At the start of the second confinement, the Minister of Labor Elisabeth Borne continues to raise awareness of the adoption of telecommuting in sectors of activity where it is possible. This Friday morning she was traveling in the Parisian district of La Défense and its office towers. After her visit, she insisted during a press briefing on the character « indispensable » teleworking for activities that allow it, given the epidemic “Very brutal” of Covid-19.
READ ALSO: Reconfinement. Why the government is not making telework mandatory
For a week now, the new version of the national company protocol provides that “100% of teleworkable tasks must be teleworked”, she recalled, rules that seem to be applied with less enthusiasm since the new confinement. “I spent my week calling business leaders and HRDs to tell them that even if today – and this is what comes up a lot – the majority of employees do not want to go back to 100% teleworking, It has to be done “, added the minister, pleading that we must find “The right balance” between continuing economic activity and “Break the dynamics of the epidemic”.
“We first trust” social dialogue
“It was important during this week to raise awareness” and after that “If ever certain companies have not understood, we will be in our role of advising, supporting, but also of controlling and if that does not go well, of putting in default and of having sanctions”, said Élisabeth Borne. “We trust first” social dialogue but “If some do not understand, we will have to impose sanctions”, she insisted.
At the headquarters of BNP Paribas, in the morning, the Minister visited a huge open-space almost empty, the management indicating that they had “Never brought back all the employees” since the first wave. In a bank branch, “Essential service” however, according to management, 6 out of 9 employees were present, with a strict health protocol.
READ ALSO: TESTIMONIALS. “I have the right to a day of telework”: these employees forced to come to the office
The minister then went to Engie’s headquarters, which normally accommodates 4,000 people. They were only 80 Friday, or 2%, against about “2,000 before the second confinement”, according to the company. She explained that she chose to leave “Valves” for people with personal reasons to come, because “Too alone or in apartments that are too small”, or having activities requiring to be on site (computer repair, mail service, etc.). Finally, at Total, management reported 8% of people present on Friday in the group’s four sites in the business district, and 20% on average over the week.
The ministry has ordered a survey to measure the real state of recourse to teleworking, expected in principle at the beginning of next week.
– .
