• by Larissa Faw , September 30, 2020

Publicis Groupe’s Arthur Sadoun has revealed plans for safely reopening the holding company’s offices. He did so in an internal video message sent to all employees on Tuesday morning.

Details have not been completely nailed down--Chief Talent Officer Emmanuel Andre and his team are working on guidelines to be shared by the end of the year which will provide a clear playbook on what the future of work will be for Publicis.

“Publicis will not be a zoom company nor will it be a 100% in-office company,” stated Sadoun. The Groupe’s approach is divided between a pre- and post-vaccine world. Prior to the availability of a vaccine, Sadoun’s message was there is not a “one size fits all” solution because the spread of the virus differs by country and personal situations require customized solutions.

Twenty-five percent of Groupe employees, for instance, have young children at home. As such, local leadership has been empowered to make nuanced decisions that follow local regulation to put “safety first.”

Sadoun said he recognizes that his young and largely single workforce enjoy office life. Three in 10 Groupe employees are under 30 years old, “and it is our management's responsibility to ensure that you don't become invisible so you can continue to progress in your careers,” he says in the video. Sixty percent are single or living alone. “This makes the effects of isolation greater... so we need to make sure you have opportunities for human and social interaction. While we're waiting on a vaccine, you should all feel free to do what is right for you and your situation.”

However, once a vaccine is found and distributed, all workers will return to the office which again will become the primary place of work. “Our offices will once again be the center and heartbeat of work life," though he adds remote work and interoffice communication Marcel “will be an integrated part of our daily work culture.”

“We have exhausted everything that remote work can teach us," Sadoun added.

Sadoun surprised his team with the announcement that all 30,000 U.S. employees will receive the full week off for Thanksgiving holiday.

“I know how difficult this year has been and want you to know I am very aware that you all need a break,” he explains. “A week-long thank you for your hard work — commitment — and resilience during a truly thankless year.”