• For a long time, you had to hide in the office to watch Roland-Garros

  • But since the Covid and the emergence of teleworking, it has become much easier to follow the tournament during office hours.

  • And for the first time this year, a co-working space has been created directly in Roland-Garros.

“Work is what gives meaning to one's life”.

The statement is a week old and signed by Elisabeth Borne.

The new Prime Minister of the country has put the value of work at the center of her action.

Except that the French do not always agree.

Because what gives meaning to your life at the end of May, between the bridges of Ascension and Pentecost, is also to watch the cushy Roland Garros without getting caught on the job.

For a long time, the D system was even required in companies to watch matches during the day.

No need to play apprentice Bill Gates to watch matches

"Thirty years ago, one of my colleagues had his little TV in his desk drawer to follow Roland-Garros... That's how in 1991, we even followed Björn Borg's return to Monte-Carlo" , says Dominique in the call for testimonials launched on the subject.

Without going back that far, other clever people have long since developed a simple technique on their desktop computer, like Romain.

"With a small adequate software which simulates the activity of the computer on an office software, no problem to look at the matches".

But now, there is no longer any need to play Bill Gates to attend the exploits of Nadal and Djokovic between two meetings.

“I work at the same time as I follow the matches”

Since the Covid and the rise of teleworking, sitting on the sofa to watch bits of the tournament matches has become much easier than entering the Stade de France on the evening of the Champions League final.

“My TV is on all day at Roland-Garros, I work at the same time as I follow the matches, teleworking is really a godsend for that!

smiles Capucine.

Others, whom we are not obliged to believe, even claim to have evolved in their relationship to work.

“I would say that working from home has made me more mature in relation to the demands of my job.

The TV stays on with the sound and when the comments get carried away, I allow myself to take a look, whereas without the sound, you stay hooked on the image or the score to avoid missing out on beautiful emotions”, explains Paul.

Working at Roland-Garros is now possible

Even if some grumble, like Michel, believing that "in telework, we work, and it would be good to stop with these clichés that we can hang around quietly", we must recognize that there is no longer any need to hide to watch the tournament in broad daylight.

Others have even taken the concept further by simply coming to work at Roland-Garros during the tournament.

During the qualifying week, which precedes the start of the tournament, the Wojo company set up a co-working space under the Suzanne Lenglen court.

1,100 people came to spend one or more working days at Roland

For 45 euros per day, it was possible both to work but also to watch matches on all the courts between two videos.

Results of the operation: a real success according to Sébastien Dupic.

“More than 1,100 people came from Monday to Friday.

Reservations went very quickly.

And contrary to what one might think, people really worked,” assures the vice-president of operations at Wojo, who does not rule out repeating the experience next year.

Among those who have benefited from it is Ronny Rajinundun.

This executive from the Nomattitude company confirms that he worked while taking advantage of the Roland-Garros setting to both develop his network and see matches.

“Even if we were not 100% productive, when we showed in video that we were working at Roland-Garros, it was not bad for the image of the box.

We worked for two hours then we went to see matches for two hours… We adapted like that all day.

And then we met lots of companies with whom we discussed well in this exceptional setting.

It facilitated the exchanges”, appreciates the head of agency.

Proof that Roland-Garros can also change the relationship to work.

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