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This too : plea for the four-day week

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Several Reunionese companies operate at the rhythm of the four-day week. Among them, the Ovocoop cooperative took the plunge in July 2020. Since, satisfaction is unanimous. Explanations from Patrick Le Lionnais, operations manager of Ovocoop, which employs fifteen people and produces and markets 15 to 16 million eggs per year for community and CHR customers.

What made you switch to a four-day week? ?

It was the Covid crisis that put us on the path. We were partially unemployed due to lack of activity, lack of egg supply. It was a way to optimize our volumes. By increasing our working hours, we were able to carry out the transformation operations in two days ! After the crisis and return to normal, this experience made me think. Teleworking, four-day week, was on everyone's mind. I said to myself : why not us ? We moved to a four-day week in July 2020.

How did you do ?

The three of us got together to think about the method : moi, Stéphane Fontaine, our accountant and sales manager, and Jérôme Fontaine, notre office manager. I saw three obstacles to change : management of working time within the team, the explanation to our suppliers and the explanation to our customers since deliveries will no longer be made on Friday. Eventually, it happened very easily. Friday, we only had one supplier. With customers, we had some hiccups at the start, but the new organization was quickly assimilated.

The new schedules were immediately accepted by the team ?

We discussed it. Based on 35 hours, the goal was to go from 8 hours to 8 hours 45 minutes of work per day worked. I first made the mistake of keeping the start of the day at 6 a.m. and simply extending the working time uniformly for everyone.. No longer being able to debauch at 1:30 p.m. changed lifestyle habits and posed a problem for some. I argued that they would have the whole Friday off… But, to take into account all the reluctance, I modulated the schedules with three proposals : 5 h-14 h 15,
6 h-15 h 15 et 7 h-16 h 15. I suggested that we do the experiment during the month of July. In August, not one wanted to turn back.

You work better in four days ?

Yes. With three days off, Monday morning, everyone arrives in good shape. I have three well-balanced teams of two in production, and our four salespeople and delivery people work better. The delivery men, For example, no longer have the tension of having to deliver in the morning, they can finish their tour at the beginning of the afternoon. Our maintenance technician works on idle machines on Friday instead of Saturday, it changes his life. It’s truly a different way of experiencing the work week.. There is more attendance. If needed, we even produce more in four days than in five.

Comment ?

By adapting the additional day off for each employee during the week, I have staff in production during the five days with a longer time slot, which makes it possible to produce longer and therefore more. This happens at the peak of egg laying.. If I get a million more eggs, I have an obligation to produce more.

Ovocoop is engaged in an energy saving program. Does the four-day week have an impact at this level? ?

Completely. We consume less water and less electricity. I add fuel savings. One of our employees, who comes from Saint-Pierre, did the calculation : it saves 7,500 km of road per year. I only see positives in the four-day week. I invite business leaders to think about it. It may be easier at Ovocoop, where we have always formed a little family. Everyone has always felt good in the company, but everyone feels even better since switching to four days. It's very simple : I have a hard time getting them to take time off !

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