For several months in the United States, large companies like Amazon or Google have been backtracking on teleworking.
Across the ocean, in the United States, several large companies are pushing for their employees to return to the office. Latest examples to date, Amazon, Disney, Google and Zoom.
franceinfo: What do you think of this rear machine? Will France follow?
Sarah Lemoine: This is unlikely to happen. Because the current backpedaling in the United States concerns full teleworking, “full remote”, as they say in English. When the employee works 100% from home, and no longer has an office in his company.
After the acute phase of covid, many American groups such as Amazon, Google, Apple, Publicis and Disney have continued full teleworking. In some cases, employees have been able to move hundreds or thousands of miles away, with the blessing of their employer. Three years later, the pendulum is swinging back. In the name of creativity and productivity, they are asked to return to site 2 to 3 days a week.
In France, is the situation different?
Here, full teleworking also exists, but it is in the minority. The norm is two days a week. However, according to a recent OECD study, an employee’s productivity is maximum with one or two days of teleworking. Beyond that, it tends to decrease. So France is already in this hybrid organization, quite measured, that the American bosses now want.
So returning to the office every day of the week is not an option?
The HR managers we interviewed think that there will be no return to the world before. Teleworking is popular with employees: less commuting, better balance between professional and personal life. Young people now make it a sine qua non condition when they are hired. Finally, a lot of companies have reduced the size of their premises. This generates very big savings. And the current trend is not to go backwards.
Pace backpedaling, but any adjustments to come?
Companies continue to grope in the face of the ultra-rapid expansion of teleworking. In 2019, only 3% of employees worked remotely. Two years later, they were 22%. The real effects can only be measured over time, say some HR managers. On productivity, management, the integration of new hires, the relationship with the work group, promotions or the mental health of teleworkers.