Pierre Bouchet, specialist in office design, warns against the temptation to switch to 100% teleworking. Not all companies, depending on their activity, are suitable for this type of organization.
Has containment accelerated the awareness of French companies of the importance and effectiveness of telework?
PIERRE BOUCHET. Absolutely. I have been contacted by various companies which, after the past few months, are thinking of setting up more telework in their organization, even if it means leaving some premises. There is a new look taking shape in the organization of work and it is very positive.
Some employees said they were suffering from this new work organization ...
One should not mix the criticisms which affect telework in general and telework in confinement. Psychologically, we have all been marked by this very special period. It is necessary to wait and take the time to draw conclusions from containment. The business world is faced with multiple questions, with tensions on every level. It is important not to make any decisions in an emergency.
Should we prepare for the "end of the office"?
We can say that it is the end of large headquarters such as the tower at La Défense or the corporate campus, in the distant suburbs, which brings together all of the employees. But beware of the opportunity that some may seize. We need to find a half measure, a balanced system that is suitable for the greatest number.
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That is to say ?
I don't think it's a good idea to impose 100% telework. In the United States, for example IBM had set up teleworking a few years ago and recently abandoned it by deciding to bring their employees back to the office. For everything related to innovation, creativity, teamwork is still best suited. The risk is that there is a deadweight effect. Let us not forget that in the United States, some companies try to take advantage of the logic of "the end of the office" to hire at the lowest cost employees who live far from large urban centers like San Francisco. They can thus work from home with lower costs than if they lived in the city center, and therefore at lower wages.