Companies are putting themselves in battle order to restore teleworking

Omicron and the surge in cases seen in recent weeks have prompted the government to change its mind.

Faced with the risk of a shortage of manpower, he had to alleviate - just after having tightened them - the constraints for contact cases (no more compulsory quarantine for the vaccinated) and for positive cases (isolation reduced to seven, even five days in the presence of a complete vaccination schedule).

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The decision was eagerly awaited by employers, who fear a surge in absenteeism linked to the constraints of isolation.

It comes above all to temper another measure less appreciated by business leaders, even if they resign themselves to it: the strengthening of teleworking.

From Monday, companies must submit to the new rules set up by the national protocol for companies (PNE), which requires them to establish at least three days of weekly telework, for at least three weeks.

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Employers who can, even have to push up to four days.

Even more drastic, non-compliance with the health protocol now exposes them to an administrative fine of up to 1,000 euros per employee concerned, up to 50,000 euros.

A system that is simpler and faster than the penal sanctions that have applied until now and therefore

considers the Minister of Labor, Élisabeth Borne.

Derogations

If employers have little taste for the method, after more than a year and a half of the pandemic, most of them have become accustomed to it and have been able to adapt.

For some companies, the new instructions do not change much.

Thus, at Unilever, the flexible organization - which allows only eight days of presence per month - already made it possible to meet government requirements.

The only change: the 600 employees of the “Green Station” will no longer have to come to the site one day a week.

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Other groups had anticipated the call. At Nestlé, the decision was taken on Christmas Eve to establish 15 mandatory days of teleworking at the start of the school year, for all head office employees. Feeling the Omicron wave grow, the group has bet on this form of quarantine to avoid the mixing of some 2,000 employees of the site after returning from holidays and family celebrations, conducive to contamination. Once this fortnight has passed, the group intends to return in mid-January to the system of three days of teleworking and two days of work at headquarters, unless there is a significant change in the pandemic.

In some sectors, the new situation poses even fewer problems as activity is anyway slowed down during this period.

This is the case in the construction industry, where companions are more active in summer than in winter, due to weather conditions.

At Vinci, for example, most branches won't reopen until January 10.

The group will therefore have a week of respite.

At the Lafarge cement manufacturer, this time of year is also a low intensity phase during which employees take time off.

In order to protect our employees, we have decided to switch to 4 days of compulsory remote work.

The fifth day is optional at the request of the employee

Axa

In other sectors, on the other hand, January is not the best month for teleworking.

Thus, the 1,600 employees at Cdiscount's head office in Bordeaux (Casino group) will now be subject to three compulsory working days at home and a fourth optional.

But, with the approach of sales, crucial and intensive for e-merchants, some employees may benefit from exemptions to come more in the offices.

In particular to the IT department, after validation by the managers.

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All in all, for most large groups that had already adopted telework two to three days a week, granting one or two more temporarily does not pose a great difficulty. This is the case, for example, in banks and insurance companies.

, explains one at Axa.

At Société Générale, as of Monday, central service employees will work four days a week from home. In addition, travel in France or abroad will continue to be

and

In the branches, call centers or regional offices of the banking network

However, this requires a little more detailed management of on-site presence. Thus, in Nanterre (Hauts-de-Seine), at the automotive supplier Faurecia, the gauge at the head office has increased from 600 to 200 people.

The days of presence are smoothed over the whole week, with employees filling in their whereabouts on an online tool.

Sanctions criticized

In small companies, the pill is a little more difficult to swallow… The obligation accompanied by sanctions is even qualified as

by the CPME.

This

notes Emeric Oudin, president of the Center for Young Leaders (CJD).

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While the Covid-19 contamination records recorded in recent days raise concerns about many absences from work, Sophie de Menthon, the president of the employers' movement Ethic, believes

. ”

But the situation in transport is closely watched.

says one at Voyages SNCF.

From Monday, its leaders will meet to find out whether or not the number of TGVs will have to be reduced, depending on the expected attendance and especially the availability of staff (drivers and controllers).

IDFM (Île-de-France Mobilités), which sets the transport plan for metro, RER, tramways, buses and trains in the Paris region, also leaves itself a little time.

we point out to IDFM.

But the RATP, given the number of patients in its ranks, does not rule out having to slightly reduce the frequency of Parisian buses.