How can business improve people's lives? That is the issue of this inaugural seminar, and we decided to study a sector where there are real risks for employees, such as the building trade. On this way we chose Bouygues Construction, because we were sure that such a worldwide company would provide us with a lot of information thanks to a large scale of jobs and international building sites. When you go on the Bouygues Construction website , you can immediately feel how working conditions seem to be important for this firm. That's why we wondered why a company should improve its employees' working conditions. We first thought that such a Human Resources policy was nothing but superficial, so we wanted to check if Bouygues was only doing what was required by the law or paying a real attention to this policy. The law clearly says who is liable for the security of a building site. In fact, there is a double liability. The employees must take care of their own health and security at work. An example is the "droit de retrait": if an employee believes he is taking a big risk while working, he is allowed by law not to go to work for a few days. Of course, this right must be used carefully.
[...] It is even worse about jobs on building sites as workers who work there have to cope with weather and are likely to suffer from work illness due to accidents, toxic fumes from concrete and dust. As a result, most workers do not feel attracted by building companies whereas these companies are doing great and do need to recruit. That is why it is understandable that Bouygues communicates on its attempts to improve working conditions, as it is a good argument to make workers willing to join Bouygues and not another of its competitors. [...]
[...] The distinguishing feature of Bouygues Construction relies on four fundamental values: Respect for people: constantly improving the integration of employees, offering them training possibilities and opportunities for success. Professionalism and responsibility: keeping risks under control, making the highest priority of preserving the physical safety of employees. This moral contract binds all members of the company, whatever their job position or level of responsibility. Attention to, and satisfaction of, customers. Sense of common interest and solidarity. The two first values mainly stress a strong attention to employees that goes further than a mere appliance of the Law. [...]
[...] There is no need to be cynical or angelical: Bouygues improves its employees' working conditions because it is profitable to the company and because there is a strong human concern Economic interest When you listen to Valérie Ferrand or read some articles on the website of Bouygues Construction, you realize humanistic values are not only made for free. On the contrary, the firm's global policy is obviously thought of with a precise target: profit. Valérie Ferrand told us top management is particularly heedful of three main aspects of the Human Resources commitments: the human, social and economic ones. [...]
[...] In 2005, Bouygues Construction spent millions on training in France. It funds both general training and specific professional training. It is also made to help newly-hired workers by offering a tutorship scheme. A tutor is assigned to a young employee to help develop a career project and to teach him the basic know- how On a builders' yard : Interview of Jonathan Angotti a. Who is he? Jonathan Agotti studied for two years in “Classe Préparatoire” and then he entered the ESTP. [...]
[...] Angotti's experience: How does Bouygues deals with its employees in Vietnam? A great shock Those were the very words Mr. J. Angotti used when he started to talk about his experience in Vietnam. He was extremely shocked, he told us, because the security was more than rudimentary mainly due to a lack of education of the Vietnamese employees. Specific problems dealt with in Vietnam It must be pointed out that the low security in a country such as Vietnam is the result of the absence of education of the workers for they do not see the point of loosing time, for instance, on security rules. [...]
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