HOW DO COMPANY AGREEMENTS PREVENT REMOTE WORK RISKS?

Abstract

Two French laws passed in 2017 deal with the implementation of remote work. Now the signature of a company agreement is no longer mandatory. It seems legitimate then to question the interest in negotiating such an agreement for the deployment of remote work. This article questions the influence of a company agreement on control risks, lack of disconnection, and increased workload, and the impact on autonomy. The empirical part is based on an analysis of the content of five collective agreements and sixteen interviews. The main argument of this article is that signing an agreement creates a normative framework that helps to reassure employees, enabling them to assert their rights and duties. The perception of autonomy and control, on the other hand, depends more on the managerial relationship. The employees themselves develop a form of self-control. The agreement helps to develop a protective framework.