A few days ago, Emmanuel Macron called on the French to return to work. This announcement did not apply to banks, 80% of which remained open during the lockdown. However, the rules governing physical distance remain applicable within these establishments.
Banks favor telecommuting
Since the end of the lockdown in France on May 11, 90-95% of bank branches have been open to the public, according to the French Banking Federation (FBF). Screening is carried out at branch entrances to better identify each customer's needs.
While nothing has fundamentally changed for branches, the situation is evolving for bank head offices and their administrative sites. During the crisis, these players favored telecommuting. Some have shifted as many as 95% of their employees to remote working. Today, only a quarter of them have returned to the office, with weekly rotations. The return to the sites will be gradual. It will depend on the configuration of the sites and the national health protocol.
Société Générale says it can only accommodate 30% of its employees at any one time at La Défense. The bank is complying with hygiene regulations by imposing the wearing of masks, and restricting access to elevators and the on-site restaurant. It also plans to introduce staggered arrival and departure times in anticipation of possible traffic jams. Abroad, the big banks are also organizing the return of their employees. At UniCredit in Milan, only 10% of employees returned to their posts. In the United States, Citigroup brought back 5% of its workforce on July 1.
Incentives for employees who moved during the containment period
In March, the French Finance Minister, Bruno Le Maire, encouraged companies to pay a tax-free bonus, with no social security contributions, to employees who were present at their place of work during the lockdown. Those who did not have any personal constraints ensured business continuity on the spot and in alternating shifts.
Banque Populaire Alsace-Lorraine-Champagne was one of the first to make a gesture by paying a maximum bonus of 1,500 euros to its employees who came to work between March 17 and May 10. The payment of a "special Covid-19 bonus" is not, however, envisaged in Crédit Agricole's regional banks. Société Générale, BNP Paribas and La Banque Postale, for their part, have decided to grant a special bonus to their employees, ranging from 100 to 800 euros. Treatment varies widely from one banking organization to another.