Teleworking, offices ... How the Covid-19 upset the district of La Défense

Europe 1 4:06 p.m., November 5, 2021

INTERVIEW

A business district of 180,000 employees, affected overnight by the confinement linked to Covid-19.

It was in March 2020 and, since then, La Défense has continued to transform under the effect of the health crisis, with countless consequences on the organization of work, on the travel of employees and even on their entire lives.

More than a year and a half after this professional big bang in the largest business district in Europe, its managing director, Pierre-Yves Guice, takes stock of the many changes that have taken place.

At La Défense, the hours change

"These 180,000 employees are still there, since in fact we have very few, if at all, companies that left La Défense following the crisis," explains Pierre-Yves Guice. "On the other hand, they are still gradually adapting their organization today, in particular because of teleworking."

This is reflected, at La Défense, by a change in commuting, morning and evening for work: "In peak attendance, we see for example in public transport, we have around 70% (between two third and three quarters) of the usual attendance. Before, all employees arrived at 8:30 am to 9 am and left at 6 pm Today, this is no longer the case. We have people who arrive at 10 am, d 'others who leave at 3 pm, because the rhythms change. "

Total teleworking "not humanly liveable"

The rhythms change and the "consumption" of offices too, explains Pierre-Yves Guice. "The crisis posed difficulties for a certain type of office, in terms of architectural forms, like the

of the 1970s. And then, in terms of location, there was a fashion at one time for business campuses. in the very distant outskirts of Paris. That, for sure, will raise both economic, regional planning and environmental questions in the future. "

However, according to the leader, the Covid-19 has not signed the death warrant of the neighborhood offices.

“That there is always a need for high-quality offices near urban centers, areas well served by public transport and capable of meeting the needs of companies and employees, I have no doubt. what 100% telework was during the crisis. It is not livable, neither humanly, nor socially, nor economically. "

So, if La Défense is evolving greatly with more teleworking and offices occupied differently, the large towers in the west of Paris are not about to be replaced by residential buildings.