20-24 June – Week for the Quality of Life at Work: AccorInvest mobilizes to improve its employees’ well-being
After over two years of Covid-19 crisis, the way employees relate to their work and their level of engagement are questioned in many ways. Working conditions, well-being, the need for meaning and for a new personal balance are at the heart of their concerns. As a responsible hotel investor and operator, AccorInvest considers employee well-being as a major aspect of its ESG (Environmental, Social & Governance) strategy, and the Group is conducting a long-term reflection to address this need. AccorInvest takes the opportunity of the Week for the Quality of Life at Work to reaffirm its determination to continuously improve the well-being of its employees and explain the initiatives it is implementing to do so.
Quality of Life at Work: a priority at the heart of the AccorInvest ESG strategy
Since 2017, a dedicated 4-person “QVT team” (Qualité de Vie au Travail, i.e. Quality of Life at Work in French) has been working within AccorInvest to innovate and drive initiatives to promote the Quality of Life at Work – and multiple projects have been launched. Today, in France, 2,000 floor service employees work in the hotels operated by AccorInvest. Their job is quite physical and demanding, in particular due to repetitive handling movements which entail a high MSD (musculoskeletal disorder) risk. In order to prevent this type of risk for the hotel employees, the QVT team has identified the specific issues related to such professions and included them in AccorInvest’s priorities: to take into account hard working conditions, to prevent professional and psycho-social risks, and to improve employee well-being.
“The steps we are taking to promote well-being at work are fully in line with AccorInvest’s ESG strategy. Our objectives are to preserve our employees’ health, to innovate to increase our attractiveness, to reduce absenteeism and, in fine, to reinforce employee engagement. This is both a long-term reflection and an approach we have every day, at our head office and in our hotels,” insists Caroline de Andrade, Quality of Life and Disability Manager at AccorInvest.
Hotel ergonomics, an essential lever to increase well-being at work
Today, AccorInvest has 7,000 employees in France working in its 276 hotels. In the hotel sector, MSDs are the main cause of absenteeism and occupational diseases. Improving the well-being of our hotel employees therefore necessitates taking into account the ergonomics of our hotels in terms of facilities and equipment.
In 2017, AccorInvest launched a white paper to include ergonomics in its hotel design and renovation projects. An essential tool to improve the workspace and support the teams involved in our renovation projects – from feasibility to execution. Ergonomics aspects are included at all levels to increase the well-being of our hotel employees, in terms of circulation areas, furniture, or access to equipment.
Regarding hard working conditions for example, an AccorInvest initiative has been implemented in the Mercure Paris Porte de Versailles Expo, where the floor service employees who clean the rooms and sometimes carry up to 50 kg of linen have been equipped with electric carts for the past two years.
“This new equipment was very well received by our teams, who also benefited from the installation of bed lifts as part of our renovation. This initiative was one of the measures we took to avoid accidents and reduce occupational diseases related to backaches as much as possible,” says Philippe Marchand, General Manager of the Mercure Paris Porte de Versailles Expo.
Regarding the Group’s approach to hotel renovation projects, special attention is also given to employee areas. For instance, the renovation of the Novotel Paris Vaugirard Montparnasse began with the employee areas in March 2019.
“The employee rest area, kitchen, dining room and offices were completely renovated in collaboration with an ergonomist and my teams. The false ceilings were removed to gain height, partitions were knocked down to provide more space, and artificial light wells were installed to increase brightness. Our objective was to provide our employees with a place to live where they feel good, where they are at home,” explains Sandrine Leblan, General Manager of the Novotel Paris Vaugirard Montparnasse.
« AccorInvest For me » : the dedicated concierge service for our employees
In addition to giving special attention to ergonomics, AccorInvest continuously works on the numerous other dimensions of how to improve employee well-being. During the 2022 Week for the Quality of Life at Work, the QVT team will present the new “AccorInvest For Me” program to the employees on June 23rd. This unique, personalized Quality of Life at Work service will enable the 7,000 hotel employees in France to benefit from a friendly counselling unit, reachable through a single telephone number.
This innovative system will respond to our employees’ requests for psychological, legal, administrative or social support by putting them in touch with experts and helping them with the related actions and paperwork. Depending on the situation, the employees may also be directed to their internal referents.
“The AccorInvest For Me program is a great tool to support our employees on a daily basis. It increases our proximity with the people who work in our hotels, such as floor service employees, cooks and receptionists, who do not have access to a computer during their work day and who need to get in touch with the Group to obtain support,” explains Caroline de Andrade, Quality of Life and Disability Manager at AccorInvest.
About AccorInvest
AccorInvest operates a portfolio of over 800 owned and leased hotels in 27 countries across Europe, Latin America and Asia.
The Group consolidates and enhances its real estate portfolio through the acquisition and renovation of hotel assets and the development of its hotel portfolio in Europe in the economy and mid-scale segments.
AccorInvest benefits from the hospitality expertise of its long-term partner Accor – manager and owner of world-renowned brands such as ibis, Novotel, Mercure, etc. This privileged partnership guarantees the Group’s operational excellence, the attractiveness of its hotel portfolio, and guest satisfaction.