“A better balance between work and personal life”: why and how the Grands buffets de Narbonne will shift some of its employees to the three and a half day week

Why this decision to move from a four-day week to a three-and-a-half day week for some of the Grands Buffets employees?

This decision is part of the logical continuation of the implementation, here, of an ambitious social policy for several years of salary increases, the indexation of salaries in line with inflation or even support for employees who are in a situation of over-indebtedness. We were the first restaurant to switch to 35 hours. Overall, it is a policy that is implemented taking into account the fact that the catering professions are professions where people are the priority. Our entire activity, our product, relies on employees. This in a sector of activity which is known to be difficult because, in fact, it is difficult.

What cooks and employees were able to accept in the past, in terms of sacrificing their personal lives, is no longer possible today

Cooking and service are professions of passion but it is not because we have passion that we can make exorbitant sacrifices compared to what is experienced today. What cooks and employees were able to accept in the past, in terms of sacrificing their personal lives, is no longer possible today. If we have not understood this, young people tomorrow will prefer careers in logistics, mass distribution or commerce. We must not lie to ourselves, to convince them to enter the restaurant industry, they must be able to benefit from remuneration above other sectors and more numerous days of rest. This is how for years we have been asking ourselves at Grands Buffets the question of levers to make this work more attractive in the context of today's life. This means more free time to compensate for the sacrifice of their professional commitment.

The Grand Buffets, beyond the gastronomic aspect, are recognized for their welcoming of the public. Aren't you afraid of losing in that regard with this change to three and a half days?

It's quite the opposite. Despite what the profession says on the subject of salaries and free time which are not subjects, we think that they are. Because with our measures on purchasing power and in favor of a better balance between work and personal life, we record fewer turnover and we have fewer problems hiring. When we increase, as we did, the purchasing power of our employees by 30%, we have many more candidates. These measures also have an impact on well-being with less absenteeism, and also a better capacity to replace employees who are absent. We bring serenity within the teams. The quality of reception will be improved with more fulfilled employees. The customer will therefore be the main beneficiary thanks to increased employee commitment.

A measure of good management

Which professions will be affected by these 3 and a half days?

This concerns around fifty of our 220 employees. These are the maîtres d'hôtel, head waiters and waiters. Those who have a lot of difficulty with hours cut between the two lunch and evening services. This affects their personal lives. The only solution was therefore to propose a number of days of rest equivalent to the number of days worked. They work the same number of hours but will have one more evening to enjoy, for example, their family.

Economically, does this have a cost?

We have no choice because these are arguments allowing us to recruit staff. This is good management. We cannot have a demanding policy for our customers and not accept that employees are so towards our management. For too long, and still today because it is the speech at the hotel school saying that you should not count your hours, employers consider that it is a favor offered to employees to work at home. But it is quite the opposite because employers take advantage of their time and skills. Every hour worked must be considered as such.

How was this measure received by employees?

This is very well received because it offers them perspectives. It appeals to everyone to say that they will be able to spend four days with their family instead of three.

You regularly speak critically about your colleagues' “discount” prices. Will this measure lead to an increase in prices at Grands Buffets?

No. We had rates that had already anticipated this. Now you're right, I think restaurant prices need to be higher. It is inconceivable to have attractive prices while doing so on the back of mistreatment of employees. I have no shame in saying that our service at the Grands buffets is sold at its fair value because this service is mainly based on the investment of our employees.