On March 12, Emmanuel Macron spoke to the French people about the new Covid-19 coronavirus. To limit the spread of the virus, he recommended limiting travel and maximizing telecommuting.

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Teleworking, a precautionary measure

At a time when the Covid-19 coronavirus epidemic is becoming a pandemic, due to its serious and global nature, it is becoming urgent and necessary to guarantee the health and safety of our employees.

To slow the spread of the virus among the population, one measure is essential: teleworking. In France, this measure is catching on, starting with the government. Already on February 28, the French Minister for Employment, Muriel Pénicaud, called on companies to "adapt working conditions, whether by teleworking or by stopping work".

In Bas-Rhin, one of the clusters of the epidemic where several cases have been detected, 600 employees of the Merck pharmaceutical company in Molsheim are teleworking. According to a company press release, management "has asked all employees whose position allows them to do so, to work from home until further notice". The aim is simple: to limit physical interaction, while continuing to work.

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A solution to support the economy

In ordinary circumstances, the employer cannot impose telecommuting. According to article L1222-11 of the French Labor Code, "in the event of exceptional circumstances, in particular the threat of an epidemic, or in cases of force majeure, the implementation of teleworking may be considered as an adaptation of the workstation made necessary to allow the continuity of the company's activity and guarantee the protection of employees".

The epidemic is not the only danger facing businesses. The restrictive measures bring with them another crisis, an economic one. The stock market crash has left no financial center untouched: Wall Street, London, Paris, Milan... The fear now is that business will grind to a halt. Working remotely would limit both the spread of the virus and the paralysis of economic activity. What's more, there are effective tools for maintaining a good working environment from home.

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Virtual meetings

While large gatherings of people are discouraged, this doesn't mean you have to write off planned meetings and conferences. Wherever you are, you can use the CounterPath collaboration solution to organize your business meetings.

With Bria telephony software, you have a virtual meeting room for secure HD audio and video conferences with messaging and screen sharing for up to 200 participants. With a simple click, users can transform an instant messaging discussion into a videoconference, or share a document on screen.

In a very simple way, a meeting can be scheduled just as it would under ordinary circumstances. Participants receive an e-mail notification inviting them to the meeting, and a personalized virtual meeting room. All they need is a web browser and an Internet connection.

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Keeping in touch? Yes, but behind a screen

When telecommuting is introduced, some people worry about a possible social breakdown. But there are ways of avoiding isolation from the rest of the world. Employees are encouraged to use telecommunications tools to stay in touch. Got a question for an employee? The answer can be communicated via Bria Enterprise from CounterPath.

Softphone gives users full access to voice, video, corporate directory, presence management, messaging and screen sharing. On desktops, tablets and smartphones, anywhere. All you need is a WiFi or 3G/4G connection, download the free Bria app and log in with your corporate credentials, whatever platform you're using (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android).

This solution boosts employee productivity and responsiveness by associating their own equipment with their business number. If an employee does not wish to be disturbed, they can notify their presence status (available, absent, busy, on the phone, do not disturb, inactive) to the team, automatically appearing in a single company directory.

So, with the touch of a fingertip, it's always possible to communicate with colleagues, wherever they are, while guaranteeing the health and safety of others - and yourself.

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Article written in collaboration with Allison Blomme

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