French cosmetics giant, L’Oréal, is stepping up its game by reinstating a five-day workweek for its employees. The multinational corporation, known for its trailblazing products in the beauty industry, has been operating on a three-day workweek for over a year. However, with the new directive, employees will now have to report to the office on Fridays, twice a month. The decision was communicated to the company’s 87,000 employees last month and has been in effect since last week.
This move is aimed at boosting employee collaboration, a critical aspect in a people-driven industry like cosmetics. According to The Sunday Times, the need for in-person interaction is especially necessary for fostering engagement, creativity, and learning from one another.
Perks to Sweeten the Deal
In a bid to make the transition smoother, L’Oréal’s USA CEO, David Greenberg, announced some appealing perks. For instance, workers at the company’s West Coast headquarters in El Segundo, Calif., were offered a personal concierge service. At only $5 an hour, employees could hire a concierge to perform personal chores, such as filling up their cars at the gas station, collecting their laundry, or even dropping off their pets at doggy daycare.
This concierge perk is not new to L’Oréal, having been offered in some capacity since 2009. However, its significance was heightened during the pandemic as a strategic tool for enticing workers back to the office. The company’s offices are also equipped with gyms, restaurants, and coffee bars that occasionally serve as bars, enhancing the overall working environment.
Bucking the Trend
While other corporations like Meta, Salesforce, and Google have also reinstated return-to-office mandates, L’Oréal stands out for its efforts to make the transition more appealing. Other companies have been trimming down pandemic-era perks, with Meta ending its free laundry and dry cleaning benefit and even curtailing its free-meal rule.
L’Oréal’s decision to mandate office attendance on Fridays is also quite unique. With the rise of the work-from-home culture during the pandemic, Fridays have become increasingly popular as a day to work remotely. In fact, Steven Roth, the billionaire chairman of Vornado, one of New York City’s biggest commercial landlords, officially deemed Fridays as “dead forever.”
The Value of In-Person Work
Despite the prevailing trends, L’Oréal’s global CEO, Nicolas Hieronimus, insists on the importance of in-person work. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos last month, Hieronimus argued that remote work is detrimental to workers’ mental health. He asserted that being in the office is not just vital for the company but also for the employees, promoting serendipity and interpersonal interaction.
In conclusion, L’Oréal’s move is a clear indication of its commitment to fostering a collaborative work environment. Despite the growing trend towards remote work, the company believes in the value of in-person interaction in promoting creativity, engagement, and learning. With the new directive and the accompanying perks, it remains to be seen how this decision will impact the company’s operations and its employees’ productivity.
