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Societe Generale Monaco: 100% of staff eligible for teleworking

by Milena Radoman
After having been a forerunner in 2017 in implementing remote work, since the COVID crisis,
Societe Generale Private Banking Monaco has decided to extend teleworking to all its employees
and to deploy Flex Office.

Societe Generale has been relying on teleworking
for a few years now. Within the group, it has
existed since 2013 and before the crisis
concerned nearly 12,500 people in France. In
Monaco, as soon as the law was introduced
in 2017, 30% of employees and managers,
representing 70 out of 300, started teleworking
one day a week. “Initially, there were obstacles
related to remote working not being the norm, the
obsolescence of computer equipment and the
lack of digitalisation of procedures. There were
also cultural and psychological obstacles on
the part of employees and managers,” explains
Jérôme Audran, General Secretary and COO of
the Monégasque establishment.
The health crisis then accelerated the process and
led to an increase in the deployment of telework Farida Rihaoui, directrice des ressources humaines / Head of RH Jérôme Audran, Secrétaire général/ General Secretary et/and COO
for all. “Today, 100% of employees are eligible for
this system. Agreements have been signed with What made them decide on this number? “This flex office, with the creation of dedicated
all employees for one to two days of teleworking is the desire that stood out in the survey we spaces with shared workstations in flexible and
per week, depending on their function,” says the conducted amongst our employees and it is connected office areas. “The Monte-Carlo and
COO of Societe Generale Private Banking Monaco. logical: a close relationship with customers and Fontvieille offices have been modernised and
between colleagues is essential for a retail bank. now have co-working spaces, areas for privacy,
However, later on we may consider going up to and changerooms on each floor to meet the
three days,” adds Head of RH, Farida Rihaoui. To requirements of the many sports enthusiasts
achieve the 100% target,the bank has invested who work at the bank. Launched in early 2021,
substantially in its IT equipment, most notably this project was thought out in a collaborative
with the purchase of 300 laptops, and by digitising way,” notes Jérôme Audran, according to whom
its work procedures both internally and vis-à-vis “The implementation of Flex Office combined
its clients using electronic signatures. with the acceleration of telework has increased
This policy is consistent with the entire group our real estate portfolio in the Principality
since the management of Societe Generale has by almost 30 by freeing up of two floors,
signed, with all the representative trade unions, representing a total surface area of 1,500 m ”
2
a new teleworking agreement, applicable to These new forms of working environment
the 40,000 employees in France, which came are favoured by the younger generations, for
into force during the 2 semester of 2021. As whom sitting at the same desk from 9 am to
nd
for the international subsidiaries of Societe 6 pm is no longer the only option. “The new
Generale, concerning some 100,000 staff, they generations are hyper-connected, cradled by
are following the same trend. “Teleworking will the GAFAM tech giants and have a head start.
become the norm for all our staff inMonaco and They challenge us,” observes Farida Rihaoui.
is expected to bring benefits in terms of quality of With this revolution comes the need for team
life. It will also lead us to rethink the management training. “It’s a real cultural transformation, not
of teams and how to use workspaces differently,” just in terms of performance. This is why it is
said the management. essential to support our managers, giving them
the necessary training for remote and hybrid
Flex office combined with teleworking management. For Societe Generale, teleworking
In parallel with this new work organisation, is a strong component of the modernisation of
SG Private Banking Monaco has become a work organization.

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