L’humain dans l’entreprise, un capital à préserver [The human touch in business—a capital to preserve]

Are companies right to monitor absenteeism statistics so closely? The authors, a journalist and an entrepreneur, demonstrate that, on the contrary, it is “presenteeism” (staff present but disengaged and unmotivated) that we should worry about.  Such employees are no longer able to realize their potential or use their full skill set. Instead, they tend to regress and reduce their own employability.

Concerned about this phenomenon, the authors surveyed 40 companies—ranging from large multinationals to small businesses—known to care about human capital and take active steps to cultivate it. They identified some relevant best practices from these observations. For example, they cite the beneficial effects of physical activity, such as jogging with colleagues at lunch or working out at the company gym. By exercising during the workday, employees can start or maintain a healthy regimen for which they wouldn’t otherwise have time. Some companies focus their efforts on working conditions, for instance, by offering as much natural light as possible, organizing visits to production sites and fun activities for the children of their employees, or setting up concierge or dietary consultation services. These offerings reinforce both the quality of life at work and work-life balance, by taking small worries off employees’ hands. That being said, common sense and pragmatism are still watchwords, and HR directors take care not to fall into the ever-present trap of proposing ”gimmicks” that do not really add much to people’s lives.

The diverse range of proposed measures will inspire companies of any size, even those on a shoestring budget.