When well-being and sustainability shape your HR strategy

Teleworking has boosted creativity

The trend instigated by human resources (HR) towards teleworking and work-life balance is gradually taking place. But Covid has accelerated the situation. “We suddenly went from the stage where we probably did not have enough personal time to the stage where teleworking was imposed so we could achieve flexible working. We would never have been able to achieve these changes in behavior organically”, observes Valérie Vermeire, Director of Performance, Reward and HR Systems, who salutes the creativity of the teams.

An illuminating example: the home call center

Only a very small number of tasks now seem impervious to remote working. “We would never have imagined that call-center work could be done at home. However, the nature of the function is, by definition, very autonomous. Ditto for key accounts: it is now possible for the customer to make a digital appointment with their contact. It saves everyone time".

When to travel and why

The HR strategy supports the #Inspire 2022 global strategy. It remains for the company to find its `new normal'’: to determine which tasks or meetings specifically require a physical presence in the workplace. There's no need to go to the office to spend the day in a videoconference, with headphones clamped to your ears. “Hence our Campus workplace redevelopment project, which also aims to enrich the experience through even more connection, collaboration and innovation. In short, giving meaning to work in the office when you go there less often”, announces Véronique Messiaen, HR Manager.

Participatory management and daily feedback

In this new challenge of hybrid working as a new benchmark, we have to agree. The employer needs to give guidelines. But, above all, it is up to the manager to get on the same wavelength as his teams in order to find a good way to function, in good collective intelligence. “This is a perfect fit with the culture at Proximus. We have been working for years on participatory leadership, coaching, and day-to-day feedback rather than at the end of the year”, said Vermeire.

Valérie Vermeire, Director Performance, Talent and Compensation & Benefits at Proximus

Encouraging multimodal mobility

This hybrid working involves changes in terms of mobility, already at the center of several plans in recent years. “Our mobility strategy is in line with our sustainability ambitions across the organization. If travel is necessary, we promote soft mobility. If a car trip is unavoidable, we are pushing greener cars. Stimulating multimodal transport, thanks to our new flexible Mobility Budget, is a response to this new working environment”, said Messiaen.

Véronique Messiaen, HR Manager at Proximus

The Vaigo platform to serve all needs

The mobility solution chosen by Proximus is the Vaigo digital platform which centralizes all travel needs. Channel partners such as Powerdale, Total, 4411 or even Bepark have been added to the existing ecosystem. The platform therefore manages, via subscription or 'pay per use', both public transport and professional parking, including bicycles. “Our current challenge is to industrialize the adoption of electric cars, for company cars as well as utility vehicles,” emphasized Messiaen.

The Campus project in the sights

In the HR boxes, there are projects that aim to improve the experience of teams, but also to adapt their working conditions to post-Covid hybrid working. “Campus will completely renovate the Proximus Towers and our various workplaces. The emphasis is on the implementation of new ways of working while respecting the nature of the work and the diversity of activities”, Vermeire concluded.