And telework created the “commuter” employee
In the latest Cadremploi/Ifop study, 82% of executives believe that the possibility of teleworking is a decisive criterion to join or stay with an employer. Some have even taken the opportunity to move away from their company’s offices, or even apply to a metropolis when they live 100, 200 or even 1000 kilometers away.
As a result of these new aspirations, work in “hybrid” mode is spreading and the TGVs are filling up with “commuter” employees who work from home, for example 3 days in Nantes, Lyon, Marseille, Royan, Pithiviers, Metz… and 2 days at the office in Paris or elsewhere, but in any case outside their home.
What does a “commuter” employee mean?
The expression comes from the word “pendulum” and refers to the regular movement of the pendulum found in older models, which oscillates around an axis. By analogy, the “commuter” employee makes frequent and repetitive trips between two geographical points: his home and his place of work, which are generally very far apart.
How are “commuter” employees on the move accommodated?
According to an Ipsos study* for Flexliving (intermittent housing solution) to be published on May 10, approximately 1 in 5 working people do not live in the same area or agglomeration as the one where they work (18%). And 13% of them must be housed when they travel.
How do they stay?
” The accommodation solutions adopted during business trips oscillate between one-time troubleshooting solutions with friends or with locals and more conventional rentals type hotel, Airbnb and others”, emphasizes the study.
In figures, this gives:
- 54% of “commuter” employees adopt paid solutions during their travels
- and 31% opt for lower-cost solutions.
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How much do commuters spend on accommodation and who pays?
The Flexliving/Ipsos study surveyed 1,000 French people representative of working people* and provides some figures on the expenses of these employees when they are not teleworking:
- on average, each hybrid worker spends 309 euros per month for its punctual but recurring accommodation.
- More than 70% of the employees concerned work in companies financing at least 50% of the accommodation costs (of which 27% benefit from full support for these costs).
- On the other hand, 17% of the assets concerned are totally for their pocket.
To get the “field” version of these small arrangements, Cadremploi interviewed executives in hybrid mode about their housing plans. Between hotels, a room with their parents, a sofa with friends, a very short-term rental apartment, an apartment made available by their company, etc. They testify.
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Testimony of Noémie, 2-3 days in Paris: no accommodation costs but pays part of her transport costs Paris/Troyes
- Noémie Mallard, ergonomist at Génie des places (development of workspaces)
- 26 years
- Lives in Troyes and comes to work 2 to 3 days a week in the Paris offices
- Transportation : an SNCF Paris-Troyes subscription at 146 euros, of which she pays 42 euros. “To get around Paris, I pay for my monthly Navigo Pass (84 euros). I could have opted for expense reports on single metro tickets, but too complicated to manage,” she explains.
- Accommodation : Noémie lives with her parents living in Neuilly-Plaisance (93). She therefore has no accommodation costs to pay. Ditto for the cost of meals, because in the evening, she dines at the family home. “In the end, I save money because I let go of a 50 m2 rental in Versailles at 1100 euros per month for a 110 m2 apartment in Troyes at the same rent but half paid for by my companion. So even by paying part of my transport costs, I am a winner, ”she counts.
- His experience as a commuter “I depend on transport. In the event of a strike, I have to adapt. And then there is always the subject of luggage, which is heavy and bulky to carry. I also have to anticipate the outfits to take when I come to Paris, especially if I have client meetings. So it’s a whole organization. It’s doable as long as I don’t have kids. Then it will be to be seen”.
Testimony of Lara, 2-3 days in Paris: system D with relatives when she is not in Nîmes
- Lara Célié, media consultant at La Nouvelle Agence (media consulting agency)
- 30 years
- Lives in Nîmes and comes work 2 to 3 days a week in the Paris offices without fixed days
- Transportation : an SNCF Paris-Nîmes subscription for unlimited journeys at 300 euros per month, 50% covered by the company
- Accommodation : system D with friends or family, Lara alternates according to the availability of each other. “Usually I give them two weeks notice. And I’m lucky to be able to enjoy a guest room every time I stay. And so I have no fees. The hotel can be taken care of if I request it, but (for the moment) it is my choice to take advantage of my stays in Paris to see my family and/or my friends, ”she explains.
- His experience as a commuter “I was hired when I was already living in Nîmes, so of course the subject of travel expenses was discussed in the interview. From the start, I dealt with half of my transport costs in addition to my salary, ”she says. On the other hand, she admits that she did not try to find out whether her remuneration was equivalent to that of her Parisian colleagues.
Sylvain, 1 night/week in Paris: transport and hotel covered, but not the meal
- Sylvain Laurens, head of self service, Golden Bees (HR programmatic expert)
- 34 years old
- Lives in Bordeaux and come work 2 days a week in the Paris offices without fixed days
- Transportation The SNCF Bordeaux Paris subscription is fully paid for by the company, so zero costs for Sylvain Laurens on that side.
- Accommodation One night a week, he therefore spends one night in a Parisian hotel with which his employer has negotiated rates (120 euros/night). “I send an email in advance to book a room and my employer pays the costs directly. For dinner, either I eat quickly in a neighborhood restaurant or I go to the supermarket. These meal costs remain at my expense, ”he illustrates.
- His experience as a commuter “When I am in Paris, there is always a form of uncertainty if something is happening at home and it has already happened. If a strike prevents me from taking a return train to Bordeaux, well, I spend one more night in Paris and I make an expense report. I like this mix between the calm, family and sunny life in Bordeaux and the intense and grayer Paris. When I go to Paris, I am a boxer who steps into the ring. My working days are dense and intoxicating but tiring. So I don’t really take the opportunity to go out.
Marion, from Lyon, 2 days/week in Paris: train tickets covered and hotel nights reimbursed on expense reports
- Marion Durand, Marketing Director, Octopus Energy France (green electricity supplier) (photo ok)
- 34 years old
- Lives in Lyon and come work 2 days a week in the Paris offices, on Tuesdays and another free day in the week
- Transportation Since August 2022, Marion Durand has alternated between teleworking at her home in Lyon and 2 days at the office in Paris. For his round trips by train, his company pays for his SNCF subscription. “My choice to go and live in the provinces had to be fair for everyone. In particular that it does not cost the company and that it is not an advantage compared to other employees. In the negotiation, we agreed that this coverage would impact my future increases, ”she explains. Having deliberately chosen accommodation in Lyon 5 minutes from the train station, it takes 2h30 door to door when she goes to the office in Paris.
Accommodation Because she is past “the age of sleeping on an extra sofa”, Marion Durand prefers to sleep in a hotel than with Parisian friends. In agreement with her company, she advances the hotel costs, taking care not to exceed the fixed ceiling (approximately 140 euros per night) and is reimbursed in expense reports. - His experience as a commuter “Clearly the advantage of this alternation is that we were able to live away from the stress and the hectic Parisian life. We have also become closer to the family. Which is practical. Because when my companion, in 100% telework, is also on the move, we can seek the help of our relatives to take care of our 3-year-old son. It takes a lot of the mental load off me. Afterwards, it’s true that these round trips generate more fatigue and require a lot of organization, ”she testifies. But the game is well worth the candle, according to her.
Hadrien, Lillois, 1 to 2 days/week in Paris: no advance fee and a free room in a coliving on the 2nd floor of the company
- Hadrien Brunaux, Director of Operations, Worklib
- 33 Years
- Lives in Lille and comes to work 1 to 2 days a week in the Paris offices of the company.
Transportation : for 4 and a half years now, Hadrien Brunaux has been alternating working days in the Paris offices of Worklib (digital platform that allows companies to organize hybrid work and employees to book their coworking spaces) and teleworking at him in Lille. “When our first child was born, we decided to move to Lille, close to my family. Since our installation, on Mondays/Tuesdays or Thursdays/Fridays, or even just one day a week, I take the TGV to Paris. My company covers my travel expenses. I go through a management tool, Spendesk, which generates virtual bank cards to pay for my tickets. I have a fixed price evaluated according to the SNCF Lille-Paris prices which vary very little. So, I don’t have to pay any fees,” he explains.
Accommodation : for Hadrien and his 5 other commuting colleagues like him, there is no need to struggle to book a hotel room or an Airbnb. No, his company has two floors in a building in the Marais (Paris). “When we looked for premises in October 2020, our specifications stipulated that…