Amazon is the most spectacular example. The instructions have been clear since September. From January, employees will have to return to the office full time, five days a week. Among Americans, there is a massive movement to return face-to-face. We can cite the examples of Dell, 3M, L3Harris… Large companies are tightening the screw. As we had gone less far, the shift is less massive in France but the trend is also towards less teleworking in many companies.
After a first wave of sometimes extreme flexibility, companies realize that everything is not rosy with teleworking. “In France, teleworking took hold with the Covid crisis, in a somewhat disorganized manner. Now, companies are putting their practices in order after realizing the advantages and disadvantages of teleworking», observes Benoît Serre, the deputy vice-president of the National Association of HR Directors. Velux, for example, had adopted three days of teleworking per week. Result ? “The feeling of belonging disintegrated, and newcomers had difficulty integrating», explains Timothée Chauveau, HR manager at Velux. From next January, it will be an alternation of two to three days per week.
At Renault too, the rules will change: we are going from three to two days of teleworking, with adjustments to preserve team cohesion.
At Engie, a new agreement offers ten days of teleworking per month, which averages two and a half days per week. It was more like 3 so far. In its latest agreement which entered into force on July 1, the insurer Axa specified that the two days of presence on site per week were “a minimum”. The agreement also provides for progressive access to teleworking for new recruits in order to promote their skills development when they take up their position.
This change does not necessarily go down very well with employees. At Ubisoft, last September, a strike broke out after a request to return at least three days a week. At Free, same scenario in several call centers. For some employees, teleworking has become a valuable asset. According to an Apec study, nearly 70% of executives would be unhappy if their teleworking was reduced… A quarter of them would even go so far as to change companies! The equation is therefore complex: finding the right balance between flexibility, productivity and cohesion. One thing is certain: teleworking is here to stay in France in large companies, but with more elaborate rules… and negotiations to follow closely.
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Source: www.usinenouvelle.com
