Signify is being accused of forcing all its 2,350 employees to work full-time in the office again now that more and more countries are abandoning all coronavirus measures. According to trade union CNV Professionals, the lighting specialist doesn’t allow a responsible mix of working from home and ‘on the job.’ CNV director Arjan Huizinga: “Everyone is forced to come to the company. On 16 March, Signify announced that the office would become the standard workplace again for all colleagues.”
“Signify is confusing the old standard with the new,” says Huizinga. “The collective labor agreement that has been in force since March 2021 already stipulates that the employer and unions are to set up a policy for a responsible mix of working from home and at the office, balancing health and production standards. But Signify has done nothing from which we can conclude that they’re serious about honoring the agreement. Consultations have yielded no results and Signify keeps reiterating that it doesn’t want to lead the way here. However, the company does require employees to be present in the office for full working hours. It persists in the ‘old normal,’ while the agreement is to come to a new standard with each other.”
Huizinga believes that Signify is only hurting itself with this attitude. “Employees are already seriously thinking about looking for a job elsewhere. In light of the tight labor market, they’re sure to get better employment conditions at other companies.”