Back to office | “Our Return Plans Sink in Gel-Olo”

Isabelle Mass
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“Our Return Plans Gel-O” was filmed during a virtual talk hosted by the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal on Thursday.

Many companies’ plans have been revised and adapted more than once as the epidemic develops. The key every time you bend over the drawing board? Listening, flexibility and compatibility. “We listen to government recommendations, but we also listen to employees,” said Anne Dongois, manager of Leon Rouge Communications. We started working on our return plan in June. We met with all the employees, we listened to their concerns and their thoughts. We submitted a return plan in August, but we asked them to be ready for changes. Because apparently, the plan is called to develop. ”

Loon Rouge, which has 80 employees, currently plans to return to work two or three days a week. “The Maison Alcon Complex, where we work, is our fortune to be wider than its height,” said Anne Dongois. There is space, it breathes. ”

Pomerley, which has 4,000 employees, is in “trial and error” mode and currently estimates that its regular launch in September will require one to two days a week, followed by two to three. “We have not set a date,” said Isabel Pouliott. We ask teams in each department to define which hybrid mode works for them. The answer is not the same for everyone. Let’s see how this happens. If we need to intervene or be more prescriptive, we will. But I hope teams find ways to do this. You have to put yourself in cooperative mode and leave. Some are very anxious to come back, while others are anxious. We need to talk to each other and try things out. ”

In terms of safety, both Pomerleau and Loon Rouge strongly encourage their employees to get vaccinated without making it mandatory. “This is the message we repeat,” said Isabel Pouliott. It is believed to be the best way to protect yourself and get out of the pandemic. We would like to ask employees on an anonymous basis whether they have been vaccinated to find out about the vaccination rate in our area. Obviously, there is a lot of discussion going on around the vaccine passport, so we are listening to the positions of governments and other companies. ”

Value added

One thing is important to M^My Dongois and Poliot: The added value of returning to the office is the uninhabitable space when the epidemic ends. “People don’t have to come back to the office to be on their computers,” Anne Dongois thinks. The idea is to really meet again and reconnect. We welcome employees to surround themselves more and more, making sure there is a warm atmosphere. ”

However, management leadership should not be lost at this point. “It is up to the management team to establish the desired guidance, and then see how we can be comfortable and ensure the well-being of all,” said Anne Dongois. The spectrum that people want is vast. ”

In the meantime, Loon Rouge and Pomerley make sure they communicate regularly with employees and learn lessons from the past year and a half. “We do not want to communicate until we have all the answers, but even if we do not have the answers, the employees want to know that we are questioning ourselves and examining certain things. Zoom, But it also allows us to participate in more events and stay close to certain employees. We must find what is not in us, but preserve the good of the epidemic. ”