including the co-creation of workplace agreements on working time and AI, and the development of a culture of recognition. They showed the impact these initiatives can have on issues such as attractiveness, absenteeism, and more. This is not a soft ideal or a passing trend but a serious and evidence-based approach that participants learn.

5. In practical terms, what will ‘innovative humane management’ look like in 2026/2027?

LT: Five modules centred on key issues: meaning, recognition, the transformation of work and the workplace, mediation, collaboration, leadership, trust, and more. An aligned, experienced, and friendly teaching team. A safe place for sharing.

6. With the rise of AI and hybrid working models, what do you think will be the greatest human challenges for the managers over the next ten years?

LT: Paradoxically, the more AI enters the workplace, the more people will expect to be treated with humanity. Questions of recognition, consideration, and meaning at work are likely to become even more important. Humane Management, which focuses on the real work, trust, recognition, community, and reflexivity, remains largely outside the scope of AI. Traditional management and HR practices, on the other hand, such as setting individual targets, coaching, evaluating, and rewarding performance, are much more exposed to the growing use of AI.

7. What are your hopes for the MHI programme over the next 20 years?

LT: Maintaining the quality of the cohorts we are fortunate to attract to this programme. Leaders who seek to develop their Humane Management capabilities are often reflective and courageous. They are humanistic in outlook, aware of their own vulnerability, and committed to contributing to the common good.

8. If you had to summarise the MHI programme in three key words, what would they be?

LT: Impactful. Meaningful. Empowering.

Overall, the MHI University Certificate invites you to explore practical approaches, informed by scientific research and real-world experience, to regenerate management. 

The programme is taught in French and is structured in five modules, running from February to June 2027 in Louvain-la-Neuve. If you are interested in the MHI programme, please check all the information here.