How is your industry today?
Didier Chenet: Hospitality and restaurant professionals are facing unprecedented labor shortages. The latest survey conducted by Pôle Emploi reports 360,000 vacancies. Before the pandemic there were “only” 220,000 vacancies.
Thierry Grégoire: For years, all service professions have experienced strong tension in terms of recruitment. The difficulties were greater for us, because our sector of activity was the one that remained paralyzed for the longest time during the health crisis. There was an evaporation of the employees, for whom 18 months of confinement were too long. Let’s not forget that in the hotel/restaurant industry, 50% of employees are under 36 years old. Therefore, many have aspired to something else, including leaders and business leaders.
DC: This context led us to question ourselves about several points to improve, among them the attractiveness of the sector. Indeed, Covid has revealed the limitations of our professions (holidays, weekends and holidays) and, consequently, the difficult compatibility between professional life and private life. Based on this observation, we are aware of having to adapt our management model to our staff, and review their remuneration.
What improvements have already been implemented?
DC: In fact, there have been several negotiations with the social partners. We have taken a first step in remuneration matters. From April 1, 2022, our salary scale reflects an average minimum increase of 16%. The HCR sector is part of the 15% of professional branches whose minimum wages are higher than the current minimum wage.
We have also signed a job classification table. It already existed, but it includes a novelty: it takes into account all the training acquired by employees, in the company or during internships. Therefore, permanent training is today an essential criterion to define the initial minimum wage..
TG: In addition, there are other ongoing discussions, in particular regarding the organization of working time. Today nobody wants to make a sacrifice to the detriment of their private life: this is one of the lessons of Covid. Everyone needs to find a stable balance. It is also necessary to put the human being at the center of the systems so that employees and businessmen carry out a common project and thus share the creation of value for the company.. Hence the importance of paying more attention to training, welfare and working conditions.
What happens to the health expenses regime for hotel and restaurant professionals?
DC: First of all, let’s remember that the RNB was behind the creation of the branch health cost scheme, established in 2011. We are even the first professional branch to have established a mandatory mutual. It was only in 2016 for all other professions. We have anticipated it, because we are concerned about the health of our employees and their families.
Also, an employee is willing to work if he knows that his possible health costs are covered. Let’s not forget that health and purchasing power are two great concerns of the French, and more now. Our mutual fully meets these expectations, including in its membership conditions. In fact, the costs are divided between the employer and the employee.
Why change it? What will be new?
DC: We have never changed the contribution rate since the inception of our plan. We set it at €32 in 2011, that is, €16 paid by the worker and €16 paid by the employer. As our plan is efficient and profitable, we even apply a call rate to reduce the contribution to €28. Since our sector is mostly made up of (very) small companies, pooling is of great interest in order to offer them an attractive call rate. What’s more, the largest companies, which consume the most, have even resorted to our model.
During the health crisis, consumption turned out to be more important, as well as consumption, which lasts. We have also exempted all companies from contributions. NOour plan, although it offers very good guarantees, then he lacked reservation. Therefore, it was necessary to renew it, on the one hand to review the contribution rate and, on the other hand, to determine the future guarantees to be provided (optical costs, dental costs, hearing aids, alternative medicine costs, etc.) .
Our ambition with this new system is also to provide the benefit of a healthcare network. These are the health professionals. at affordable prices, to offer the best possible reimbursement to employees with no remaining charge, for example, on eyeglasses. At the same time, special attention will be paid to attendance. Since young people are likely to fall into the trap of addictions, any learner would benefit from an interview with a doctor to make them aware of these issues.
TG: This new system, called HCR welfare, aims above all to solve the employment and hiring gap. It is essential to reduce the tension present in our sector of activity. This is why business leaders and employer representatives must take a progressive approach. through these new guarantees. It is essential to take care of employees, train them and protect them so that our professions become attractive again.
Regarding the well-being of employees, this new plan provides for several check-ups to prevent stress, musculoskeletal disorders or to prepare for fitness. Finally, better support to support carers will also be implemented.
What will be the impact of this renewal on the price?
DC: The improvement of our plan will lead to the first price increase in its history. However, it will have the full support of the employers.. This increase of €15 will give rise to a contribution of €47/month. Note that if we had applied a change in our contribution rate according to the Social Security Ceiling (PMSS), it would now be between €45 and €46, no diet improvement. With this new scheme, the employee will continue to pay only €16, compared to €31 for employers (€16 + the €15 linked to the new scheme).
Finally, let us add that we are deeply attached to management of a joint scheme. The work is carried out hand in hand, between the employers’ organization and the workers’ organization. That is why we wanted to renew this agreement with our professional institutes Klesia and Malakoff Humanis.
SG: This increased contribution should not be seen as such, but rather as an investment in our employees.. As a business leader, I would like to remind you that today we must invest in wages, profit sharing, social protection and training for our employees. This contribution is essential to have more job seekers tomorrow than vacancies.
This content was produced with SCRIBEO. The BFMBUSINESS editorial team was not involved in the production of this content.
Source: BFM TV
