Coronavirus: three quarters of French companies have taken no action

While new people are testing positive for coronavirus every day, such as overseas where the first three cases have been confirmed, French companies are struggling to take action. “It is surprising to note that a large number of French companies are not yet proactive in their internal procedures in order to communicate with their employees and collaborators on good practices”notes Stéphanie Delestre, founder and President of QAPA, an interim recruitment platform.

63% are afraid of catching the coronavirus at work

Only 10% of French companies have implemented concrete actions formally, and 13% have done so informally. Among these companies that have implemented actions, the avoidance of physical contact comes in first place since it represents 81% of the measures. The cancellation of seminars and professional trips comes in second place with 64% of the actions, followed by requests for sick leave as soon as a person begins to cough and have a fever (61%).

In the workplace, the coronavirus occupies the minds: 78% of women say they feel strong tension and more than one in two men (59%). Nearly three quarters (74%) fear that Covid-19 will negatively affect their company’s business and 63% are afraid of catching the coronavirus at work. These figures were obtained by a survey of 4.5 million candidates and 135,000 recruiters.

Actions to adopt

In order not to aggravate the epidemic, the Minister of Health, Olivier Véran, presented measures last Friday. “I now recommend, and for a period to be determined, to avoid handshakes”, did he declare. If the hands cannot be a direct vector of communication, the fact that we often bring them to the face makes them a transmitter. “You have to practice not touching your eyes, nose or mouth”suggests Professor Peter Openshaw, of Imperial College London.

Prime Minister Édouard Philippe urged the French to be “actor of this fight, of this struggle, and that means having in mind things that are very simple to do, but which are essential”, he announced after a visit to the Bordeaux University Hospital. He thus notes that it is necessary to wash your hands every hour “for 20 to 30 seconds in a very meticulous way, sneeze into your elbow and avoid, when you have the first symptoms of a cold or flu, contact with the most fragile people.”